SL 601 still worth considering?

[tap360]

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I am looking at a lovely condition original 601, or about £1-1.5k extra for a used/new SL2-S.

I plan to use with my M primes (28mm f/5.6 summaron, 35mm Voigtlander Ultron, 50mm Summilux) and 24-90 zoom.  I have an M240, but struggling a bit with focus these days, so been weighing up original Q, or the SL as a complement

I hear great things about SL2-S (especially low light), but was really impressed with original SL (built like a tank, sweet shutter sound). Also mindful of SL3 might hit used prices, is now a good time to buy?

Any real world experience to consider or is the SL2- S the much better option for the next few years?  

 

[jaapv]

Surely the SL2-S is improved over the SL, especially if you are into Video, but whether these improvements are meaningful for your photography is for you to decide. I bought an SL601 half a year ago and couldn't be happier.

[ropo54]

Advantages of SL2-s over the SL:  image stabilization;  eye Auto Focus; better low light performance.

I don't concern myself with video so cannot comment with regard to either of the SLs.

The improvements in the SL2-s are pretty impressive.  I'd opt for the upgrades.

Rob

[Luke_Miller]

I bought a used typ 601 a year ago along with the 24-90 to try out the SL cameras.  I quickly added a used SL-2 and recently the 35 and 75 APO Sumicron-SL lenses.  I regularly shoot events using both. I enjoy the additional features of the SL-2, but they are not critical to my still image shooting.  My M glass works great on the SL and, while it lacks OBIS, so do my M bodies.   The 24-90 is stabilized and works beautifully.

If you have any interest in video the SL-2 and SL-2S are far better choices.  While not necessary with my M glass OBIS is very valuable when using longer adapted lenses that lack stabilization.  According to rumors, sometime within the next year, Leica will release the SL-3 models which will significantly improve autofocus performance with moving subjects. Used SL-2 and SL-2S bodies will likely come on the market as users upgrade to get the better AF performance.  If I had to do it all over again now, I would still buy the Typ 601 and the lenses. But probably hold off on the SL-2 to see what the SL-3 brings and then decide whether to get one or an SL-2/SL-2S trade-in.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Luke_Miller

[JohnathanLovm]

Yes. 

[LCM94]

yes, just go mine last month and for stills it's amazing.

[lencap]

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The SL 601 is still a fine camera, and I enjoyed mine fully.  It also has GPS standard, so all of your images are geo-tagged.  It comes in handy when traveling, or just to help recall the circumstances of each images.  You can get similar tagging with this SL2 bodies, but only if tethered to the app.

[DadDadDaddyo]

lencap's got it right, and it's nice to see I'm not alone in that opinion.

The built-in GPS on the 601 is a significant feature. Reliance on the Fotos app to achieve similar results is not fully equivalent. 

Similar thing on the M246 Monochrom: it's auxiliary grip adds built-in GPS, as well as direct USB file transfer without having to pull out an SD card. That's a feature they left behind on the M10M, and it's a shame. 

I, too, bought a used 601 and the 24-90. They're a fabulous combination, and became for me a gateway to an SL2, a 90-280, a 35mm Summicron-L and a 50mm Summicron-L. But I kept that 601.

At the sizes I usually print to, and except for the weight, I'd rather carry a 601 coupled with the 24-90 as a day-long walking-around solution than any of the Leica Qs...

For anyone, but especially for folks just coming in, the 601, like the M240 and the M246, remains an excellent choice and an outstanding value. And the lenses you start to add as a result? They're forever.