SL2S is my favorite hybrid camera I’ve ever used, even with all its flaws

@Reportageandart

6 ай бұрын

Same!

@seandavey7085

6 ай бұрын

100% agree!

@Dpul945

6 ай бұрын

100% agree, best camera Ive used in 20 years

@goyasmind

5 ай бұрын

Is the LEICA SL2-S better than a iPhone 15 pro?

@BrandonTalbot

4 ай бұрын

@@goyasmindat making calls? No. But photos and video? Yes.

Just bought one, it compliments my M so well!

Great breakdown Benj, I appreciate the honesty and thoughtful anaylsis. Well done as usual. I'm waiting for Leica Hanoi to find me a used one at a good price the intend to use for personal and editorial assignments. The autofocus thing is a bit of a bummer as I feel the same having loaned this camera several times but fingers crossed the next generation will get it right.

I absolutely LOVE my SL2-S and ever since I purchased it, I don't miss any other camera! For me, it is a match made in camera heaven!

You have put this to words in a way i haven't been able to! I have been using this camera with the smaller 50mm summicron together with the q2 en i love it for my reportage and portrait work but for the fast paced photojournalism i'm not getting rid of my Z9 jet!

What people need to understand is that the SL2 isn’t that type of tool. Like many, I’m a former Sony (A1+A7R5) shooter. The sooner you accept the limitations of the SL system, that’s when amazing things happen-whether it’s the colors, ease of use, and everything else Leica. One con I’s how easy the black coating scratches off tho. My goodness.

I put a Voightlander 50 APO on my SL2S and it hasn't come off. That combo is pretty damn special. I don't think the camera is as good at video as people tout it to be but everything else is wonderful.

Hi Ben, I'm the same I shoot semi professionally in Australia what I means is by that as I don't work full-time. I love Fujifilm cameras because they are difficult to use. They are challenging. They are not great at auto focus sometimes, but it makes you work and you appreciate the shot.

Fell in love with its aesthetics but definitely not a workhorse wedding camera (I don’t think). Would still purchase if I have money burning a hole in my pocket. Gorgeousness all around.

I shoot plenty of events with this camera, but I only use manual focus lenses. The autofocus isn't reliable enough and is something they need to have be at least on par with the other offerings when they bring out the SL3, there's no excuse for a camera of this expense to suffer in that department, it should be class-leading if anything. That being said, I love it. Using manual focus lenses on this camera with the EVF is a DREAM and makes it extremely hard to go back to a rangefinder. The low-light performance is beautiful and the whole feel and look of the camera is perfect. I love the video capabilities and the files are SO easy to work with in post. Especially with Lightroom's AI Denoise, and even without it, I'll happily shoot dark environments at 6400 without a care in the world for noisy images. If they can just fix the autofocus issues, add in the face tracking in manual focus that the Nikon ZF has, and maybe bring in the same multi-resolution pixel binning sensor as the M11, I'm absolutely sold on the SL3.

I think a big difference on the EVF and part of why its so good is the entire glass path they use from eye to display. No compromise there and its top tier quality.... Has to make a big difference

I love my sl2 for my landscape works as well!!

I've used the SL2S for roller derby and haven't had much trouble with focus (I used back button focus for the most part). Before that I was using manual focus m-lenses on it. The vario 24-90 and the 50 summilux focus fine with it.

With the latest firmware update, you can set a press-function for the wheel - so you can assign ISO to it as a secondary function.

I have a ton of M mount and EF glass, MP, M6, M3. Planning to get a new digital to replace my 5DSR next year. Torn between M11 and keeping the 5DSR, SL2 and R5 Mkii

Awesome review as per usual. Any chance you will review the Nikon ZF? I think it’s a camera you might come to enjoy!

About the viewfinder, what I've heard it's Leicas great optics in the viewfinder that make that viewfinder great!

