Leica SL3-S: the balance between innovation and tradition of photography

Barely a year after the release of SL3Leica launches its “more affordable” little brother, the SL3-S which therefore succeeds the SL2-S dating from the end of 2020. This new case takes many of the ingredients of its big brother, starting with its case, and inaugurates the use of a new stabilized BSI CMOS sensor of 24.6 million pixels (compared to 60 million pixels on the SL-3), without a low-pass filter.

On the program: 5-axis sensor stabilization announced with compensation of up to 5 EV, a sensitivity range of 50 to 200,000 ISO, double native ISO at 50 and 640 ISO for video use, the Maestro image processor IV, the arrival of ultra high resolution modes by assembly in 48 and 96 million pixels, the hybrid autofocus system (phase/contrast) at 779 points with subject recognition and tracking, a burst rate of up to 30 frames per second with AF/AE tracking (on 175 RAW DNG + JPEG sequences with an 8 GB buffer).

The SL3-S also integrates the content authentication system, in accordance with the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI). Tamper-proof metadata, such as camera model and author information, as well as creation and editing data, is associated with each image to prove authenticity and make edits transparent. Content references can be verified using available verification tools for free.

On the video side, the SL3-S offers recordings up to 6K Open Gate, therefore at a 3:2 ratio, at 30 frames per second and in 4:2:0 10 bits. In 4K it can go up to 60 frames per second and even 180 frames per second in FHD. There is a 5.9K 30 fps RAW mode via the HDMI output or the Apple ProRes 6K DCI 30 fps 4:2:2 HQ internally.

As for the case itself, we simply find the same as on the SL3 with an all-metal body certified IP54, the EyeRes viewfinder up to 120 frames per second and a resolution of 5.76 million pixels, a 3.2-inch high-resolution tilting touchscreen, the same ergonomics and user interface. There is a dual CFexpress type B and SD UHS-II memory card slot, a USB-C port (for fast data transfer, tethering, SSD connection or power supply), a full format HDMI 2.1 output as well as the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with MIMO technology enable a fast and stable connection to the Leica FOTOS app.

Availability and price

The new Leica SL3-S hybrid is already available and priced at €5,190 with bare body.

First opinion

The arrival of the new Leica SL3-S is good news which further opens the door of the brand to photographers and videographers who cannot afford to invest 6800 euros in the SL-3. Finally, the box makes few concessions compared to its big brother, except mainly a sensor definition which goes from 60 to 24 million pixels. On paper, the SL3-S is an ultra-versatile device that can meet the most demanding needs of photographers and videographers. But, €5,200 for a bare case remains a more than substantial budget for many users, especially considering the technical characteristics of the device which are very reminiscent of those of the Lumix S5 II.