SL3 Rumors

[trickness]

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3 hours ago, SrMi said:

A DPR forum member accidentally saw the SL3 in a NY camera store. He confirms a smaller size, better AF, 61MP sensor, and $8k price. The poster seems a reliable source.

I think this is B.S. - there is no reason a retailer would have it right now unless it was launching within the next week.

All of these insights are just reliable guesses. of course it’s going to have a 60 something megapixel sensor. Of course it’s gonna have phase detect Auto focus. Of course the body is going to be slightly different, the Q3 has a tiltscreen, and there’s no way the SL3 is not going to have a tilt screen after all the whining everyone’s done about it not having one.

None of the above qualifies as new information, just logical guesses. All you have to do is look at the Q3 changes versus the Q2 and you’re probably very close to what the SL3 evolution will be. It’s common sense.

Now on price - 8k? Good luck with that, Leica….

Edited January 23, 2024 by trickness

[SrMi]

I hope that SL3 will also add focus bracketing.

[jaapv]

14 hours ago, trickness said:

I think this is B.S. - there is no reason a retailer would have it right now unless it was launching within the next week.

All of these insights are just reliable guesses. of course it’s going to have a 60 something megapixel sensor. Of course it’s gonna have phase detect Auto focus. Of course the body is going to be slightly different, the Q3 has a tiltscreen, and there’s no way the SL3 is not going to have a tilt screen after all the whining everyone’s done about it not having one.

None of the above qualifies as new information, just logical guesses. All you have to do is look at the Q3 changes versus the Q2 and you’re probably very close to what the SL3 evolution will be. It’s common sense.

Now on price - 8k? Good luck with that, Leica….

Somehow Leica always has good luck with their prices. I mean, 6000 € for a point and shoot? Seriously? Selling like hot buns…

[jaapv]

8 minutes ago, SrMi said:

I hope that SL3 will also add focus bracketing.

And whilst you are at it, pre-release and in-camera focus stacking. 

[Einst_Stein]

18 hours ago, SrMi said:

A DPR forum member accidentally saw the SL3 in a NY camera store. He confirms a smaller size, better AF, 61MP sensor, and $8k price. The poster seems a reliable source.

It is actually 100MP. I saw it last night 2AM when I visited the Leica store.  

[trickness]

23 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Somehow Leica always has good luck with their prices. I mean, 6000 € for a point and shoot? Seriously? Selling like hot buns…

Thats because it (the Q) looks like an M but requires no skill to shoot and has a Summilux stuck to it (oh and it also shoots video). The equivalent M setup would be what, 17K and require the user to know how to use a rangefinder. The Q is a smart product, especially compared to an M for a wide variety of photographers.

The SL is NOT an alternative to an M - the cameras it does compete with are more technically competent (if thats what you're into) and cost a lot less. An $8000 SL3 is going to be even more niche than the SL2 - just because they're possibly adding features everybody else has had for years (tilt screen, PD autofocus) isn't going to suddenly get people to sell their Sonys and Canons.

Best they launch it for $6495-6999 tops, then let it creep up to $7495 like they always do

 

 

[trickness]

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1 minute ago, Einst_Stein said:

It is actually 100MP. I saw it last night 2AM when I visited the Leica store.  

Which Leica store - and tell us more.

[Einst_Stein]

Just now, trickness said:

Which Leica store - and tell us more.

The Leica store that opens in 2AM? Of course the Dreamed Leica Store! 

[SrMi]

33 minutes ago, jaapv said:

And whilst you are at it, pre-release and in-camera focus stacking. 

In-camera focus stacking and panorama are not tools for serious photography, as both are best done in post and in-camera generates only JPEGs. Focus bracketing is very helpful for professional photography and is hard to do manually or requires extra hardware (macro).

The best implementation is done by Hasselblad, where you can pick the end, the middle, or the start of the focus bracket.

[Simone_DF]

42 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Somehow Leica always has good luck with their prices. I mean, 6000 € for a point and shoot? Seriously? Selling like hot buns…

Can you point out another full frame point & shoot on the market? The closest alternative is the X100V, which is APS-C.

On the other hand, the SL is not so unique.

[jaapv]

No, but I think that FF  is of very little interest to the average photographer. Don’t forget that forums are populated by nerds. 

[jaapv]

39 minutes ago, SrMi said:

In-camera focus stacking and panorama are not tools for serious photography, as both are best done in post and in-camera generates only JPEGs. Focus bracketing is very helpful for professional photography and is hard to do manually or requires extra hardware (macro).

The best implementation is done by Hasselblad, where you can pick the end, the middle, or the start of the focus bracket.

Actually they are 8K functions. Quite useful for PJ work. Not everyone is a Fine Art photographer. Have you ever done focus stacking? It eats computer time Best done on a tripod too. 