My first foray into Leica was the R system in 1998, with the R8. And kept with the R system, eventually adding the M into the stable as well. The R system, especially the lenses are where my heart is. The release of the SL2-S really awakens and gives these R lenses a rebirth. Ergonomically so much better balanced than using M lenses, especially ROM chipped lenses. The flexibility of using zooms, fixed and specialty lenses (macro, shift, etc) in the vast R stable is just fantastic. The 24mp sensor, IBIS and low light capabilities is so well matched to character of these lenses. And going from an analog R6.2 or R8/9 to a SL2-S is as seamless as going from an M4 to an M10. So for me, the ‘flaws’ stated don’t apply. But I can understand other users mileage may vary. Thanks for the video.

@SalarSayyad

17 күн бұрын

May I ask what your favourite Leica R lenses are?

@lightloving683

11 күн бұрын

@@SalarSayyad ROM versions of the Macro-Elmarit-R 60/2.8 & Elmarit-R 28/2.8 V2 are my go to pair for day to day. Others favorites are, also ROM versions. Elmarit-R 35/2.8 Summicron-R 35/2 Summicron-R 50/2 Elmarit-R 90/2.8 Summilux-R 80/1.4 APO-Summicron-R 90/2 Macro-Elmarit-R 100/2.8 Vario-Elmarit-R 28-90/2.8-4.5 Asph Vario-Elmarit-R 35-70/2.8 Asph Vario-Elmar-R 35-70/4 Vario-APO-Elmarit-R 70-180/2.8 Vario-Elmar-R 80-200/4 Vario-Elmar-R 105-280/4.2 APO-Elmarit-R 180/2.8 Telyt-APO-R 280/2.8

The S5II seems like the perfect blend of both the Sony and the Leica. I just picked one up and have been mostly happy with it. I wish the AF was better, but to have Leica colors and decent AF (unlike the SL2s) has been pretty sweet

If the autofocus on the next SL camera is at least as good as the s5 II, I think you're gonna see a lot of people finally jump to Leica that might not have in the past.

I have experience with both Leica and Fuji systems (having owned many generations of X cameras) and was ultimately cross-shopping the SL system and GFX system. Picking up the GFX 50s II in my local store, it was clear that the last person had done something weird to the autofocus settings, so I struggled for maybe five minutes to just get the camera to behave normally. I eventually gave up. Picking up the SL2 was a dramatic contrast. Everything is intuitive, thoughtful, and where I expected it be. There’s a strong feeling that it was designed by people who take pictures. It’s not all things for all people, or the cutting edge for auto-focus, but for ME and my work it’s the best thing I’ve found.

@chuckm482

6 ай бұрын

If you would have reset the GFX 50s II and started from scratch, you would have seen an absolute competitor to the Leica, let alone the new GFX 100 ii. You struggled for 5 minutes and gave up???

On the SL2-s you can customise one of the buttons on the front for ISO, simply press and adjust , its really simple, you dont even need to take the camera away from your face. Love my SL2-S's and I work them hard. Unfortunately CS at Leica is poor, mine completely failed after 2 years just outside warranty, needed a new shutter and motherboard. Still not back from Germany, its been there for 4 months... Focus is not great but thats part of the fun, the alternative is a Sony and who wants that, it boring. The SL3 will be faze detect and I'm hearing that it will be the same sensor as the M11. I wont be upgrading as I love mine. Manual focus, autofocus, the sensor is amazing 25k ISO is pretty clean and usable. I think us older photographers probably can deal with the lack of AF speed a bit better. I mean my first digital was a 10D and I still loved my images from that so this is not a biggie. Once you've used a Sony for a couple of years you just need something thats not so automatic. The Sony has no soul, the Leica has plenty

As a hybrid camera for personal work I still haven't come across anything I like better. Mind you, I haven't tried any of the Sony offerings apart from FX3s as second cameras and stuff on film sets. I have had my SL2-S since launch and I'll try ride it out for as long as I can. The only combination of things that would make me jump at a successor would be: Open Gate video recording. faster readout in Full Frame. A tilting screen. Thank you for sharing your thoughts :)

Considering getting one after realizing selling two used rf lens will buy a new one. Adapting lenses will save me a ton over my current lens situation. I miss my Leica Q and my canon is endlessly complicated for me.

