Jono Slack Review: Leica SL2-S

[LocalHero1953]

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Thanks @jonoslack for a very helpful & practical review, as always.

This is attractive to me if for nothing else than the removal of the 30 minute recording limit. And after 3 months with the SL2, I doubt that I am seeing any benefit from the 47mp (I am sure others are), though the other improvements of the SL2 over the SL are well worth having.

Hmm....I wonder if Leica could be persuaded to do a cash-free swap of my SL2 for a SL2-S?

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[jonoslack]

16 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

 

Hmm....I wonder if Leica could be persuaded to do a cash-free swap of my SL2 for a SL2-S?

Hah! Good Luck trying, but I guess it shouldn't be too ruinous

[PhilipThomas]

Jono: Thank you for your excellent review. Very helpful. I use the Leica Visoflex on my M10's for critical focus work; mostly macro shots and some low light level action images. I shoot mainly weddings and street projects. The camera looks marvelous in terms of low light and, as you wrote, the sweet spot of 24MP.  What's your opinion on a Visoflex on the M10 and an SL2-S viewfinder comparison in speed and ease of focusing? Thanks!

[verwackelt]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Danner:

The lenses are too large.

If Leicas f2.0 lenses are too fast/large for you, you should have a look at Sigmas new i-serie or attach M-lenses without AF…

[mtsullivan]

Nice, thoughtful write up as always Jono! Can't wait for your impressions of the SL2-Monochrom  !

[Helmut99]

1 hour ago, jonoslack said:

Hi there - It isn't something I ever do, but the noise characteristics are quite different (and much better than the SL2). 

Jono, thanks for your valuable input - are you able to comment on high ISO performance difference between SL1 and SL2-S? 

[satijntje]

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I hope that the upcoming firmware upgrades with AFc + eye AF will be as good as on the other brands (R5/6 and the Sony playstations 🙂 ).
For the rest I must say that I agree with Hari‘s statement, 24 MP is enough, and for sure it is an interesting camera with an interesting price tag.
Thanks a lot dear Jono for your great article!
John
 

[Simone_DF]

34 minutes ago, satijntje said:

I hope that the upcoming firmware upgrades with AFc + eye AF will be as good as on the other brands (R5/6 and the Sony playstations 🙂 ).
 

That won't happen. To reach the AF-C performance of Sony and Canon you need PDAF, there's no way around it. 

Best case scenario it will be the same performance of the Panasonic S line with the latest firmware, ie much better than it is now, decent for most people and uses, but still behind the rest.

[derleicaman]

Hello Jonathan, excellent write-up as always. Just to clarify, in the ISO comparisons, the SL2-S images are on the left, correct?

Sorry for the simple question, but it was not clear from the article which was which.

[Stuart Richardson]

Thanks Jono!

I think it will be interesting to see how the two cameras compare when their sizes are equalized. Obviously the noise level at 100% is higher on the SL2, but it also has nearly double the pixels. It would be interesting to scale them to the same size. That is generally more representative of what the noise actually looks like in the real world. I expect the SL2S to still be better, but the fight will be closer. One thing I have been very impressed with on the SL2 is how it seems to retain detail and color rather well at high ISO. Sure, there is grain that intrudes on the image, but you still get sharp detail and decent color for quite a few high ISO steps. I guess a number of newer cameras can do this, but it is a really nice change from older digital cameras where the colors really started to lose saturation and start getting very blotchy and soft at higher ISOs. These latest generation cameras still have lots of grain, but they are not so hobbled otherwise.

[jonoslack]

1 hour ago, PhilipThomas said:

Jono: Thank you for your excellent review. Very helpful. I use the Leica Visoflex on my M10's for critical focus work; mostly macro shots and some low light level action images. I shoot mainly weddings and street projects. The camera looks marvelous in terms of low light and, as you wrote, the sweet spot of 24MP.  What's your opinion on a Visoflex on the M10 and an SL2-S viewfinder comparison in speed and ease of focusing? Thanks!

Hi Phillip - the difference between the visoflex (which is perfectly adequate) and the huge SL2 viewfinder is really obvious, making focusing a great deal easier

[jonoslack]

1 hour ago, Helmut99 said:

Jono, thanks for your valuable input - are you able to comment on high ISO performance difference between SL1 and SL2-S? 

Hi There Helmut

I'm sorry, I'm not really in a position to comment - I don't have my SL any more, so hard to do the comparison

Best

Jono

[jonoslack]

50 minutes ago, derleicaman said:

Hello Jonathan, excellent write-up as always. Just to clarify, in the ISO comparisons, the SL2-S images are on the left, correct?

