Leica SL2-S Review
Lining up a pre-owned (new to me) Leica SL2-S for review photos
Landing a Leica
Buying a Leica SL2-S in 2024
Over the years I have switched camera systems a few times. In the film days, it was Canon, Nikon, and Contax. When digital was introduced it was Canon for the longest time, especially the 5D series cameras. Then it was mostly Fujifilm for the following decade. Lately, I had a Nikon Zf for a few months since the launch last year.
Along comes Leica which has always been a sort of perifrial brand to me. Leica cameras were either rather costly or just not practical for my upcoming projects. 2024, however, is the year when I decided to purchase a used Leica SL2-S.
Switching systems can be like a breath of fresh air but is not always practical as you may have invested in lenses and accessories for one system only to find them incompatible the next day. Let’s see how things have played out after three weeks with the Leica SL2-S.
Well…Here I am at a Leica SL3 launch event in Vancouver showing up with a Leica SL2-S
Photo by: Kyle @secondteamkyle
Moving From a Nikon Zf to a Leica SL2-S
The Nikon Zf is an amazing camera and the decision to sell it was not taken lightly. Buying a Leica SL2-S is a move to an older camera, released three years ago compared to the Zf, released only a few months ago. Both cameras have a 24-megapixel sensor and a gain in image quality may be hard to spot.
Getting a Leica SL2-S was much more about an itch that needed to be scratched than it was a dissatisfaction with the Nikon Zf.
Several features are indeed better on the Zf such as auto focus, battery life, and it has a fully articulating screen. I will mention a few other differences below.
What About Fujifilm?
I still have an X-Pro1 and X-Pro2. The X-Pro2 gets a fair bit of use and every time I take my X-Pro1 out I am amazed at the image quality of this 12-year-old camera. I sold my GFX 50R in the fall because running too many systems proved difficult. I have never aimed to be a collector and the sale of one camera is often the ticket to the next.
I have a pre-order in place for the Fujifilm X100VI. My initial excitement about this camera, however, is slowly dissipating due to the wait times and insane hype, and my heart is probably wishing for an X-Pro camera update instead. We will have to wait till next year for the X-Pro4.
What Is It About Leica?
I won’t deny, there is a fair bit of mystique and history surrounding the Leica brand. Most of this is valid but you could argue the same about other major brands such as Canon, Nikon, and Zeiss. Fujifilm has a deep history. Most brands do.
I did, however, visit the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit at Centre Pompidou during our first visit to Paris in 2014 and was inspired by his vast catalog of images captured during the last century. You can check our blog entry here from Paris. Cartier-Bresson used Leica cameras so why shouldn’t I?
At a Leica store in Paris, a cheque was on display in the shop window issued by Cartier-Bresson for the purchase of a Leica camera. Now I am just wondering if my credit card receipt for the purchase of the SL2-S might one day be on display at Camtec Photo in Montreal. If so, please hide the credit card number :)
This is my first Leica and the following three attributes stick out for me compared to other brands I have used:
Craftmanship / Build Quality
Design Philosophy
User Interface
The design and feel of the SL2 series cameras are second to none. Other cameras come close but Leica feels a notch above anything I have tried to date. The design is minimalistic.
Except for the “Play”, “FN”, “Menu”, and “Off/On” switches, none of the dials or custom buttons are named and merely blend into the camera body which has an edgy and refined style.
The diopter has clear markings and feels rock solid. The joystick is the best I have tried. The elegant and very functional battery release is also brilliantly designed and executed.
The SL2-S is slightly bigger and heavier than the Nikon Zf I used just a few weeks ago and the superb grip on the SL2-S is very much appreciated with its indent with room for three fingers, and plenty of room between the grip and lens, it feels as if made for my hand.
Setting up the Leica SL2-S was almost a breeze. The Leica FOTOS app is said to be one of the best but I have had trouble connecting and admittedly have not been very patient. I have now upgraded to the latest 6.0.0 firmware and will give it another shot and will report back.
Update
I have now successfully connected to the Leica FOTOS app and it does indeed allow for workflow including RAW files which is a plus. Transfer times to my iPhone are, however, someone slow I find. For travel, I will bring an SD card reader which will allow for a much faster transfer.
