Leica SL3 First Impressions from Wetzlar
An exclusive preview of Leica's latest full-frame flagship
In 2022, the M11 showed us what the future of digital rangefinders would look like. In 2023, we witnessed the Q3 push the boundaries for a companion camera. And now in 2024, we get to see what happens when Leica sets out to build their best full-frame camera to date.
This is the Leica SL3 and it ushers in the next generation of the SL system. It sports a 60MP backside-illuminated, full-frame sensor with triple resolution support—like the one you’d find in the Leica M11—and can deliver images with up to 15 stops of dynamic range. It houses the new Maestro IV processor with L² technology—a series of innovations from the partnership between Leica and LUMIX—to improve many points of functionality, including the new phase-detect autofocus system. The camera also moves to a pairing of CF Express Type B and SD UHS-II card slots, which improves capture and download performance.
There’s also an entirely new menu system that genuinely surprised me because that never felt like a point of weakness in the past. And there’s an upgrade to the battery capacity which should come in handy for the noticeable leap in video performance that includes 8K recording.
That’s already a lot. And if this were any other brand, that would probably be it. But this is Leica, and there’s still so much more.
Two weeks ago, a handful of us were invited to Wetzlar where we got access to cameras, photographers, designers, and engineers to really learn the intricacies of the Leica SL3. In this first impressions, I’m gonna share with you all that’s new along with insights from those close to this camera launch.
The Body
The Leica SL3 has gotten noticeably smaller and lighter than the predecessor. Even with a full metal housing, the body comes in at 738g and still feels great to hold, where the grip can comfortably accommodate all your fingers. The camera has an IP54 rating where you can really push it in all sorts of weather conditions. It’s rated to work from -10 to +40 degrees Celsius. But more impressively, I was surprised to hear that Leica tests these cameras at -40 through +70, which also happens to mimic the range of emotions you feel as a freelance photographer.
The new layout moves most of the buttons to the operator side of the camera, making it easier for one-handed use. There’s now a third customizable dial, along with 6 customizable function buttons. And as you’d expect, no markers or labels, resulting in this very clean look. Moving to the back, we now see a two-way tilting LCD and while a flush design would look nicer, I have to admit that this raised profile makes it easier to engage the display from different angles. This upgrade has been a long time coming and makes for easier video operation and as well as low-angle photography.
The 3.2” back LCD has incredible touch accuracy and responsiveness. We see the same 5.76M dot EVF that can jump to a 120FPS refresh rate and like I mentioned in my Leica SL2-s review, it’s really, really good. There’s also a 1.28” monochrome LCD to view your key settings, and it’s been tweaked to give a more modern profile.
There’s also a new power button and this had some of us confused. The Previous on/off switch made it easy for users to know when the camera was active. But Leica made the move to a power button to inject more functionality. It can operate as a tally light, indicate charging status, and more impressively, allow for remote power control. The sensors know to turn off the light when your eye approaches the EVF but if that’s not enough, you can disable the light entirely. This shift made me feel like if my son came home like an absolute mess and as I was about to grill him, he then proceeds to tell me how he single-handedly saved a school bus full of puppies. This is all to say, as much as I thought that this shift to a power button would be an issue, I was met with some unique features that brought more value. So, I’ll look to explore this further in my full review.
When it comes to ports, you have the full-sized HDMI, USB-C, mic in, audio out, and even a timecode interface which should indicate that Leica is getting even more serious about video production. What I also appreciated is that you can now plug the SL3 into a computer and easily engage a mass storage mode to drag and drop files really quickly. And before I forget, you get the new, higher capacity battery that was introduced with the Leica Q3 to power your creativity, or secret OnlyFans account…
With respect to connectivity, you have an updated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip that makes camera control and file transfers blazing fast. Leica is promising up to 10x faster wireless transfer speeds and I’m really excited to push this in the field.
Now, I’ve covered all the hardware changes around the camera but there’s something that nobody could’ve guessed was gonna change with this camera.
The Menus
The design team has introduced an all new user interface and menu system. We now have something that has more uniformity with icons, improved legibility with the text, and generous spacing for touch operation. The main control centre is more refined and has 8 customizable tiles to make this feel like your camera.
What I loved about this redesign were all the small upgrades like being able to remove the black bar at the bottom of the frame, holding down an icon to change a setting, and improvements to deleting multiple images. Seriously, I was a little nervous when I heard about this but after spending time with it and speaking with the designers, they really sought out to design something for the future. You can craft 6 profiles for photo and video, and the goal is that you build the profiles for your line of work and spend as little time as possible in the menu system. Oh, and speaking of video… I was curious about why they had the yellow accents for the video menu. Well, it turns out that this is a nod to their Leitz Cine products. A nice touch!
I guess the big question is do I like this new menu system better than the previous one? I think the answer is, I think I so? You see I really can’t answer that right now because I’ve been using the traditional menu system across all sorts of environments for years. And over that time, there’s a lot of muscle memory built up.