I own the SL2-S and it is always a pleasure to work with this camera! But on every KZread Video, you see on the top display the low batterie sign! 😀

I really loved the sl2-s when i had it for a few weeks. I'm still saving my monies haha

I’ve used the SL2 extensively for weddings this year and this review is spot on. It’s arguably the most beautiful, minimalist camera I’ve ever used. Love how it looks and feels, love the shutter button, the LCD, the super refined feel…yet, the autofocus FORCED me to sell it. Coming from Sony and owning an A1 & A7R5, I was spoiled with the fast and accurate autofocus. The SL2 was horrible with autofocus in low light/somewhat low light. If the only thing they fixed and upgraded in the rumored SL3 was better autofocus, it’ll be worth it. The SL2 is the camera I wanted desperately to work for me but the AF just wasn’t quite there for how I need it for weddings and events. Otherwise, it’s a gorgeous camera, great to use in more controlled settings and it’s a Leica so the experience and images are going to be phenomenal.

@MyFriendlyPup

6 ай бұрын

You use autofocus!?!?!

Possibly the best SL2-S review-still.

awesome video and superb b-roll. Going into my 3rd year all Leica (having had Sony a9, a7r4, canon r5) and it's my favorite camera of all time. The af is decent enough for weddings, (back button single point that is) Love the simplicity, and even the waveform in video is just awesome. And the evf is the best of all cameras. I just added the gfx 100II and I find the sl2s viewfinder better (in my opinion) My Wishlist for the sl3: Keep the body and battery the same. Redundancy for video on both cards. 60fps no crop Better af is always a bonus. Tiltable screen like the q3

@ChrisBoultonPhotography

4 ай бұрын

Can I ask what the image quality /colour science is like between the Leica and GFX100ii? I’m just in the process of buying a new camera ..

@DavidWagelmans

4 ай бұрын

@@ChrisBoultonPhotography to me straight out of camera raw i prefer the leica files, but the gfx are nice to but with more latitude

@ChrisBoultonPhotography

4 ай бұрын

Thanks David, I guess that MF sensor + 16 bit will give you a bit more flex in the edit but the sooc camera colour on the Leica will give you a slightly better steer when grading. Difficult to know which way to go...

You should try some Micro Four Thirds cameras sometime. G9ii or Om-1 with the Olympus Pro Primes, maybe the 12-100 f4 and the Pana-Leica 42.5 f1.2. Would be interesting.

Great video. My Sony A7iii is resolution wise comparable with the SL2-S. Although the af on my sony is great, I can’t see the focus spot when it is idle and I always have to fiddle with the joystick or screen before I can aim. Even when I move it on the screen sometimes it is hard to see it and set it at the desired location. I’ve lost countless master pieces because of this😅. It is so frustrating. I was hoping Leica was less “over engineered” and more to the point but it seems not, too bad.

I have Tim Lei looking for a used SL2-S for me. I’m an amateur using Fuji and Leica Q2M. I would like the SL2-S for manual focus only using the excellent EVF and M glass. I realize it is overpriced compared to the competition.

I would not be sad if the SL3 ended up being lighter and smaller...

Leica has a deal going on where you can get the SL2 for the price of a SL2S. Consider before you buy. Also, the SL2 line is at the end of its product lifecycle, a successor will probably show up sooner than later.

Just pray that you do not have an issue, repair times of 2-4 months are normal at Leica!

If they are making a new SL model, maybe one can assume what might come with the AF by taking cues from the Q3.

I had a Canon R5 and i hated it. The good AF makes me a more lazy photographer. I went back to GFX 50R and Leica M10 for Weddings. The SL will be fast enough for everything. I knew sports photographers who went to Olympia Tokio with the SL system and superp pictures.

I looked at the SL's at first when looking at digital coming from being a Leica R owner, and almost bought one...but it just wasn't an R...I know..I wanted an SLR and native support for R lenses (I know crazy and yes you can adapt to SL)...I came away from it feeling like it was a simplified mirrorless Lumix, and decided to go M and rebuy my Leica glass in M instead of R. I still really wish Leica would make a new R...stills only, and update all R glass.

