Chris and Jordan are off to Germany to try the new Leica SL2 at Leica headquarters. Will Chris get to keep a camera for his birthday? Will Jordan declare it the best Leica ever for video? Tune in to to get the answers to this and more.
Popping in to say after a year with a fuji xt4 and A7R4 then 3 months with the SL2, I’m smitten. It’s crazy expensive but my god it’s easy to shoot and all the old M lenses ( I have a 50Mm f2 summicron and 35mm 1.4 summilux) work effortlessly. If you have not spent time with a Leica system please try it out.
The bad news: the battery life SUCKS. And Leica needs to make super telephoto lenses over 280MM for wildlife work. It’s also insanely heavy. But I’ve created my own workaround for this.
For now, I absolutely can’t wait for the SL3 to be announced.
Pro tip: Buy this and ship your kit to state that doesn’t have sales taxes and try to buy your lenses used. I saved literally thousands doing this.
Spent some time playing with a SL2 at Leica's store in Mayfair this week. Love the body, the feel, the build, and the interface. I have a Q and would love to expand my Leica inventory, as I'm looking for a high-res body and debating between FF and MF. In the span of about 45 minutes shooting with the SL2, I experienced the same sort of flutter in continuous AF mode observed with the Q2 and noted in the DP Review. It was very distracting. The sales rep on the floor had the same experience, as I asked her to confirm what I seeing. Given both bodies have the same sensor, I assume this can't be a coincidence. I haven't seen reports of people seeing this with the Panasonics, however.
If you want to share thoughts with other users that have used the SL2 or even bought one or have a S1R, you could go to the Leica forum (SL threads). For mainly static objects AFs is the better option and it is very fast. For sports or birds you can use AFc (and you find examples in the forum). Most users think that both cameras have identical EVFs (which they actually have) and that results are very much alike. But different users have probably also different eyesight. Anyway, my personal impression is that the camera is fast and good enough for many types of sports (golf or chess ;-) or for bird photography. But this is just my impression. Easy to find other impressions on the Leica SL forum.
AF performance looked already quite good, similar to the S1R. But we can probably expect an improvement as soon as the production level firmware is available (21st of Nov). The SL2 has a new faster processor, which is usually also good for AF performance. I am looking forward to it.
This is a step up for Leica R and M lenses owners. High resolution (47MP), IBIS, later high res mode (187MP). I'm simply glad I kept my R lenses from the 90s. And a large buffer (4GB), so no problems when the buffer is full (and the camera freezes for a minute like the Sony cameras). The SL lenses are big, but almost perfect (see the new apo 35mm). If I need a tiny lens, then I use the M lenses (which are fully supported).
Things may have changed since you reviewed the pre-production SL2 but you suggested that the existing SL HG-SCL4 grip will fit the SL2. Is this still the case, will the existing vertical grip fit the newly launched production version of the SL2?
The SL2 can be powered via USB. So I would rather use a battery bank (e.g. from Anker) to provide energy. It is several times larger than a second battery and much more affordable than the handgrip. And in the cold it can be protected in your jacket. For one handgrip you get half a dozen battery banks.
The camera is unbelievable - refined, yet simple! Overpriced? Maybe, but definitely not as much as their rangefinders. Never the less, it looks like a well-thought and very capable product.
Typical Leica cultist, everything with a red dot is god's gift from heaven and every criticism is FAKE NEWS! Leica is an overpriced, under-featured trophy camera for insecure photographers more interested in their image than the image.
Amen. Did you know that personal attacks do not change the facts? So simply read the spec sheet and draw your own conclusions. I have the impression you have read only the price list.... or not even that. But as clever as you are, tell a Leica lens owner what the best camera is. (Or a Sony lens owner, or a Canon lens owner, Nikon, Fuji, Hassy, Pentax, anything.) If you are so interested in taking pics, why are you here, wasting your valuable time with “cultists” ?
It might be useful to get beyond your own prejudices. The camera is expensive, but what attracts me is 1) weatherproofed to a very high level 2) class leading viewfinder 3) best DSLR for using the beautiful, small, excellent M lenses with IBIS 4) large buffer 5) excellent build quality 6) absolutely class leading (and very expensive) Leica AF lenses 7) elegant menu system and excellent interface
What puts me off: 1) expensive 2) large and heavy 3) questionable AF reliability in some areas (feedback on the latest, camera-ready firmware is necessary) 4) sensor could be a dust magnet (but can't be worse than Sony) 5) no small AF lenses 6) no tilt screen.
