SL3-P without video and / or SL3-P monochrome

[Guest]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi SL users,

after the SL3 is available, I’m still disappointed. On the M side we have photo purism available, while on the SL side with all the great lenses we still see just photo/video cameras. Zwitters that are kind of useful and well build. But build not in the terms of the original Leica purism for the real photographer.

I’m looking for SL(3)-P with all that useless video stuff stripped. Maybe even in a monochrome version. And of course with the choice of a silver body. Maybe Leica could even think of a build-to-order-SL-series that offers the clients all directions. That should not be a big deal and I would wait some month after an order has been placed.

Who has an idea how and whom to approach in Wetzlar to discuss this?

Cheers

Rob

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Guest]

And this camera would have a GPS function to record the location directly into the EXIF data, like the SL1

Edited March 23, 2024 by Rob Cale

[frame-it]

34 minutes ago, Rob Cale said:

Hi SL users,

after the SL3 is available, I’m still disappointed. On the M side we have photo purism available, while on the SL side with all the great lenses we still see just photo/video cameras. Zwitters that are kind of useful and well build. But build not in the terms of the original Leica purism for the real photographer.

I’m looking for SL(3)-P with all that useless video stuff stripped. Maybe even in a monochrome version. And of course with the choice of a silver body. Maybe Leica could even think of a build-to-order-SL-series that offers the clients all directions. That should not be a big deal and I would wait some month after an order has been placed.

Who has an idea how and whom to approach in Wetzlar to discuss this?

Cheers

Rob

contact Dr. Andreas Kaufmann.

 

[CptSlevin]

1 hour ago, Rob Cale said:

Hi SL users,

after the SL3 is available, I’m still disappointed. On the M side we have photo purism available, while on the SL side with all the great lenses we still see just photo/video cameras. Zwitters that are kind of useful and well build. But build not in the terms of the original Leica purism for the real photographer.

I’m looking for SL(3)-P with all that useless video stuff stripped. Maybe even in a monochrome version. And of course with the choice of a silver body. Maybe Leica could even think of a build-to-order-SL-series that offers the clients all directions. That should not be a big deal and I would wait some month after an order has been placed.

Who has an idea how and whom to approach in Wetzlar to discuss this?

Cheers

Rob

Wishful thinking, SL3S will be available only and will be more video centric than SL3.
So, either use SL3 and be happy or wait more 4-5 years.

[LocalHero1953]

Please no! Let's keep purist heritage notions to the M series, where they have hamstrung development - but that's a lost cause now. The SL cameras are practical tools for taking photographs and videos, and they are excellent at doing both. Their limitations will not be improved by hanging a purist tag on them. We should leave their development unconstrained.

What is it about the notion of 'purism' in photography that makes it desirable? Aren't we real world practical photographers? Looking for the best tool to create our results?

[hansvons]

3 hours ago, Rob Cale said:

But build not in the terms of the original Leica purism for the real photographer.

Where does this elitism stem from? I love using my SL2-S besides my two film Ms and recording videos occasionally without feeling sullied with inelegance by not being a "pure" photographer. 

 

19 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Let's keep purist heritage notions to the M series, where they have hamstrung development - but that's a lost cause now.

Absolutely. How much would I love a pocket Alexa as a video-capable M with a sensor like the SL2-S? Instead, they pushed the RF focusing system way beyond its capabilities with a ridiculously high resolving sensor that mercilessly exacerbates shake blur and soft focus but doesn't help shutter speeds because sensitivity isn't particularly great.

[LocalHero1953]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

10 minutes ago, hansvons said:

How much would I love a pocket Alexa as a video-capable M with a sensor like the SL2-S?

The Sigma fp showed what the M could have become. The main issue I had with the fp was its lack of a viewfinder. Add a rangefinder (i.e. no extra image processing or heat generation), and you have a camera with excellent stills and video capability in a package the size of the M.

[Almizilero]

I somewhat get the wish for a monochrome SL, but I never get why people want features that are easily ignored removed. I have the SL2 and SL2-S and recorded my first videos last week. Excellent results! Before that, I used them solely for photography and never got in contact with the video side of the cameras. It's not like they have a ton of dedicated video buttons (like Panasonic or Sony) that get in the way. Yes, there are some menu points that would be removed if the camera was photo only. But how often does one dive into the menu?

I'd get it if the video functionalty would in some way reduce the photo experience or quality. Is there a filter or anything that is solely there to support video? Otherwise, it's really not hard to ignore the video menus.