I’ve used it behind the scenes at massive outdoor concerts for photography. I’ve used it on the back of a motorbike for video. And I’ve used it in stressful environments under the cover of darkness with high stakes on the line. So, time will tell whether or not this new user interface design will lead to a better user experience. But what gives me hope was how open and accessible the Leica team has been with feedback. I was sharing first impressions and ideas during my time in Wetzlar and they were genuinely hungry to collect thoughts from everyone they could. So, I’m optimistic that this could become the preferred way to interact with Leica products.
The Photography
Before I get to the camera features, let’s talk about the glass. The L-mount alliance means that users now have access to over 80 unique lenses from 8 manufacturers, and that’s even before you look at adapting M glass. The most impressive, if you’re asking me, are these APO prime lenses from Leica that are designed to resolve sensors beyond 100MP. I feel like there’s this notion of limited options for this mount but the truth is far from that. It’s also the ecosystem that made fall in love with zoom lens again.
Now, let’s dive into the photo features. The sensor is essentially the Leica M11 sensor tweaked for the SL system. And with the move to the Maestro IV processor, you can expect up to 15 stops of dynamic range, better noise reduction, and native ISO that ranges from 100 to 100,000. The upgraded phase-detect autofocus system is impressive. I’ll save my final thoughts for my review but early on, it showed less of that hesitation with multiple subjects than the Leica Q3 did when that first shipped.
We also get 5-axis, in-body image stabilization with up to 5 stops of compensation. The mechanical shutter can fire as fast as 8000th of a second, giving you the ability to capture a wild toddler travelling at full speed. And studio shooters can look forward to a flash sync speed of 1/200 which is not the best in the industry, but still better than most.
In terms of continuous shooting, you can fire as high as 15FPS but if you’re like me and looking at the best quality file with continuous autofocus, this drops to down 4FPS; good for studio but challenging sports or wildlife. On the plus side, the memory buffer has been doubled to 8GB which will let you fire your bursts for longer and that’s something I’m really happy about.
The Videography
With respect to video, you have 8K recording at 30P and 4K recording at 60P. The video menu has seen an overhaul with tons of format options and features like ProRes recording. And the new backside illumined sensor also delivers a dual base ISO system, so I’m curious to find out how best to optimize this camera for different shooting environments.
If you’ve seen my extensive SL2-s review, you know how capable Leica can be in video production, so I’m genuinely excited to push the limit of the SL3 in the months to come.
Taking a step back, you gotta appreciate how much work went into reinventing this camera. Where some companies might introduce one new part or a new sensor, Leica has completely redesigned their offering for this product category. It’s truly impressive. But its also positioned in a unique place in the market because of how and where it’s made. So, with that in mind, who should be most excited for this camera?
Closing Thoughts
When you factor in the electronic viewfinder, upgraded autofocus, durable housing, versatile lens mount, and robust video features, the Leica SL3 now feels like the best Leica camera on the market. I mean, if we were gonna define “best” as generally as possible. But the reality is that all of these features mean nothing if you don’t know how to leverage them for your work.
When I got my Leica M11, I didn’t think that an SL2-s would be the next camera to round out my kit. But after months of research and testing, it turned out that this ecosystem provided a greater opportunity for growth. It paired perfectly for the work I do. Whether it was commercial, documentary, video, or personal, it was an ecosystem that I could count on time and time again. I could leverage the key differentiators to get the most out of my creativity.
With all that said, I’m more optimistic about the Leica SL3 than most of the cameras I’ve been test driving lately. There’s a personal element here where I’m interested in finding out how the upgrades can further my work. One thing I know for sure though, test driving this camera across some of the adventures I have planned is gonna make for one hell of review.
New March Contest!
Each month, I run a contest for the Church & Street Foto Club and try to feature something that I believe people will appreciate.
For March, I’ll be giving away the Long Weekend Beacon Tote Bag and Everyday Zip Pouch. Sometimes you just want a durable bag to throw your stuff in and head out the door. This tote bag from the Moment team is something that does that and is built to last. Plus it doesn’t hurt to have an extra pouch to organize some essentials.
How am I picking the winner? All you have to do is be a member of this community and leave a comment on this post. As with every contest, I’ll be randomly picking one person, confirming they meet the requirements and then contacting them directly before announcing the winner publicly.
Once again, this contest is void where prohibited by law. Good luck!
My thanks to the team at Moment! Not only for this contest but for being the longest supporter of my work online. They’re a lean team of passionate creators that truly believe in supporting other creatives on their journey. Whether it’s a new camera, lens, workshop, or just some great articles, visit ShopMoment.com today.
What’s Next?
Staying on the topic of Leica, I’ll be heading to New York next week for the grand opening of the Leica New York store in the meatpacking district. If any of you reading are in the New York area and wanna link up, let me know in the comments below.
Anyway, that’s enough for this week. See ya next time!
GB
Keep your Q3, I have an X100vi! 😊
Amazing review and the images hit even more so when seen up close!