The video footage looks really good. Its right up there with the Panasonics. Some might this look a little better. Its night and day vs. that A7R4 first impressions video, and shows how this Leica and the Panasonics really are so much better for video. And of course this is a wonderful stills camera.
I can just imagine Chris being in charge of some massive orbital telescope spy satellite. The highest resolution ever built lets say. I bet his first picture would be... a puddle.
You don't buy a Leica because you want the latest and greatest in tech. You buy a Leica, because it is a Leica and... you can! Rich people buy these cameras as they buy heavily overpriced fashion stuff. Thats what most just dont understand...
Professionals NEVER buy a Leica. Like Ken Rockwell said correctly, Leicas are made for the Leica Man, an affluent amateur who hardly takes any pictures.
The SL V1 sure uses DFD AF. And its AF has vastly improved since 2015.
My guess would be that Leica hasn't worked out all the DFD SL lens formulae for application to this new body, but that significant AF improvements will follow.
You are one of the "hot deniers" that I described.
Show me any material evidence that the original SL had DFD. Don't try anything laughable like quoting owners who say it focuses quick so it must have DFD.
Anything actual and material. A Leica brochure or spec sheet, perhaps?
The boys have probably tested pre-release (beta) firmware (they tested before the 6th of November). General availability is on the 21st . So take all with a grain of salt and expect improvements (like Sony and others).
I tried the SL2 with FW 1.0 and the physically big 50mm f/1.4 SL lens yesterday. The AF, despite moving all that glass, was good, not stunning. It certainly missed in no contrast areas.
I'd like to, and can, try it with the zooms or Panasonic L lenses.
But as you say, the SL2's AF will improve with later firmware, and then improve again with even later firmware.
The body has excellent ergonomics, and the menus are stunning well done. It's also significantly lighter than the Panasonic S1R.
I don't like that there are no ISO stops at 16,000, 20,000, 32,000, and 40,000, as is normal for high ISO pro digital cameras of 2017-19 vintage.
Unlike the ISO 12,500 shots DPR posted, I had NO BANDING problems, nor were there any banding problems through ISO 50,000--the top ISO. This is likely because I consciously used the full mechanical shutter option. Whereas DPR likely used e-first curtain, which Leica labels as "hybrid shutter". There were no such options on the first SL body.
I have to give credit to the DPreview team for putting up that video on the SL2. Felt it was an honest initial review of the camera. Kudos to the DPreview team. Two things caught my attention. One was the autofocusing and the other was the battery life. Most of the initial reviews posted on Youtube by other reviewers were basically giving accolades without mentioning any weakness of the camera. I guess they dared not mention the cons of the camera probably out of fear that Leica would not invite them anymore in future launches.
He was one of two reviews to call out Leica for its bad AF system and battery life which I find exemplary. All invites were paid to speak, the pictures and videos and verbiage was pure marketing. I was left with thinking wow again buying a system from Leica which for that kinda dollars my hit rate would be challenged.
Did they mention in their video that the camera was running beta level software ? This is typically quite important and an honest review should mention that, don't you agree ? (When the S1R was presented, it took several weeks until the production level software was available, exactly ready on the day of availability. And the differences were quite clear.) And did they mention that with the USB power connector of the SL2 it is easy to add a battery bank. The Anker devices that I already use for my mobile phone can directly be used for powering the running camera or for recharging when the camera is off. The S1R offers that as well. What, the boys did not mention these two important points ? But it's a great review, anyway.... :-)
Just saw a couple of their other videos shot on the Panasonic S1H. Pretty sure the SL2 is a close cousin. That’s the common denominator. This footage from both cameras outdoes the GH5 videos - the difference is pretty noticeable to me now.
Was seriously thinking about a Leica for my next camera, really. But color/contrast rendering appear so-so; AF performance frightening. Preferring a camera for taking photos and my wife for cuddling.
Rainy November weather may have contributed to my first impressions as well, besides lots of OOC samples taken with negative exposure compensation, like #20 (Jordan on red dot), #38 (bridge, -2.3 EV, ISO 12800!), #41 (Leica employee -- colours have been turned off in #42) and #53 (Leica park during blue hour).
Nice try? If you confirm that the above referenced samples are worth a new camera -- visually, not because of Leica vibrations, then I get a hard time thinking about my subjective perception.