Without a manual, but with the help of Google once or twice, I have set the camera up to my liking and have experimented with various custom button configurations. Coming from the Zf I have appreciated having more custom buttons. The menus are clear and concise and generally easier to navigate than most other system I have encountered.
Leica SL versus Leica M
It is easy to get swooned by Leica M cameras with their rich heritage, rugged appearance, and elegant design. If you are reading this article chances are that you have considered the Leica M10, M10R, or M11 as I did.
The smaller M lenses from Leica, Voigtländer, Zeiss, and other brands are appealing if you are looking for a lighter and more compact Leica setup.
I could easily see myself with a Leica M camera somewhere down the line but as my first Leica camera, the SL2-S made more sense. The SL2-S allows you to use autofocus lenses from either Leica, Panasonic, or Sigma as part of the L-Mount Alliance and this is important to me for working gigs.
The SL2 cameras have an excellent 5.76m-Dot EVF and it makes it a joy to use with manual focus lenses. I plan for autofocus lenses soon but to this point, I use only manual focus lenses with a Novoflex M to L-Mount adapter.
I did have a nice encounter with a Leica M10 last summer and you can check my impressions here:
Leica SL2-S versus SL2
The Leica SL2 was released about a year before the SL2-S and the all-important difference is the 47-megapixel sensor in the SL2 vs. 24-megapixels in the SL2-S. Other notable differences are better high ISO and battery performance on the SL2-S along with slightly improved autofocus, buffer, and frame rates.
The are several other factors (and video specs) that may sway you in one or the other direction but if you are a still photographer I think most of us will pick either one or the other based on the sensors.
One of the features leveling the playing field is the multishot mode on the SL2-S creating 96-megapixel files in-camera with no need for external software. Very handy indeed.
The multishot mode does have limitations as you would need to place the camera on a tripod or steady surface and it is not suitable for any type of action.
Cosmetically the two cameras are also slightly different. Where the logo inscription on the front of the camera and the hot shoe are painted white on the SL2, it is blacked out on the SL2-S.
I am a big fan of the discrete look of the SL2-S and was joking with a couple of my photographer friends that this surely was a feature making you a better photographer.
Below is an example of a photo originally captured as a 96-megapixel file using the multishot mode. I like how the camera creates a DNG RAW file which pops up ready to edit in your choice of software. In this particular image, it made a big difference in the amount of detail viewable at 100%.
Vancouver Rowing Club. Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical
This photo was originally captured in Multishot Mode creating a 96-megapixel file, 12000 x 8000 pixels. Click to view a 2500-pixel wide image.
Autofocus Performance
The ability and quality of the contrast-detect 225-area autofocus system in the SL2 and SL2-S are frequently debated and questioned when entering a camera system in this price category. It is a well-known fact that cameras from Sony, Canon, and Nikon are better when it comes to AI implementation, eye detection, and autofocus speed in general.
If autofocus is a priority and you need solid tracking for wildlife, sports, or video the SL cameras from Leica may not be your best bet. In the L-Mount alliance the Panasonic S5 II now has phase-detect autofocus and the same goes for the newly released Leica SL3.
I have managed for years with contrast-detect autofocus so I am not too concerned when it comes to the SL2-S and autofocus. But it is important to mention that my genres (travel, street, landscape photography) are not taxing on the AF system. If my main gigs were sports or wildlife I would have to reconsider this.
So far I have tried the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art with the SL2-S and found the autofocus speed to be fast and accurate. You can read my Sigma 35mm Art review here:
Image Quality
It usually takes a few days or weeks to get a new camera dialed in when it comes to post-processing. I use Lightroom and all the photos you will see in this post were captured in RAW. As my SL2-S replaced a Nikon Zf it was natural to draw comparisons to this camera.
I do not have a side-by-side comparison but for color photos, I prefer the Leica files. I understand this is highly subjective. As for the details in the files I find there is a presence in the SL2-S files I like that at times were missing in the Zf files.
It was almost as if the Zf had more megapixels and screen-size images would appear ever so slightly more mushy. I did not dislike the Zf files but merely wanted to mention what I found different.
