Leica Leica SL

Some good views of the camera by Kristian Dowling:

22428198151_59e603183c_b.jpg
sl angle
by All The Websters, on Flickr

22229371470_55b5a15645_b.jpg
slside
by All The Websters, on Flickr

The 50mm wide T mount will handle heavy glass better than the E mount, with less reflection and shading issues, which may happen on some lenses (I'm looking into this). As a digital body for Non-M legacy manual focus lenses, especially long and/heavy glass, it's very nice. You will get very clean, proper RAWS.

For cropping obviously more pixels is better. 3-way IBIS which the sony uses on MF lenses is good too, but also can easily ruin shots if you don't get the settings right, and they need to be changed with each lens (legacy)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1) i thought kristian dowling was an irish lass. thanks for bursting that bubble! ):
2) how is pic 1 different than the pic of the woman holding this weapon that everyone has been saying is doctored?! or is of a 'midget'? (yeah, some idiot called her a midget on rf forum). can we agree the released kit is actually humongous and that characterization is not the product of an anti red dot international cabal?
3) i happily agree to all your other points.
4) doesnt that grip look like it make a bad problem (unweildy size) worse? it looks very awkward and not in any way comfortable.
5) i agree with you that 4) was really kinda dumb given ive not held the camera. but doesnt it look like im right? ):
 
from that picture i agree with you vince. for me adding that lens is what seems to make it monstrous. and each of the lenses they announced are, i believe, 82mm round. and if youre not using the af lenses, what exactly is the point of this camera? i mean, are loads of people buying thst Canon in your cited photo to shoot mf lenses? i think the vast majority bought it as a 'system' camera. should be the same for the SL, no?
 
1) i thought kristian dowling was an irish lass. thanks for bursting that bubble! ):
2) how is pic 1 different than the pic of the woman holding this weapon that everyone has been saying is doctored?! or is of a 'midget'? (yeah, some idiot called her a midget on rf forum). can we agree the released kit is actually humongous and that characterization is not the product of an anti red dot international cabal?
3) i happily agree to all your other points.
4) doesnt that grip look like it make a bad problem (unweildy size) worse? it looks very awkward and not in any way comfortable.
5) i agree with you that 4) was really kinda dumb given ive not held the camera. but doesnt it look like im right? ):

For what it is, it's huge. I think people will look at it and try their best to minimize it somehow. I'm considering how I might possibly carry that for hours, but so far all I can see is a harness.
 
from that picture i agree with you vince. for me adding that lens is what seems to make it monstrous. and each of the lenses they announced are, i believe, 82mm round. and if youre not using the af lenses, what exactly is the point of this camera? i mean, are loads of people buying thst Canon in your cited photo to shoot mf lenses? i think the vast majority bought it as a 'system' camera. should be the same for the SL, no?

I couldn't agree with you more regarding the size of the lens. Even back in the R days, good Leica R zoom were always huge. I think having image perfection as their priority rather than size. I think that is also the reason why it is a variable aperture rather than fixed. They just don't want to sacrifice the quality. You know what they say, getting that last 1% of quality is the one that cost the most and this time, it is both price and size.
 
Now that Leica has introduced the SL this allows them to update the M in a stripped down version. A simpler version since for the same price as the current M one can buy the SL to do video and use their R lenses.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see the new M have some of the enhanced electronics and newer 24 mpx sensor but maintain the M simplicity.
 
For what it is, it's huge. I think people will look at it and try their best to minimize it somehow. I'm considering how I might possibly carry that for hours, but so far all I can see is a harness.

yeah dale, they are not only trying to 'minimze it' in the sense you mean which makes sense, but much of the loud argument elsewhere derives from 'them' trying to minimze it intellectually by rather stridently claiming its not huge at all! and more than that, no one should have expected anything different from leicas first mirrorless offering. ive been a part of a few online exchanges that go something like this:
me: that thing is huge, esp for mirrorless!
reply: oh no, its no bigger or more expensive than comparable dslrs. and even if it was huge, which i already said its not, you shouldnt have expected anything different because mirrorless does not equal compact.
reply: but did you see that picture of the the kit being held by that woman--it devours her?
reply: that picture was 'doctored' and the person holding it is a midget. take a look instead at these other pictures of the camera with rf lenses attached. see how much smaller it looks?
reply: you have no evidence about photo doctoring or midget models, and your photos dont have the kit lens.
reply: you must be a leica hater.

i love this stuff!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
yeah dale, they are not only trying to 'minimze it' in the sense you mean which makes sense, but much of the loud argument elsewhere derives from 'them' trying to minimze it intellectually by rather stridently claiming its not huge at all! and more than that, no one should have expected anything different from leicas first mirrorless offering. ive been a part of a few online exchanges that go something like this:
that thing is huge, esp for mirrorless!
reply: oh no, its no bigger or more expensive than comparable dslrs. and even if it was huge, which i already said its not, you shouldnt have expected anything different because mirrorless does not equal compact.
reply: but did you see that picture of the the kit being held by that woman--it devours her?
reply: that picture was 'doctored' and the person holding it is a midget. take a look instead at these other pictures of the camera with rf lenses attached. see how much smaller it looks?
reply: you have no evidence about photo doctoring or midget models, and your photos dont have the kit lens.
reply: you must be a leica hater.

i love this stuff!

