Leica SL3 shown with a Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/3 — The Leica SL3 shown with Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2

A First Look at the Leica SL3

Only days after I got my first Leica, the Leica SL3, a new flagship camera, was announced. I knew it was coming, and the rumor mill had most of the information out before the launch.

It was never a question of whether I should have waited for the Leica SL3, as I knew it would be priced higher than what I am willing to pay for any camera at this point, but that doesn’t mean I am not interested in the SL3 and what it brings to the table.

As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to try out the Leica SL3 for a few days. Let’s see how it performed.

Leica SL3 shown with a Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 — The Leica SL3 is shown with Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4

Third Generation Leica SL Camera

The Leica SL series camera first appeared in 2015. The SL2 was released in late 2019, the SL2-S in late 2020, and the SL3 was introduced in March 2024.

Most notably, the Leica SL3 was introduced with a new 60-megapixel sensor, a revamped menu system, a tilting rear LCD, 8K video, and phase-detect autofocus, all in a smaller and lighter package.

At launch, the Leica SL3 retailed for $6.995.00; as I type this, it is hard to find in stock.

A red BMW Isetta. Sample image from a Leica SL3 and Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 — West Vancouver, Leica SL3, Summicron-M 50mm f/2

Build Quality, Design, and Handling

At first glance, the SL3 looks similar to the SL2 and has the same design DNA. As a recent convert to the Leica SL2-S, I will not criticize the overall design philosophy of the SL series. I admire these cameras' rugged appearance, phenomenal grips, and user interface.

The SL3 is slightly smaller and 8% lighter than the SL2, which is a commendable feat. The SL3's build quality is very high, but I can’t help but think that my SL2-S feels ever so slightly more solid overall. This is by a small margin, but worth mentioning.

The new tilting screen feels rock solid. Some users may have wished that it would also tilt in portrait orientation, but I think it was wise to keep the construction as minimal as possible, and it is less intrusive.

Leica SL3 shown with a Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 and Leica M to L adapter

The top LCD has been updated and looks more modern than that of the SL2 cameras. It has a refreshed font, and information such as exposure compensation is more accurate, showing the exacts. However, it may not be as easy to read if you leave your reading glasses at home.

The custom fn buttons, the shutter button, and the main dials feel precisely as they do on the SL2 cameras and are placed in the same spots, making the transition to the SL3 easy.

The “Play,” “FN,” and MENU buttons have moved to the right-hand side of the LCD. I have no problems with this; operating the camera one-handed is easier. There is a new second command dial that I think most would use for ISO.

The new illuminated ON/OFF switch is pretty cool, showing a pulsating light when the camera is charging. However, I favor the old-fashioned style, which lets you know where you are.

I sometimes questioned whether I had turned it on or off, as the start-up had a slight delay. It's not a big deal, and I think I could get used to the new way of doing things.

A trail at Pitt-Addington Marsh near Maple Ridge in BC, Canada. Sample image from a Leica SL3 and Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 — Pitt-Addington Marsh, Leica SL3, Summicron-M 50mm f/2

Leica SL3 Specs

60MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor
Maestro IV image processor, 8GB buffer
ISO 50-100000,
5-Axis sensor-shift image stabilization
Hybrid AF system with PDAF contrast AF
Up to 15 fps.
8K, C8K, 4K, C4K & FHD 10-bit recording, ProRes 1080p and Apple MFi support
CFexpress type B & SD UHS-II card slots
5.76m-Dot 0.78x-mag. EyeRes OLED EVF, 120 fps. refresh rate
3.2" 2.3m-Dot tilting touchscreen LCD
1.7 lb / 769 g
Price: $6.995.00 (at the time this review was posted)

Leica SL3 shown with a Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL16-35mm f/3.5-4.5

In Action

I'm glad I had a couple of months with the SL2-S before writing this review, as it made navigating the camera and menus easier. Even though Leica has refreshed the menus and fonts, I felt at home relatively quickly and had the camera set up to my liking without any significant challenges.

As you will see in this review, I have used several manual focus lenses from Voigtländer and Leica. One improvement is that when you select a lens from the M-lens menu, it stays in a favorites list, which saves time whenever you change lenses. Nice touch. Leica M lenses are automatically detected if you use the Leica M to L adapter.

I didn't have enough time to investigate all the settings, but the overhaul looks good. As it is, I don’t find many flaws with the SL2-S. All cameras take some getting used to on this front.