Sorry for the simple question, but it was not clear from the article which was which.

Hi There 

Yes indeed - you're right, I didn't explain properly (ps sent you an email)

All the best

Jono

[jonoslack]

27 minutes ago, Stuart Richardson said:

Thanks Jono!

I think it will be interesting to see how the two cameras compare when their sizes are equalized. Obviously the noise level at 100% is higher on the SL2, but it also has nearly double the pixels. It would be interesting to scale them to the same size. That is generally more representative of what the noise actually looks like in the real world. I expect the SL2S to still be better, but the fight will be closer. One thing I have been very impressed with on the SL2 is how it seems to retain detail and color rather well at high ISO. Sure, there is grain that intrudes on the image, but you still get sharp detail and decent color for quite a few high ISO steps. I guess a number of newer cameras can do this, but it is a really nice change from older digital cameras where the colors really started to lose saturation and start getting very blotchy and soft at higher ISOs. These latest generation cameras still have lots of grain, but they are not so hobbled otherwise.

Hi Stuart

I've done this and you're quite right

at 1600 ISO the SL2 shades it at 6400 ISO it's about quits, but beyond that the SL2S does do better with no contest at 50,000

Best

Jono

[bilbrown]

5 hours ago, jonoslack said:

Hi There Aaron

Thank You!

I would think it's going to be an attractive proposition for you? The number of weddings I do, I'm happy to work with the SL2 and M10-r. Sorry - I don't know anything about new accessories - might be worth looking on the Leica website?

best

 

THe M10-R + SL2-S combo seems most interesting to me. I held onto my SL typ 601 and upgraded my digital M bodies to the M10-R. I think the video functions are fantastic (not as in depth as the other L Mount Alliance cameras, but definitely good for a Leica Camera) and I know a few cinematographers and directors that have already done say music videos on the SL1, not to mention the SL2.

I have a RED and the Sigma FP now to do some of the work that I do that needs a bit more. I had a RED Komodo on order, but canceled it. The accessories for cinematic work can really up the price of these set ups for video, but IBIS.. if it works as well as the SL2 or Lumix S1 then I'm sold. You don't really need a gimble for most things with that IBIS.

 

Does anyone understand what this new sensor is? 

[SrMi]

1 hour ago, jonoslack said:

Hi Stuart

I've done this and you're quite right

at 1600 ISO the SL2 shades it at 6400 ISO it's about quits, but beyond that the SL2S does do better with no contest at 50,000

Best

Jono

Thanks for the review, Jono.

It would have been interesting to see a comparison with both camera outputs scaled to the same dimensions. 

 

[vikasmg]

6 hours ago, jonoslack said:

Today Leica are introducing the Leica SL2-S,

Thank you for the excellent review and the wonderful photographs.  This time your review does not tempt me to the new camera though.  I have the SL2 and I’ve often found the extra resolution useful.  Also I’m not really into shooting video.  I had my fingers crossed for a smaller and lighter body, but well ...

[Chaemono]

Gerade eben schrieb vikasmg:

Thank you for the excellent review and the wonderful photographs.  This time your review does not tempt me to the new camera though.  I have the SL2 and I’ve often found the extra resolution useful.  Also I’m not really into shooting video.  I had my fingers crossed for a smaller and lighter body, but well ...

Same everything except size and weight of the S5 would have been awesome but it's unrealistic to expect this given the lack of economies of scale and the size of the company and the market they serve. 

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Hallo,

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[Chuck Albertson]

21 minutes ago, Steven said:

I was under the understanding that the SL2 could shoot 10 bit 422 internally? Am I wrong ? If not, what's the difference between the two except low light performance? 

The Red Dot Forum review says: "And whether internal or external, you'll get full 10-bit 4:2:2 files with the possibility to use Leica's L-Log or HLG for ultimate image quality."

I have no idea what HLG is.

[BernardC]

25 minutes ago, Steven said:

I was under the understanding that the SL2 could shoot 10 bit 422 internally? Am I wrong ? If not, what's the difference between the two except low light performance? 

The Leica site doesn't specifically mention 4:2:2 for the SL2, but it does for the SL2-S. It also says this about the SL2-S:

Quote

upcoming features such as automatic Follow Focus, an integrated waveform monitor, Color-Bars, Timecode Input and Tally Mode