Leica SL First Look: Overview plus Aperture Series at 24mm: Pescadero Creek Upstream
See my Leica SL wishlist at B&H Photo.
The Leica SL started shipping in November 2015. The SL is Leica’s first foray into a fully modern interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. Related products fall short of the fully modernized digital approach:
- The Leica M240 is a hybrid rangefinder + optional (and low-res) EVF system in which the rangefinder lenses for the most part are not optimized for digital.
- The Leica S is a DSLR lacking an EVF option (2015 model does have Live View finally).
- The Leica Q has a fixed 28mm lens.
The Leica SL is offered at present with only one lens: the Leica 24-90mm f/2.8-4 Vario-Elmarit-SL ASPH zoom lens. Delivery of prime lenses seems to be planned for late 2016 or 2017; Leica does not get specific.
At about $7450 for the camera body alone and about $4950 for the 24-90mm lens, the minimum starting price before any accessories is thus $12400, a price which surpasses the used market for a Leica S with lens (last fall, even for a new Leica S with lens).
With the 24-90mm lens and camera weighing in at nearly 5 pounds, and no lens choices at its debut, an S system with 36 megapixels and a much larger sensor may be something to ponder, although the S system lacks an EVF.
- 24MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- Leica Maestro II Image Processor
- Internal DCI 4K Video & L-Log Gamma
- 0.66" 4.4MP 0.8x Electronic Viewfinder
- 2.95" 1.04M-Dot LED-Backlit Touchscreen
- Contrast AF System with 49 Fields
- Up to 11 fps Shooting and ISO 50000
- Two SD Card Slots; 1.3" Top LCD Screen
- Weather-Resistant Milled Aluminum Body
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity and GPS
Initial commentary in my review:
Lens performance of the 24-90mm
The Leica SL has one lens option, the Leica 24-90mm f/2.8-4 Vario-Elmarit-SL ASPH.
This first looks checks out its performance at the 24mm end:
Aperture Series @ 24mm: Pescadero Creek, Upstream View
Includes images from f/2.8 through f/13, with up to full-resolution images (24 megapixels).