What makes me more angry about Leica is that I can't want them, I would really like to see a perfect camera that I can't afford, that object of photographic desire out of my reach, however here I don't see an icon, I see only one camera that would not choose in front of other cameras of the competition or even at equal price.
Excelent image quality, great improvements, very cool body. Log shooting seems like a huge improvement. I found the pinks a bit over saturated but that might have been color grading in pos. Not sure exactly.
The pink tones on Thomas are untouched I believe. I think it was more the light they were using and the AWB of the camera. It was lit by continuous LED, but I dont recall exactly the light.
I almost stood up when Jordan came on. The IQ of that shot is incredible. That cine lens sure is something. The lighting conditions were obviously very good but still. The usual dpreview videos don't look like that!
Not sure this camera is giving us that old "quintessential Leica look", Chris. To me it's giving us the new "hybrid Panasonic/Leica look." Some of Leica's camera DNA has definitely been diluted.
I think Leica bodies benefit from some cross-pollination and cross-breeding. A little bit of dilution is good. Otherwise, the Leica SL line might look like the Leica R line of bodies: flat with no grip!
The SL2 has even a little bit of the old Leica R look. For example it has leather(ette) all over the body. (The SL had only leather at the grip.) And on the front, around the lens opening, there is now a horseshoe shaped element, that reminds me a little of the R4 with its mirror box. So somehow I like the design. And that it is not cluttered with buttons.
I need to publicly apologize - I commented in the other article that the SL2 is just a rebadged S1R. After watching this video I learned quite the opposite - Leica managed to distinguish the SL2 by making it inferior in important ways, such as LV clarity and AF.
It is not rebadged, that is easy to see. Also because it is much more powerful (can move more data in the same time, up to 20 frames/s). Some components are from Panasonic (e.g. IBIS, high res mode, DFD), others come from different suppliers (e.g. the new Maestro iii processor from Fujitsu and the EVF probably from Sony). Therefore it is faster (also because of the bigger buffer). So it is better (regarding hw). And I also find the design better (less buttons, and additionally easy menus). Reminds me of the R4 (because of the horseshoe shaped front element).
"Using a rotating magnet to manipulate the settings" Hmm, how likely will it be that the settings may change randomly if there is a magnet next to the camera. For instance, magnetic clasps of a camera bag..
That clasp magnet would need to be more powerful, which would be hard to do since it is further away, than the camera-dial's magnet. Beyond that, I doubt the settings can be changed with the camera off.
Is this right , £5300 camera body and £ 4300 for a 24mm - 90mm ? And for that amazing outlay you buy one camera and one lens, with poor focus and crushed black looking video ? I think this is out of may range in every way.
I think it would be fair to point out that the MP4 mode is simply the worst of huge number of different video modes offered. Which I guess means this camera is not great for consumer video, which, as you've implied, is an unlikely scenario at 5300 bucks.
I have a sneaky feeling that if there was £10,000 to throw , and I wanted to produce video regularly.... my choice might be the Panasonic S1H and an S1 plus 24-105 , all for the body price of the Leica ! I think if you are looking for more video than this at any level you might have either an Ursa or something Red on your horizon.
Ken, I really don't think this camera is trying particularly hard to be a video camera. With a few exceptions like Cine lens offerings, Leica's positioning in the market is as predominantly a stills camera company.
Judging this camera purely by its video chops is a bit like complaining that the car you might buy instead, isn't a motorcycle. And let's face it, this camera isn't a motorcycle.
Leandros, thanks for saying its not a video camera.,,..,.,.., so what's left ? is it a stills camera worth £5000 NO as the Panasonic beats it there too , so add the S1R to the S1H and a 24 - 105 from Panasonic. Truth is that for the money I can have a better video camera and a better Stills camera- both with better focus ! OK or let's expand this further and open up with the Fuji GFX at bigger sensor, more MP and more affordable lenses.
To add to this its not a motorcycle is perhaps the only argument you raise that could gain traction. I fear their belief that they are superior is an historic perception, unsubstantiated on any level for their price.
"is it a stills camera worth £5000 NO as the Panasonic beats it there too "
Not for use with M lenses does the Panasonic S1R do what you claim.
"so add the S1R to the S1H and a 24 - 105 from Panasonic."
Not an especially good lens.