Pedestrian crossing at West Georgia Street and Granville in Vancouver. Sample image from a Leica SL3 and Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.2 — Downtown, Vancouver, Leica SL3, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2

I tried the new phase-detect autofocus with a couple of Leica SL lenses and can confirm that it works well, sticking like glue to your subject.

As mentioned, I used the SL3 with manual focus lenses, and this is where my only gripe with the camera occurred. Compared to my SL2-S, the EVF did not render as sharply or clearly. It was okay, but there was a difference. Arguably, my eyesight has been better, but I had two other people look at this, and they confirmed the same.

I also asked a third friend who was at the launch of the Leica SL3, and he found the EVF to be the same as on his SL2-S. So, I want to stress that this could indeed be a one-off for this demo camera.

My local Leica rep promised to contact me regarding this and has offered to let me try the camera again.

Update: May 22, 2024

Through my local Leica representative, we may have found the reason for my above-mentioned quibble. I have received the following:

The Leica Product Education Specialist says he has not heard from anyone regarding the EVF not being as sharp or clear as it is the same EVF as in the SL2 and SL2-S. However, he did say there might be something related to what was mentioned, and it might be related to the sensor size, 60MP vs. 24MP, in the case of SL3 vs. SL2-S. That is / might be the reason the EVF on the SL3 appears less sharp.

Leica SL3 shown with a Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC and Leica M to L adapter

The smaller size and weight are not significantly different, but I was positively surprised by the difference when carrying or using the camera. It is ever so slightly easier to handle, and as an all-day carry, the weight savings would be appreciated by most.

The shutter sound is not quite as dampened as on my SL2-S, but I don’t mind. The best word to describe it would be determined with a slightly higher pitch.

Leica SL3 - Image Quality

The SL3's 60-megapixel sensor is the most significant difference from my SL2-S, and I came to appreciate this very quickly. I went on a couple of landscape photography outings with both the SL2-S and the SL3.

My SL2-S can capture 96 megapixels in multishot mode, and the results are impressive. However, you must use a tripod; every capture takes 10-15 seconds. Also, be careful with any moving subjects.

With the SL3, you can snap away hand-held, knowing that the IBIS will help stabilize the images, and the 60-megapixel camera is more than enough for me.

If 60 megapixels is too much for your workflow, you can also shoot in RAW at 36 and 18 megapixels. I did not get a chance to try this.

The colors from this new sensor are rich, and I decreased the sharpness to zero in Lightroom. This was the look I preferred.

The sample images in this review can be viewed up to 2500 pixels wide, depending on the size of your monitor. Please click to view larger photos if you’re viewing them on your PC or laptop, or pinch-zoom if you view them on your phone.

A trail at Pitt-Addington Marsh near Maple Ridge in BC, Canada. Sample image from a Leica SL3 and Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5. — Pitt Addington Marsh, Leica SL3, Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL16-35mm f/3.5-4.5 @ f/8

Conclusion

Despite a few niggles the Leica SL3 is an absolute joy to use, and the images it produces rival that of larger-than-full-frame cameras such as the GFX100 II that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago.

The SL3 will not completely match the 100-megapixel larger-than-full-frame sensor in the GFX100 II, but with a similar pixel pitch, the files appear somewhat similar. If you appreciate a camera with a smaller footprint and weight, the SL3 is undoubtedly worth considering.

The build quality of the GFX100 II is excellent, but I found the SL3 to be a notch above it. The GFX100 II has other advantages, including a removable 9.44-m-dot EVF with 1x magnification, which is about as good as it gets, and a rear LCD that tilts in portrait orientation.

These contenders are excellent choices, but several other factors will also influence your decision, such as the ecosystem you're already in and the primary genres you aim for in your photography endeavors.

The Leica SL3 shown with Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 Aspherical lens — Leica SL3 shown with a Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 and Leica M to L adapter

It is nice to see phase-detect autofocus in an SL camera, but it’s also worth mentioning that SL cameras are excellent for adapting M-mount lenses. The variable option to shoot in RAW at 60, 36, or 18 megapixels makes it a versatile tool for a wide range of topics and genres.

It is also worth mentioning that lens selection is excellent, with options from the L-Mount Alliance, including Sigma and Panasonic, in addition to your options from Leica.

I could certainly live with a Leica SL3; it is a camera I wouldn’t mind having in my kit at some point. I do not have the stomach to buy new cameras in this price range (from any manufacturer), so I’ll wait a while and keep an eye on the used market down the line.

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

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Leica SL3 - B&H Photo

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