Leica SL2 S Review | 108 Data compared

The Leica SL2-S is a hybrid 24MP BSI-CMOS full-frame camera featuring a durable, weather-sealed metal body, a high-resolution 5.76M-dot EVF, and an intuitive user interface separating stills and video. Key performance strengths include a 96MP multi-shot mode and robust video capabilities featuring unlimited recording and oversampled 4K/30p, positioning it as a versatile tool for both photo and video creatives. However, the review highlights significant limitations, notably a contrast-detect AF system that exhibits visible "wobble" and occasional focus inaccuracy. Furthermore, the camera is physically larger and heavier than competitors and carries a steep price premium for its build over functionally similar options, making it a niche offering.

Leica SL2-S Review Summary The Leica SL2-S is a high-speed, video-centric mirrorless camera featuring a 24MP back-lit BSI-CMOS sensor designed for creators prioritizing agility over ultra-high resolution. Standout advantages include phenomenal low-light performance, showing significantly less banding at ISO 100,000 than the SL2 does at ISO 25,000, creating nearly a two-stop improvement for low-light shooters. It provides limitless video recording times at 10-bit 4:2:2 up to 60fps, a deep 4GB buffer allowing continuous 9 fps mechanical shooting until the SD card fills, and a more stable, easier EVF manual-focus experience with M-mount lenses. Furthermore, it retains the premium 5.76 million dot EVF and robust weather-sealed chassis of its sibling while being €1,500 more affordable. Despite its strengths, the camera comes with notable downsides, most evidently the steep drop in absolute file resolution from the SL2's 47MP to 24MP, sacrificing fine pixel definition for smaller file sizes. Additionally, several heavily marketed software improvements—including eye-detection auto-focus, video segmenting, and an integrated waveform monitor—were missing at launch, remaining locked behind future 2021 firmware updates. The physical exterior also keeps minor design quirks from...

The Leica SL2-S is a hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera designed to attract both videographers and stills photographers to the iconic brand at a lower price point than its sibling, the SL2. Built with a robust, tank-like aluminum and magnesium alloy body, it features an IP54 rating for excellent dust and water resistance, making it highly dependable in harsh weather conditions. Key performance highlights include a 24.6MP sensor optimized for low-light shooting up to ISO 100,000, high-quality color reproduction, and impressive internal 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 video recording at 30fps with L-log support. Furthermore, its generous buffer allows for 25fps raw burst shooting, and its integration into the L Mount Alliance gives users access to a versatile selection of lenses from Leica, Sigma, and Panasonic. Despite these strong features, the camera presents notable drawbacks in ergonomics, focus reliability, and physical design. It is exceptionally heavy and bulky, making comfortable one-handed operation nearly impossible and causing a noticeable strain when reaching for physical controls like the joystick. Its autofocus system is frustratingly slow compared to competitors from Sony and Canon, leading to missed...

The Leica SL2-S is a 24-megapixel full-frame mirrorless camera that stands out for its exceptional build quality, minimalist design, and clean, intuitive user interface. A major strength is its membership in the L-Mount Alliance, allowing seamless compatibility with autofocus lenses from Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma. It is highly praised as an excellent platform for adapting manual M-mount lenses, enhanced by a sharp 5.76m-Dot electronic viewfinder. For still photographers, its high-ISO performance, deep grip, and unique 96-megapixel multishot mode—which processes massive DNG files directly in-camera—provide a rich and satisfying image-making experience with superior color rendering compared to newer competitors like the Nikon Zf. However, the camera has notable limitations, particularly regarding speed and connectivity. Its contrast-detect autofocus system lags behind the advanced phase-detect and AI tracking systems found in rival brands, making it poorly suited for fast-paced wildlife or sports photography. It is also heavier and larger than comparable models like the Nikon Zf, lacks a fully articulating screen, and yields inferior battery life compared to newer alternatives. Additionally, wireless file transmission via the Leica FOTOS app can be slow, requiring...

The Leica SL2-S is a highly capable full-frame mirrorless camera praised for its outstanding low-light performance, ergonomic design, and rugged build quality. Equipped with a 24-megapixel sensor, its larger individual pixels provide a wider dynamic range and significantly less digital noise at high ISO settings compared to higher-resolution models like the SL2 or SL3. The author highlights the camera's intuitive, minimal interface that eliminates complex nested menus, allowing for seamless operation during fast-paced events like weddings. Additionally, its IP54-rated weather sealing and robust all-metal body make it incredibly durable against dust and moisture in challenging outdoor environments. However, the reviewer exposes a major flaw in the camera's flash functionality: a complete failure to properly support High Speed Sync (HSS) with popular third-party strobes like Godox and Westcott. Even though the camera features a respectable native flash sync speed of 1/250 of a second, attempting to use HSS at higher shutter speeds results in a prominent shutter shadow across the frame. Commenters note this stems from Leica's distinct hotshoe protocol, which differs from standard Panasonic systems and requires highly specific Leica-compatible...

The Leica SL2-S is highly praised by the reviewer for its exceptional German engineering, durable "built like a tank" chassis, and remarkably simple, intuitive menu system that eliminates the need for complex menu diving. Transitioning from a complex Sony mirrorless system, the author highlights the camera's pure joy of use, its beautiful out-of-camera color science, and an impressive 24-megapixel sensor that delivers excellent dynamic range capable of pulling high-quality 60-inch prints. Notable advantages include a significant high ISO boost (ranging up to 100,000) allowing for virtually noiseless low-light images at 10,000 ISO, an improved 5.76 million-dot Electronic Viewfinder (EVF), custom profile settings, robust weather-sealing, and the versatile L-mount that seamlessly adapts a wide array of manual Leica M and Zeiss ZM lenses. However, the review outlines several prominent drawbacks, most notably the camera's reliance on older contrast-detect autofocus rather than phase-detect autofocus, which occasionally causes the camera to fail when locking onto subjects in both dim and bright lighting. Additionally, the body is physically heavy, weighing two and a half pounds—more than double the weight of a traditional rangefinder like...

The Leica SL2-S is a highly capable full-frame mirrorless camera that prioritises stellar image quality, cinematic video performance, and exceptional build design over raw technical speed. Boasting a 24MP sensor, it delivers outstanding low-light performance with clean files even at ISO 25,000, alongside beautiful color accuracy that challenges medium-format systems. The camera excels as a high-end filmmaking tool, offering 14 stops of dynamic range when shooting in L-Log, internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, and highly useful cinema features like shutter angle adjustments, waveforms, and excellent image stabilization. Additionally, its minimalist, durable IP54-rated metal housing provides a deeply satisfying ergonomic experience, making it a compelling, reliable companion for studio photographers, street shooters, and filmmakers alike. However, the system comes with distinct trade-offs, most notably a contrast-based autofocus system that can hunt and struggle in low-light or low-contrast situations, resulting in a lower continuous tracking success rate compared to its modern competitors. Single-operator creators may also find the lack of a tilting or flip-out rear LCD screen restrictive for low-angle framing, and intensive hybrid shooting requires carrying multiple spare batteries due to heavy...