"OK or let's expand this further and open up with the Fuji GFX at bigger sensor, more MP and more affordable lenses."
The GF lenses aren't as good optically as Leica's SL lenses.
Now, if you want, you can get an S1R for less money and shoot SL lenses on it (or the Panasonic L 50m f1.4) and get excellent IQ, but you can't really use many M lenses on that Panasonic and expect to get the most out of them.
The actual quote I can find from Panasonic is, "Each pixel features an aspherical micro lens and an optimized design that increases the light capturing potential of the photodiode.The result is an extraordinary signal-to-noise ratio and maximum sensitivity of ISO 25600."
This may be nitpicking, but I'm missing the part about shallow angles of incidence.
Thanks, Chris/Jordan, great video as always. Small correction, at 5:52 you say that the vertical grip is the same as SL. Is that correct? Today Leica announced a new vertical grip for the SL2 and also other sources say the grips are not inter-exchangeable.
I think the SL2 offers more than the S1R, especially support for older Leica M and R lenses. A bigger buffer and faster bursts. And it has a new faster processor. I noticed that they tested with beta firmware - you seem not to have noticed that. And I know that newer firmware levels will bring better performance. (See Panasonic, but also Sony in big style). For me the AF of the S1R is already fast enough. The AF of the SL2 is probably even better, because of the faster processor. You can see that also regarding the extraordinary video specs. At 20 frames/s the new processor moves more data in the same time than the S1R (and almost twice as much as the a7Riv or the a9ii).
Sorry I made an error, can we add another £1000 plus a battery to the price ...so £5300 plus $4300 plus another £1200 ...so nearly £11,000 because the battery drain means you need the grip too . So I have recently seen a NEW Fuji GFX 100 with a lens of your choice for less than this price ! 102mp and a bigger sensor with a lens for less !
And the all Leica SL lenses are optically better than all but two of Fuji's GFX lenses.
The GFX-100 is a nice body. The SL2's is better designed. Yes, I have handled it. The Leica's menu system shames every other current ILC manufacture's. And Nikon certainly has good menus, Panasonic's are fine. So are Canon's and Pentax's.
Then the SL2 is significantly lighter than the Pana S1R.
Please stop with the MP count silliness, it stopped mattering after about 10MP, so in 2006. Nor of course are you going to print giant very costly posters.
@Ken60: I'm sorry, I don't follow. What battery drain are you talking about, specifically, and how does that mean you need the grip rather than to carry a spare battery?
Seems you you might not have watched the video review , try 5 mins 33 secs in ... So carry 2 batteries. Still thats camera 5.3 lens 4.5 and a battery or two still enough money for the Fuji GFX 100 and another whole lot of pixels and detail ! If your suck a protector of the Leica name then tell them to get real before they lose the market at that pricing.
We're taking a look back through 2019 by focusing on one of our all-time favorite photographic subjects – Belvedere, a rescue pup who joined the DPReview team last fall and graced many of our sample galleries over the past 12 months.
This year, plenty of amazing cameras, lenses, accessories and other products came through our doors. As 2019 winds down, we're highlighting some of our standout products of the year. Check out the winners of the 2019 DPReview Awards!
Leica invited our team from DPReview TV to Germany to test drive the new Leica SL2 – and test drive they did. Check out these samples captured with a pre-production SL2 body.
It's been four years since the launch of Leica's first full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, and the new SL2 updates its predecessor in every important way.
The Panasonic GH6 is the latest in the company's line of video-focused Micro Four Thirds cameras. It brings a new, 25MP sensor and 10-bit 4K capture at up to 120p. We've put it to the test, both in the studio and out in the field.
Is the MSI Creator Z17 the MacBook Pro competitor Windows users were hoping for? In our tests it delivers big performance and offers a few good reasons why you might choose a 12th-Gen Intel laptop over a Mac.
The Autel EVO Nano+ drone weighs less than 250g, includes advanced features, and gets extra points for privacy. But is it enough to outclass the competition? We dive deep to find out where it excels and what it's like to fly.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both speed and focus for capturing fast action and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.
What's the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.
Most modern cameras will shoot video to one degree or another, but these are the ones we’d look at if you plan to shoot some video alongside your photos. We’ve chosen cameras that can take great photos and make it easy to get great looking video, rather than being the ones you’d choose as a committed videographer.
