Leica has unveiled its newest full-frame mirrorless digital camera, the 24-megapixel SL3-S with improved efficiency and video in comparison with its predecessor, the SL2-S. It largely resembles the photo-centric 60-megapixel SL3 unveiled in March final yr, however is geared towards hybrid customers who shoot each stills and video. Spec-wise, it resembles Panasonic’s $2,200 S5 IIX mirrorless digital camera and should use the same sensor.
The L-mount SL3-S has a a lot chunkier physique than the Leica rangefinder cameras it’s possible you’ll be used to. It does supply entrance and rear dials to regulate key features, together with a pair of mode dials, a joystick and a number of other extra buttons. Nevertheless, it lacks some controls discovered on fashions just like the S5 IIX — so it’s possible you’ll have to wade into the menus to alter some settings.
Fortunately, the rear touchscreen is massive and really excessive in decision (5.7-million dots), although it solely tilts and does not totally articulate which is unlucky for a hybrid digital camera. The digital viewfinder (EVF) provides 5.76-million dots of decision, which is strong however a bit low in comparison with equally priced rivals.
A key enchancment is quicker autofocus, because of the up to date 24-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor. That permits burst taking pictures at as much as 30fps with steady phase-detect AF, with pretty lengthy seize occasions because of help for quick CFexpress Sort B reminiscence playing cards. The corporate can be promising 15 stops of dynamic vary that ought to enable for tremendous changes when taking pictures RAW information.
One other key new characteristic is on the video facet, with 6K 3:2 “open-gate” seize (5,952 x 3,968 to be precise) recording, or 5,888 x 3,312 RAW 10-bit (to an exterior recorder), together with 4K 60p. The SL3-S additionally helps ProRes recording to a USB-C system or CFexpress B playing cards. (It is not clear if inside RAW video recording is supported, although a spec sheet from B&H Photograph Video exhibits that to be the case.) These video specs line up carefully with Panasonic’s S5 IIX, although the latter lacks a CFexpress card slot.
The principle good thing about a Leica digital camera is Leica’s sharp (and costly) lenses, although the SL3-S can even use glass from L-Mount companions, Panasonic and Sigma. The one large benefit over the S5 IIx is the addition of a CFexpress card slot, however in any other case the 2 fashions have related specs — so whether or not that purple Leica dot is value an additional $3,100 is as much as consumers to resolve. Leica’s SL3-S is now on sale for $5,295 at B&H Photograph Video and elsewhere.