I never understood the SL2-S seeing it only as a lower resolution SL-2 - I would imagine the upcoming SL3 will have the Q3 sensor - 60MP and that could be exciting as it might make me change my entire Hasselblad outfit - might....

Nice recap, though the title assumes more issues than actually covered in the video. Nothing ‘fatal’ here. I’m using a couple of SL2s and SL2-Ss for commercial fashion and beauty photography and the AF performance is no issue for me. These issues are often excagerated on YT with reviewers running zig-zag to and from cameras. In fact, most users will barely notice the difference in AF-S and only occasionally in AF-C mode. I had a few misses at the start, but I also had those with Sony and Nikon cameras. Not because they weren’t focusing fast enough, but simple because in the hurry, they picked inadvertently the wrong subject. Things like wrong eye, wrong person, wrong pet occur there too. AI or no AI. My partners are using different systems and we have Sony A1 and A7 as well as Nikon Z and Canon R laying around. Yet, I always prefer my SL2/-S. The clean interface, the handling and the IQ (esp. with the APO-SL lenses) is fantastic. When you wear glasses (like me) the EVF of the SL2 is so much better than that of an A1/A7R5. Even though the resolution is a bit lower. I love how the UI of all newer Leica cameras is similar. Switching to and from my personal M and Q cameras is so easy. That also includes using M-glass on SL bodies. The handling in terms of MF and the results in terms of IQ are way better than mounting your M-glass on Sony E or Nikon Z bodies.

Benj, couludn't help but notice the 50 1.4 gm mounted to your sony. Did you decide to keep this vs the 1.2? I always have trouble getting good indoor white balance on my a7rv, sl2-s is a bit magenta but far better.

@benjhaisch

6 ай бұрын

I did! Ended up wanting to simply save the size to make things more consistent throughout with the other GM lenses

I feel the same way about my SL1. It's old, but the user experience is something that I couldn't get with my Canon. Sounds corny, but maybe it's just me. 😅

The sucky thing about using M mount lenses with the SL is that you have to first open the lens to focus, then close down to the desired aperture. If the subject moves, you need to repeat the process. So unless you shoot at the largest possible aperture, it becomes a real pain in the ass to focus and take a photo. In contrast, when you use an M lens on an M camera, the focusing is independent of the aperture on the lens, so the process is much smoother and faster.

Since I got the SL2-S a year ago, my Sony kit is collecting dust; my film cameras are also collecting dust. I love the feel of it, and how thoughtfully engineered it is. I'm shooting it only in manual focus, using Contax C/Y glass, and a couple Minolta MD/MC lenses, and really loving the results. I did try it with the Leica SL 35mm Summicron, and found the AF to work just fine for my photography. That said, it's so easy to use MF, that it seems pointless to use AF lenses (for photography anyway). 24MP is enough for me, since It's only a hobby. The payoff with 24MP is amazing low-light performance. If I did photo or video for a living, I'd probably use Sony.

@benjhaisch

4 ай бұрын

It’s a dream for MF use for sure.

Benj can see you have some panny s primes, how do you tend to find the quality of these for stills ? I have an s52x and can these are very similar optically to Leicas Summicron-SL options

@benjhaisch

4 ай бұрын

They’re fantastic for what they are. Nothing is mind blowing but they’re really consistent, lightweight, and affordable.

@jonhoward5151

4 ай бұрын

Yeah quite enjoy how light they are when messing around in my camera store and prices look good. Sigma options I can see for L mount are sharper and heavier, thought the output was too sharp actually and preferred the images coming from the S primes, albeit modern in look. Just picked up a Leica M to L adapter too so will get some manual lenses down the line one being the Voightlander 50 1.5 ii

How is the eye tracking focus? Honest take on it. I know it doesn’t compare to modern cam but on it’s own how is it?