Although a lot of people only upload images to Instagram from their smartphones, the app is much more than just a mobile photography platform. In this guide we've chosen a selection of cameras that make it easy to shoot compelling lifestyle images, ideal for sharing on social media.
We go hands-on with Sigma's latest 'Digital Native' wide-angle lenses for L-mount and Sony E-mount cameras to see what features they have and what sets them apart from the rather limited competition.
Sony has announced in-camera forgery-proof photo technology for its a7 IV mirrorless camera. The technology, aimed at corporate users, cryptographically signs images in-camera to detect future pixel modification and tampering.
CRDBAG's CRDWALL is a thin, space-efficient storage solution that you mount on your wall. It uses tracks, cords and hooks to store your gear flat against the wall without hiding it from view.
The new Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG DN Art has a brand new optical formula designed for mirrorless cameras. Check out our sample gallery to see how sharp it is, as well as how it handles flare, chromatic aberrations and sunstars.
Sigma’s new 24mm F1.4 DG DN lens for L-mount and E-mount features a physical aperture ring that can be de-clicked, stepping motors with full support for Sony MF assist modes, a rear filter holder and more.
Sigma's new 20mm F1.4 DG DN lens for L-mount and E-mount offers a unique set of features for Astro and landscape photographers, including a rear filter holder, a Manual Focus Lock switch and a Lens Heater Retainer.
This behemoth uses the same 8K full-frame Vista Vision CMOS sensor found inside the standard V-RAPTOR, but adds an impressive I/O array, integrated ND filter and more to make it a production-ready rig.
Alfie Cameras is launching its Alfie TYCH next month on Kickstarter, but before then it needs beta testers to see how its triple lens half-frame camera performs.
NASA is preparing for a simulated Mars mission that will house four crew members in a module on Earth. The crew will remotely control drones and rovers to collect rock samples on a simulated Mars. Skypersonic, a remote control drone company, is supplying mission-critical technology as part of the mission.
Scientists using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have observed a neutron star merger in millimeter-wavelength light for the first time. The explosion created one of the most energetic short-duration gamma-ray bursts ever observed.
The Panasonic GH6 is the latest in the company's line of video-focused Micro Four Thirds cameras. It brings a new, 25MP sensor and 10-bit 4K capture at up to 120p. We've put it to the test, both in the studio and out in the field.
The Tamron Lens Utility Mobile app is set to launch later this year. The app will let you use your compatible Android device to control, customize and update compatible Tamron lenses without the need for a computer.
NASA has released a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope, focusing on the Cartwheel Galaxy. The rare galaxy has been imaged using Webb's NIRCam and MIRI, with the composite showing incredible detail.
In a recent Q&A session with stakeholders, Canon said it believes 'the camera market has largely bottomed out at its current size' and noted it 'expect[s] the professional and advanced amateur segment to expand further.'
The Peter McKinnon camera tool features a patent-pending design that features integrated Phillips and flathead drivers, as well as extendable arms capable of holding four other bits that can be swapped out to fit your needs.
Nikon has updated the firmware for its Nikkor Z 50mm F1.2 S, Nikkor Z MC 105mm F2.8 VR S and Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S to add new linear focus ring modes and more.
The United States court of appeals has upheld the FAA's Remote ID rule for drones, declaring it constitutional. Is this good or bad for the industry, and what are the long-term implications?
Is the MSI Creator Z17 the MacBook Pro competitor Windows users were hoping for? In our tests it delivers big performance and offers a few good reasons why you might choose a 12th-Gen Intel laptop over a Mac.
The PGM0.5 card reader is designed for photographers on-the-go with its compact form factor and integrated USB-C connection, making it perfect for pairing with Android and iOS mobile devices with USB-C ports.
The Canon EOS R7 boasts a number of impressive features, but how does its 32 megapixel APS-C sensor perform? Check out some summer vacation photos from beautiful British Columbia to see for yourself.
Hardware data recovery is complex, requiring sophisticated, expensive equipment. A data recovery expert in Poland, Enter Serwis, has shown off how they use a Spider Board to recover data from a non-functioning memory card.
This second-generation lens is smaller than its predecessor and uses a stepping motor, compared to the linear ultrasonic motors used in Samyang's first-generation 85mm F1.4 AF lens.
Destin Sandlin of Smarter Every Day is back with the second part of his three-part tour of the Kodak factory. This time, Sandlin shows how Kodak applies light-sensitive coating to the film support base we saw produced in the first factory tour.
Comments