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Leica SL (Typ 601) - Mirrorless System Camera Without Compromise


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I absolutely love it... Big a brash! True Leica SLR looks and design.

 

This is very brave of Leica... And it so "R3"!

 

 

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Dimensions:

 

Leica SL: 147 × 104 × 39 mm (W × H × D). 847 g with battery.

 

Nikon D4: 160 x 156.5 x 90.5 mm (W × H × D). 1,340 g with battery.

 

Let's not overreact regarding size and weight. It's fine.

 

Ouch! Nikon D4? Why not Hasselblad? :D Comparing it to M240, Sony A7R, Leica R4 and Leicaflex SL, the new SL is the bulkier camera (built-in hand grips not excluded):

 

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Leica R 28-90mm:

  • Length to bayonet flange - 99 mm / 3.9 in
  • Largest diameter - 80 mm / 3.1 in
  • Weight - 740 g / 26.1 oz            

 

SL 24-90mm:

Dimensions: (DxL)

Approx. 3.46 x 5.43" (88 x 138 mm)

Weight

2.51 lb (1140 g)

 

1140 g ???

I guess the 90-280mm will require its own caisson...  :p

Looks like I'll be enjoying manual focus for a while longer . . . :)  

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So I've just spent an hour reading the many, very positive reviews the SL is getting.  This camera is being taken seriously as a genuine competitor to top of the line Nikons and Canons - a very dangerous place to be, you'd say, especially given Leica's size, and B) what their products costs. Except:

 

I am a dedicated M shooter.  Last year on safari, I used the M-240 and it worked, using R long lenses, as well as a Monochrom, limited to 90mm. But honestly, I was jealous of my son with his Canon and AF.  I said to myself that the next time I was planning a safari, or an expedition where long lenses and AF would be essential, I'd probably also have to get a used S and a long lens.

 

Don't have a trip planned, and don't need to buy the SL tomorrow.  But, based on the good reviews, pretty much across the board, will I be getting an SL and that 90-280 lens some time in the future?  Yes.  For Leica photographers who sometimes need capabilities beyond what an M can get us, if you can afford it, why not get the SL?

 

At the end of the day, I bet it's a winner for Leica.

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Seems like a good full-featured camera with bells and whistles.

 

However, can someone tell me what this camera has that a Sony A7RII does not? I am sure that the 601 would have been optimised for the SL lenses, but amy indication how it performs with M lenses. Is there a review anywhere?

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However, can someone tell me what this camera has that a Sony A7RII does not? 

 

It can mount any Leica lens:  native SL as well as S, M, R, T & Cine (via adapters).  I won't be surprised if Canon & other adapters are offered by 3rd parties in the future.

Arguably better esthetics and ergonomics.

Dual cards.

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Reviews by some not in the Leica fold have not been so positive, especially as to AF performance in low light.  Given Leica's history of rarely meeting the deliveries of new promised lenses, it appears to be a one horse camera for quite some time.  Accessories have usually taken Leica even longer to deliver so adapters for other lenses, while promised may not appear for 1 or 2 years.  What does one do with a one zoom lens camera that weighs 4.4lbs?  How often will this camera be taken with anyone?  Would the pro community purchase this camera at this time or wait until other lenses and adapters were actually available?  The saving grace for Leica will be that the actual production cost using mostly Panasonic internals will allow for a rather large profit margin with small sales numbers and that appears to be Leica's strategy in its pricing.

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I am also quite disappointed at the size and weight of this camera.

Indeed, it is much smaller and lighter than a Nikon D4 or Canon 1D, but what if it is compared to a Canon 5D series or Nikon D800 series ? It is then roughly the same size, has no optical view finder (no matter how nice its EVF is) and the native lenses proposed for it are huge...

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I am confused with this marketing definition of a "camera for professionals and for professional photography".

 

My understanding of a professional photographer is one who either works for a company and holds a job to take photographs, or who takes really takes good photographs as an individual, and who makes money from selling them.

 

In the first case, it's the company who the photographer works for who purchases cameras for use e.g. media companies, newspapers, magazine publishing houses etc. I am not sure if they would purchase an SL for their staff over Canons, Nikons and the like.

 

In the second case, I am not sure that the SL will bring some significant advantage to their existing gear, and that would help them make more money.

 

If it's not the above, then the SL is merely targeting the camera enthusiasts with money willing to splurge on a new toy. Maybe something that they can use with their collection of lenses.

 

So outside of the marketing messages, what is the target market for the SL?

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Apparently, in addition to playing better with all Leica lenses, the SL has a larger mount, better EVF, Leica believes 24MP is more appropriate for the pictures people actually take, better AF, better sensor, and probably better made.

 

As to the paucity of lenses, isn't that the inevitable result of a new camera system with a new mount? For lenses you can use, there is pretty much every Leica lens ever made. For AF, there are all the S lenses. For native lenses,sure there will be just one for the moment. I don't think there was ever any prospect of Leica having an assortment of new lenses from day one.

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At the risk of asking a stupid question at this early stage, can I assume that the T lenses when fitted with an adapter to the body (assuming it needs one) are subject to a crop factor of about 1.5 (6) hence reducing the files to just over 10 meg

No adapter needed for T lenses, and you're about right about the crop factor.

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