@webersteve1547

4 ай бұрын

More than good enough in my experience, as long as the face looks towards you. In more difficult situations you can switch to single point

I loved the SL2-S back when I had one, but I went with the S5 IIX this time. I will be a LONG time until we get a similarly-specced SL3-S, if ever. Only thing I miss from the SL2-S is the EVF resolution and menu design.

What about image quality ?!!

Once the phase detect comes in the next gen, Leica will be sought after. Eventually in a few more updates and sequels, if it catches up to sony level AF, it will be lusted for

Man this guy loves leica.

Well hellooooo there SL2S… tbh I’ve never used the tracking AF but now want to see how bad it is 😂

On the front view it looks like you have the s52x with blacked out logo and in the top down view you have the s52. Whilst the s52x doesn’t look as good as the sl I do like the blacked out design on the top plate without all the white dials.

@benjhaisch

6 ай бұрын

I blacked out some of the stuff myself ;)

@jonhoward7627

6 ай бұрын

@@benjhaisch totally makes sense, very nice! I have the s52x, I think I will look at an sl down the road but way out of my price range. Thanks for the comparison

Before autofocus, talented photographers the world over somehow managed to capture beautiful images. I have an SL2-S and had an SL prior to that. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even remember how much equipment I have. If you have any difficulty shooting a Leica for a wedding, then you probably shouldn’t be shooting weddings. Just put an M lens on it and bang away.

@benjhaisch

6 ай бұрын

I’ve used a M for years to photograph weddings. I find the rangefinder more reliable than the AF in contrast AF mirrorless cameras. But yes, I’ve photographed on only MF, all on film, etc and have been doing this since 2007. It doesn’t mean you *can’t* do it, but when superior tools exist, it’s harder to justify.

@coasttocoastphoto

6 ай бұрын

The year 2007 marked my 37th year shooting anything and everything. My equipment is insured for 125K, and none of it includes a Sony. If I was faced with the choice of having AF or MF, I would not have to think very much about that choice. If I have any issues getting the shot with AF, switching my gear is not a problem. I will easily get the shot with manual focus. @@benjhaisch

Had a Lumix S5 (& X100V). I thought about getting a SL2-S, sold the X100V and instead went for a Nikon ZF and saved a load of money.

I'm surprised not many talk really about the SL as a system. For instance the APO lenses are designed with same size and weight on purpose. So you can change lenses without recalibrating anything…. It's a pretty big deal IMO for video… leica is really about investing in the lenses first….

Pause 😮

No disrespect, but Sony has lapped the competition to such an extent that people are now complaining that the cameras don't make them struggle enough and that lesser cameras satisfy them in this regard 😂 In other words, it's a con that Sony is easy to use and a pro that Leica makes them struggle lol

@daveed4475

4 ай бұрын

I really wanted to stay with Sony when making the jump to mirrorless, after decades of Minolta and Sony shooting, but the mirrorless Sony's are just too tiny for my fairly large hands. I'm absolutely in love with my SL2-S; I've never loved any camera this much.

Next time buy a Lumix S1R. Same camera but then better focused for photography.

@rumporridge1

5 ай бұрын

Horrible absolutely horrible menu system. Superb sensor though. But damn the UI is trash.

@Mowikan

5 ай бұрын

@@rumporridge1 i don’t agree. It’s a perfect camera(for me)

If something has One (maybe two) Fatal Flaw(s), it is NOT Nearly perfect.

@benjhaisch

6 ай бұрын

All depends on what you need it for. The Leica M6 is a nearly perfect camera and it has NONE of the things I’m considering flaws here, ya know?

@ofeykalakar1

6 ай бұрын

@@benjhaischm6 classic is flawed. It has a zinc top plate and plastic bits above the strap lugs. Terrible oversight by Leica

@benjhaisch

6 ай бұрын

@@ofeykalakar1 haha true true :)

In 2023, nearly 2024. I take a hard, hard pass.

All is well and good, but.... the design is atrocious.

@Bryan-lu4du

6 ай бұрын

The design works well for the ergonomics

It is ugly, big, heavy, only 24 megapixels and much too expensive, I much rather have a Hasselblad X2D !