That was hilarious - I hope every Leica rep has to read that.
 
Now that Leica has introduced the SL this allows them to update the M in a stripped down version. A simpler version since for the same price as the current M one can buy the SL to do video and use their R lenses.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see the new M have some of the enhanced electronics and newer 24 mpx sensor but maintain the M simplicity.

Let's see, strip down M, how about M60 without the LCD screen, basic camera only but wait, they charge extra $$$

Reminds me of all the lightweight Porsche or BMW, no A/C, stereo or even carpet in some, but extra $$$

:)
 
Let's see, strip down M, how about M60 without the LCD screen, basic camera only but wait, they charge extra $$$

Reminds me of all the lightweight Porsche or BMW, no A/C, stereo or even carpet in some, but extra $$$

:)

I'm sorry but I think Leica has given up on the lower end market as it seems the only way to compete there is to sell at a loss and have continuous rebates. The new Leica M will be priced about where the current model is. I will buy the next version M with the current SL sensor. They don't have to change or add anything else for me, other than maybe adding the ability to photograph in Bulb mode for 30min exposure time without any restriction to ISO as the new SL can.
 
Here's what I'd want for the next Leica:

Full frame, size kept to that of the Leica III series.
M-bayonet mount, but with provision for autofocus.
Focus on relatively compact, auto-focus primes.
Limited range zooms to keep their size realistic.
Aperture control is manual, on the lens.
In-body stabilization.
Excellent built-in evf.
Classic Leica M/Q controls, styling.
Image signature close to the M9.

I don't need range finder optics. But if they had to keep them for RF purists I'd pay the extra, given how great the above camera system would be.
 
with the release of the SL it is painfully obvious leica does not care what we want. in a way i admire this. imo, what vaulted apple over pc was that they told you what you wanted. unfortunately since steve jobs passing they dont do that anymore. but i admire that philosophy. however, the difference between apple and leica is they broke ground, like with the original ipod and iphone and ipad, and they made a quality product that was also aesthetically pleasing. this SL breaks no ground--it actually slides backwards in many ways--like the return to huge cell phones. and quality or not, it is a monstrosity aesthetically. i wouldnt carry the just released rig on a dare. honestly, if they gave it to me i would still be both too uncomfortable and too embarassed use it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I wish I had the SL body right now as its cold and drizzly where I am and I could really appreciate its weather proof construction.

The body and 24-90 kit lens will make a great all weather landscape kit with the added bonus of 30min exposures without any ISO limitations.

image.jpeg
 
If (if) the SL were to prove finally that (ignoring price) it can replace DSLRs satisfactorily for most users, then if (if) manufacturers were to start building cheaper and smaller versions we could finally eliminate the dinosaur DSLR cameras with the flippy mirrors. I had a R3 Safari once, traded foolishly for a M4, and I gave the R3 away in a $20 gift exchange. I didn't miss it. So forward progress in mirrorless is something I eagerly await.
 
yeah dale, amen to that. when i look at the bulk, weight and price of this rig pitted against language about its 'transcendent technology', i cannot help but think back to that awful quote by an army captain that helped bring about the end of the vietnam war: 'we had to destroy the village in order to save it'.
 
yeah dale, amen to that. when i look at the bulk, weight and price of this rig pitted against language about its 'transcendent technology', i cannot help but think back to that awful quote by an army captain that helped bring about the end of the vietnam war: 'we had to destroy the village in order to save it'.

Still, there's the 'if' factor. I don't know if more reviews will confirm the key review I've read, that the SL can match DSLR's on performance and usability (viewfinder etc.) If any new reviews confirm that, then it will demonstrate that the only remaining justification for reflex mirrors is a smaller size camera and so on. And those should come along in time. In the meantime, should anyone buy one of these behemoths, I'd like to hear their story on how they carry it for everyday shooting. Certainly, if they have a harness suitable for a military exercise carrying a full field pack on a 20-mile march, that harness would probably work. What I want to see is a Leica rep walking around all day with that thing hanging on his neck, or carrying in hand. Maybe someone will attend an outing from the Leica Miami store where they're showing people how to use the new SL. Does anyone wanna take bets, that they use a monopod or other device to support the weight most of the time?
 
Back
Top