As for black and white photos, I found the Zf Lightroom camera-specific presets excellent and I used them all the time. The Leica black and white JPEGs are great but they do not carry over with a preset in Lightroom if you shoot RAW.
I struggled with this for a few days until I found an SL2-S-specific black and white preset from Matt Osborne, aka Mr. Leica. Initially, I did not favor his style in the preset (high-contrast grungy) but it was an excellent starting point for creating my own presets which lean more toward low-contrast results with reduced sharpness.
I also lined a RAW file up next to the Leica BW JPEG and tried to match them to the best of my ability and have now saved a few presets with a variety of contrasts and shadow recovery.
Please make sure to click on the sample images to view sizes up to 2500 pixels depending on your monitor size or pinch zoom if on your mobile phone.
Lens Selection
At this point, I have three lenses I use with the Leica SL2-S. Two are from Voigtländer that I use with a Novoflex M to L-Mount adapter, the Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 and Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC. I also use my old Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI-S with a K&F Concept adapter.
I look forward to testing several lenses. Next week I have a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art on the agenda followed by a couple of Panasonic lenses, the 100mm f/2.8 Macro and 14-28mm Macro.
The ability to select lenses from the L-Mount Alliance is an advantage that I look forward to exploring further. This along with Leica’s own SL lenses and adapted lenses should keep me busy for a while.
That’s a Wrap
The Leica SL2-S feels like a good move for me and wasn’t too difficult as I had not invested in a line of Nikkor Z lenses. I only had to swap a couple of adapters and was ready to go with the SL2-S.
Buying an SL2-S used in 2024 makes sense to me from a cost standpoint and I say this even as I bought it merely a week before the SL3 was announced, a nice camera at more than double the cost. Most specs of the SL3 were known before the release and I knew it would come in at a price higher than I was prepared to pay.
I am sure there are plenty of benefits to the 60-megapixel sensor and overall new specs and I hope I will get a chance to review it before long. 24-megapixel is usually enough for my style of photography and in a pinch the multishot mode creating 96-megapixel files has been easy to use.
The release of the SL3 does give a good indicator of what an eventual SL3-S will feel and look like and we can also follow Leica’s foray into phase-detect autofocus. If the pattern between the SL2 and SL2-S releases is repeated, it will be about a year before we see an SL3-S. I am getting ahead of myself here.
The SL2-S has been said to be one of the best cameras for adapting M-Mount lenses and from my brief experience I believe there may be truth to this statement. I find my two Voigtländer lenses to perform slightly better on this platform.
This could also be the result of using a better Novoflex adapter. I have also briefly tried a Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2, and my friend Chris’ Heliar 12mm and Zeiss ZM 21mm f/2.8. All of these lenses work well with the SL2-S.
At the end of the day, I come back to the craftsmanship, design, and user interface that makes this camera a joy to pick up, look at, and use in the field. And so far I have been happy with the results.
A quick thanks to Julian and Kyle for helping out with SL2-S and SL2 test drives and questions. It made the decision much easier.
Stay tuned for more Leica content coming up soon.
Please see more sample images below.
Price / Availability
At the time this review was posted the Leica SL2-S retailed for $5,195.00 and several bundles are available with various SL lenses.
I paid $3,300.00 for my used copy which included an extra battery and a year of warranty. Used prices seem to hover in the range of $3,000.00 to $3,400.00 depending on the shape of the camera and included accessories.
If you are considering the SL2-S, you can help support our site by using the affiliate links below. There is no additional cost to you.
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Leica SL2-S - Sample Images
Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Lightroom. Some of the images are cropped slightly.
Please click to view larger images.
English Bay Beach, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
West End, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
Stanley Park Seawall, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
Stanley Park Seawall, Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical
Stanley Park Seawall, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
Stanley Park Seawall, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI-S
North Shore Mountains, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
This photo was originally captured in Multishot Mode creating a 96-megapixel file, 12000 x 8000 pixels. Click to view a 2500-pixel wide image.
Siwash Rock, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC
Lost Lagoon, Vancouver, Leica SL2-S, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI-S
Leica and L-Mount Alliance Reviews
Leica M10
Leica SL2-S - First Impressions
Leica Q vs. XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR
Panasonic Lumix S5 II
Panasonic Lumix S 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art
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