[PeterGA]

On 1/23/2024 at 4:18 AM, o2mpx said:

It’s likely the SL range body and lens weight and bulkiness are high on the most mentioned unfavorable list. The latest efforts with minimally lighter primes and zooms, but many being rebadged, aren’t truly comprehensive solutions for those looking for native Leica make and material weight savings.

Having sold the SL2 in anticipation of the SL3, while getting a S1r in the interim, actually gave a nice experience from a usability perspective; but having put the 16-35 and 24-90 on the S1r to do a pre trip to India check, again brought up the weight and bulk challenges that moved the decision towards the X2D and 21/35-75/120; thinking is if weight and bulk are present, mind as well get the 100mp sensor and HB color. 

As latest news mentioned the SL3 has the 60mp sensor but only slightly smaller, unlikely the weight and bulk challenges are resolved. Highly questioning whether to add the SL3 or perhaps just selling the 2 L zooms and stick with the HB setup. 
 

 

Perhaps you could have added the 90-280 zoom to your kit and complained even more about the weight of the SL2 "body". Everyone that pines for a smaller body and less weight might consider the fact that some people have larger hands and dont like holding cameras with finger tips as if they are drinking a cup of tea...😜

[SrMi]

3 hours ago, jaapv said:

Actually they are 8K functions. Quite useful for PJ work. Not everyone is a Fine Art photographer. Have you ever done focus stacking? It eats computer time Best done on a tripod too. 

I do not know what an 8K function is.

Yes, I have done focus stacking in the post, which is time-consuming. Focus bracketing is best done with a tripod, but so is in-camera focus stacking. You can at least align frames in the post, which you cannot do in the camera. I typically need >50 frames for macro, which is too much for in-camera focus stacking. I regularly need to intervene and apply masking when focus stacking for landscapes. That is also impossible in the camera, and you end up with artifacts.

Panorama is also better handled in the post, especially since you have more computing power to align and merge the frames. 

Caveat: I have never done in-camera focus stacking.

[cj3209]

7 minutes ago, PeterGA said:

Perhaps you could have added the 90-280 zoom to your kit and complained even more about the weight of the SL2 "body". Everyone that pines for a smaller body and less weight might consider the fact that some people have larger hands and dont like holding cameras with finger tips as if they are drinking a cup of tea...😜

I've got an SL2 with the grip and coupled with the 90-280...watch out.

All kidding aside, the grip does add stability and balance, especially when using long lenses.  

[jaapv]

On my S5 the process is fast and handheld. Controllable on the LCD too. The camera fires a quick burst and you tap the spots that you want sharp. The camera aligns and compiles to one file within seconds.  As I mainly stack for nature shots I do not need a tripod when stacking in the computer. Photomerge is pretty good at auto alignment, also for panoramas. I must confess that I cannot imagine needing more than a dozen files for stacking, if that. Do you do extreme macro, perhaps? 

[JohnathanLovm]

For a 8K price with 60MP, I hope SL3 have some medium format-like features and heavy-duty enough to stay competitive with Z8, GFX and X2D not just rehousing of Q3/M11. There is a feature we know from S5II is the handheld-multishoot. If such feature reliable enough and allow flash on tripod, having "artificial" 240MP is sure attractive for landscape/fine art. I do hope SL3's top screen is touch-screen so we can swipe to other functions such as histogram. Focus-stacking, Frame-avenging, build-in flash trigger and 1/400 flash sync perhaps may worth to take a loan for it.

[LocalHero1953]

The SL is large and heavy and, with the Apo-Summicrons, Summilux, 16-35SL, 24-90SL or 90-280SL lenses, is very large and heavy.............if you use it as a carry-around camera just in case you see a shot to take, as a travel camera, as a street camera, a party camera. It's unthinkable.

The SL size and weight are irrelevant, including the Apo-Summicrons, Summilux, 24-90SL or 90-280SL lenses...............if you use it as an event or photoshoot camera when you have it in your hands near your eye most of the time. The weight helps with stability and you can use the lenses to push people out of the way and crack nuts. It's perfect.

Edited January 23, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

On my S5 the process is fast and handheld. Controllable on the LCD too. The camera fires a quick burst and you tap the spots that you want sharp. The camera aligns and compiles to one file within seconds.  As I mainly stack for nature shots I do not need a tripod when stacking in the computer. Photomerge is pretty good at auto alignment, also for panoramas. I must confess that I cannot imagine needing more than a dozen files for stacking, if that. Do you do extreme macro, perhaps? 

Thank you for explaining how it works on S5. I will read more about it.

My macro is not that extreme, e.g., HO train models.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[jaapv]

Those are great and warrant a tripod. 

The output is indeed a JPG so one must make certain in the camera that only minimal processing is required.