The new Leica SL2 is available and I got a chance to take some images and spend some time checking out the new features. The first thing to know is that preorders are on the scale of the recently back ordered Q2 so put your name on a list now if you are interested.
Leica SL2 review
The Leica SL2 is the second camera line that Leica has revised this year. Back in March the successor to the very popular Leica Q was introduced. The new Q2 has become even more popular than the original Q which was a real surprise to everyone including Leica themselves. It has just been recently that the Q2 has been on dealers shelves after spending the last 6 months on back order. The addition of a 47mp sensor was the headline feature and the same sensor has come to the SL2 in a slightly modified form. You should keep in mind that this means some big files when post processing, the DNG’s are 84.4MB. It is similar to the Panasonic S mirrorless cameras that have joined the L Alliance of manufacturer’s that are sharing the Leica L lens mount.
The new SL2 body is very similar to the previous SL in size and weight. The body is all metal with a leatherette cover, not actual leather as one reviewer has stated, with a nice indentation on the inside of the grip for better holding. The strap lugs have been changed so that they now extrude from the side of the camera. I was told by a Leica rep that this and some other small changes were made to make room for the 5 axis image stabilization system. Every nook and cranny inside the camera has been utilized to keep a moderately large camera from getting larger.
Keeping with the changes that Leica has recently been making to the backs of their cameras the controls have been reduced to only three buttons around the back LCD. They are now PLAY, FN (function), and MENU. Across the top on the back is the on/off switch, the adjustable viewfinder, another FN button, a joystick, and the thumb wheel. As can be expected from Leica, a minimalist approach for interfacing with the camera. The new viewfinder is a high res 5.76 megapixel, 120 FPS OLED display with a magnification of 0.78. The display is sharp and includes all of the expected information that is included in today’s cameras. The camera has the same IP54 waterproof rating that the Q2 has which gives a little more peace of mind when shooting under adverse conditions. The back LCD panel has a non-articulating 3.2” screen that has 2,100,00 dots and touch control.
One comment that I would like to make is about the viewfinder. Myself and a female who were testing the cameras noticed some odd behavior with the viewfinder acting erratically. Sometimes the camera would switch the image from the eyepiece to the back screen for no reason. Not sure if it was beta software in the camera but to have this on 2 cameras was strange. I’m sure it can be fixed with a firmware update.
The 5 axis image stabilization is in my opinion where the most improvement in the camera is obtained. This is were a great deal of the improvement in image quality is obtained. Yes slower speeds can be handheld, but the image quality is increased across the complete range of shutter speeds. Also for any users that want to use the M series lenses they also get the added benefit to image stabilization. The rep also told me that in the future more features will be added to the stabilization. It will be used to pixel shift the sensor and combine the images for even higher resolution. Also this will open the door for combining the images for computational imagining to extend what can be done to enhance the image beyond what is normally possible with just a traditionally processed photographic image. Will be interesting to see what the future brings.
In use I found the camera well designed and the images excellent. I am mostly an M series shooter these days so the camera is bigger than my normal kit but I also have been shooting Nikon for over 40 years so I have plenty of experience with full size cameras. Yes the SL2 is a bit bigger than my Nikon D850 or D5 but it is the size of the lenses that make the difference. They are much larger and heavier than what Nikon or Canon offer. Looking at my images from the Leica Test Drive I would rate the images very high on sharpness and color fidelity. My photos were beautiful. I was shooting with a 50mm 1.4 Summilux Leica lens and the images were every bit as nice as my M series 50mm Summilux. The issue that I feel most people looking to switch to Leica will be concerned about, other than the price, is the range of lenses that are available. Leica is always expanding their lineup but it is not that deep. But as the Leica rep pointed out is that with the L Alliance there are over 40 lenses available so that should reassure most users. The rep also said some of the big rental houses are planning to add Leica SL lenses so that should help owners as well as those who wish to try before they buy.
Deciding if a SL2 is for me is a difficult decision. I would like more megapixels sometimes and since there is an adapter for M lenses to the SL2 body that saves my large investment in lenses. I am more impressed with the images than I thought that I would be based on the images that I have seen from the original SL. You might want to keep checking the blog to see if a new review appears in the future.
