Leica Leica SL

VINCETAN

Top Veteran
Read somewhere that the next Leica, possibly called the SL with a 28-90mm AF lens might be around Euro 10,000. Yikes!!! Hopefully more successful that the Leica T
 
Given the Q is full-frame 28 mm fixed at $4250 USD, the T was $3600 half-frame with a removable zoom lens, the XV was half frame with fixed zoom lens for $2850, what would you get for $10000 to $11000 USD? Let's see ... the Q is about double the 'X' price for twice the sensor, the T is about 1.3 times the XV for adding the removable lens, and the XV was about 1.4 times the X1/X2 for adding the non-removable zoom lens, so....

Adding zoom to the Q should be about 1.4 times $4250, and adding removable about 1.3 times, so multiplying that out (1.3 x 1.4 x $4250 == $7735 USD, so 10k in Euros must spell out something "really special".
 
I'd feel better if I heard from an insider that Leica included a group of people like us in the discussion stage, rather than a group from the big advertising-money photo websites.
 
Based on rumors and speculation, the new Leica will be announced soon. Could this be the start of the end of Leica rangefinder?
 
As I see the advance stuff, the only thing to recommend it are the lenses. The full frame body is basically the 'Q' with the lens mount. It does look much better than the 'T', but someone would have to explain the advantages. The 'Q' for example had a clear raison d'etre in having a full frame sensor, an 'M'-type body, and a high quality Leica lens in a compact package.
 
The SL body is much bigger than the similar Q body (ignoring the Q lens). The body alone is much heavier than the Q *with* its lens. Adding a pancake lens equivalent to the Q, it would be much bigger and heavier for the same functionality (ignoring video). Add the 24-90 lens and it *dwarfs* an 'M' with Noctilux lens. It's a mirrorless 'S' with 24x36 sensor instead of the 'S' sensor. I could see this as a good but very heavy mirrorless system camera as an alternative to the 'S', but for the size and weight (the $12400 price seems good), I'd like to see more pixels.

Leica SL: 147x104x39 - 847 gm with battery. Add 1140 gm for a nice 24-90 lens.
Leica Q: 130x80x37 incl. projections (ignoring lens) - 640 gm with built-in lens and battery.
 
Leica has lost their mind. There is nothing classic about this camera. They would do better bringing out a new M with rangefinder and an upgraded external viewfinder.

24MPixel CMOS sensor, no rangefinder, $7500 for the body and $5000 for an autofocus zoom lens that's an F2.8~F4.

As the CCD issue for the M9 and M Monochrom has been resolved, I'm not worried about a Leica being in my Future. But this Leica version of a Sony A7 is not it.
 
it is H U G E! bigger than some canikon. no analogue controls on camera. only focus peaking for manual focus aid--no hybrid or digital split screen. no on lens aperture ring! and $10,000 for cam+lens.

but give leica credit for celebrating the fall-holiday season with the camera version of 'its halloween charlie brown':

sony: 'i got an a7'
fugi: 'igot an xt1'
leica: 'i got a rock!'

ARGHH!
 
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Now that I've read the Steve Huff, Kristian Dowling, Ming Thein and other reviews, I feel this camera calling me. It's big, but while that's a negative for carrying, my friends will follow me everywhere and spread rose petals in front of where I walk. No Leica camera that I ever carried got much attention from more than 2 or 3 people. It's fully sealed, including the lens. The 24-90 lens is going to be Leica's ultimate zoom lens, having better image quality at every FL and Aperture than the Q at 28 mm. 18 elements in 15 groups if I read that right. Sitting here with my Q, I feel very small.
 
One little thing from Ming's review: "The telephoto end is a very mixed bag. I experienced serious forward focus shift when stopping down, resulting in much softer images than expected (not reflected on the top panel info)."
 
Leica has lost their mind. There is nothing classic about this camera. They would do better bringing out a new M with rangefinder and an upgraded external viewfinder.

24MPixel CMOS sensor, no rangefinder, $7500 for the body and $5000 for an autofocus zoom lens that's an F2.8~F4.

As the CCD issue for the M9 and M Monochrom has been resolved, I'm not worried about a Leica being in my Future. But this Leica version of a Sony A7 is not it.

Well with respect, it does not preclude a new M in any way.

It is state of the art in everything but pixels, far beyond in the Sony A7r2 in a host of features, not to mention the incredible build, compared to which the Sony is a fragile toy. It's not for me either, but I admire the thought which went into it.

Ming goes over the guts very well:
Premiere and review: The 2015 Leica SL (Typ 601) and lenses

"Compared the the SL EVF, the A7r2 EVF is like looking through a straw." he says. Many many other very high end features. 11FPS unlimited. State of the art video.

I like it alot better than those silly Panasonic clones and crop sensor cameras with the Leica badge on them. :)

And considering the build and design, with low production numbers and inflation, it's not a penny overpriced. You watch, they will sell every one they make.
 
The one key aspect of this camera, if it were replicated into lower price levels by other mfrs., is there's a mirrorless that can finally dispense with DSLR's.
 
uhoh you always make some excellent points and i always look forward to your posts, but please cast some light on how this is 'state of the art in every way'? compared to canon and nikon? cmon now! heres what leica 'reinvented':
huge cumbersome equipment, the very same that gave rise to mirrorless in the first place;
no on camera controls;
no aperture rings;
focus peaking as the only manual focus aid;
still no 'beginning or end' to manual focus ring.

this offers virtually nothing one cannot get from CaNikon, and no one invested in those systems will dump their equipment for this monster. no one.

if anyone wants pay $12,000 for a nice evf and the privilege of breaking his back while people gawk at them in the street, thats fine as its an individual decision. it needs no justification beyond the fact you want it. but please dont offer these empty platitutes about 'state of the art' and 'innovation'. honestly that kneejerk mantra from the red-dot faithful is really tired at this point. the only thing leica 'innovates' in digital is pricepoint.
 
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This looks to me more like a downsized S than anything else. Mainly for studio work or specific assignments in harsh environments, but not marketed at all for us enthusiasts.
 
@rebelyell

I like my M9 for the simplicity. I don't have to learn all the techie stuff, which is constantly evolving. But a close read of Ming's review will explain what they've put in there. In some respects it outperforms any Canikon available today. It's by far the most technologically advanced camera ever made by Leica.

And it shoots M glass very well apparently.

They did not build this thing for most of us, which is apparently reason enough to attack the poor monster LOL. It's a very interesting camera. I think they will have no problem selling it.

I'm not getting one either, but M lovers might want to learn about it more before turning the garden hose on the thing ;) Though it will take that for weeks and still work fine apparently.
 
yeah, i read ming thien's review before i made any comments, and i came away with a very different feel than you. i couldnt ID anything he said as truly innovative or 'league leading', save for the evf. truly, we dont know at all how it handles M lenses, til we do. i'm not saying anything about that. i'm saying for $13000 you need to do something someone else hasnt done. i just dont read this camera that way.

btw, one of ol' mings big points was how awful the handle ergonomics were. so its huge, heavy, and you cant hold it well. sounds great, where do i sign up?
 
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