As a former Sony user I know what a camera with to many features and buttons feels like. The SL range is FAR from that and gives me the best photographic experience I've had in years! I, personally, will happily take any added features on the SL series als long as they:

1. don't have dedicated button
2. can be switched of to save battery (like GPS, which I would LOVE to get back!)
3. don't reduce the photo image quality in any way

But I'm also one of those people who never got the appeal of the M-D range. Why not simply cover up the LCD if it's to distracting? I'm sure there is some clever ebayer who'll sell you an opaque screen protector. Why pay even more for a camera with less features? 

[Guest]

vor einer Stunde schrieb hansvons:

Where does this elitism stem from?

I did not write about elitism - purism was the word I used. Just for pure photography.

[Dr. G]

I think Leica missed a great opportunity so far with a SL bodied monochrom camera, especially with the APO Summicron-SL lenses' performance.  Although we usually think of apochromatic lenses benefiting color fidelity, the fact that they are aligning the color channels on the sensor means that black and white images are presented with far more microcrontrast and realism... dare I say that APO lenses almost have more of an impact with black and white.  

 

[Guest]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb LocalHero1953:

What is it about the notion of 'purism' in photography that makes it desirable?

Just pure photography. No video. Nothing else.

[Guest]

vor 59 Minuten schrieb Almizilero:

It's not like they have a ton of dedicated video buttons (like Panasonic or Sony) that get in the way. Yes, there are some menu points that would be removed if the camera was photo only. But how often does one dive into the menu?

Yes, video is hidden if you don’t want to use it. But it takes up a lot of efforts in product design, software and hardware development, testing. If all these efforts would be stripped, we could see have a great photography product. Plus the option to have this one as a monochrome version maybe. And maybe even shorter upgrade cycles.

[LeicaR10]

Rob Cale,   I sent you a PM on how and who to email at Leica to submit your excellent idea.  There are a lot of SL photographers who do not want/need video and simply would like a photography only SLX camera.  Writing to Leica stating your idea(s) does work.  This is how video was finally stripped from the M camera.  IMO, if Leica wants to make video SLX cameras...great, just make it a SL video camera that excels at creating video.  In the meantime, Leica should make a photograph only SL3 or SLX.   r/ Mark

[Almizilero]

I fear that removing the video functionality at this point would mean extra effort, since it would always be a side product. And one that would sell less copies, so the cameras would be even more expensive. I guess it's more likely that one of those kickstarter project manages to produce a decent digital back for all the film cameras out there.

But if (and I really thinks it's a missed opportunity) they make a monochrome SL, that might be the point were they could leave out video features altogether.

In the main line, I don't see an SL3-X without video. Just from a commercial viewpoint, it doesn't seem likely. “Here is the same camera, but we stripped all video features. But it's even more expensive than the SL3, because we don't expect to sell many units of this.”

[Guest]

vor 3 Minuten schrieb Almizilero:

“Here is the same camera, but we stripped all video features. But it's even more expensive than the SL3, because we don't expect to sell many units of this.”

And of course it is NOT more expensive, but maybe even 1k cheaper. A lot of development and testing can be saved if you take this as a separate product.

[Stuart Richardson]

I think you are misinterpreting how this all works. The SL has been a hybrid stills/video camera from day one, going to the extent of having two separate interfaces that are easily switched, one being stills based, the other being video based. Professional photography at this point is not a binary. Many clients want or expect a video component to be part of a job, whether it be ad campaigns, product work or even weddings. Even in art...I have a show up the museum of photography here right now and it consists of still photographs as well as videos. Leaving video out of the camera would not save any development or testing. That work is already done and will continue to be done for whatever the next model will be. Leaving it out does not save any money, at least not on a variant of an already existing camera. Video is required for live view and an EVF at all, so it has to be implemented into an SL camera, even if it is not used for recording. If you are looking for a camera that does not have a video component, you are better served by the M system, or to be honest even the S system. The S007 and S3 have video but it is not particularly great and is easy to ignore completely.

Edited March 23, 2024 by Stuart Richardson

[LocalHero1953]

Well, they’d lose one Leica owner if they took that route. I don’t want to buy two cameras when one can do the job perfectly well. Leica lost me as a digital M owner when they cut out video in the M10, and failed to implement a silent shutter. I bought the SL and CL instead (and sold the M240).

And I doubt that eliminating video would save much development or manufacturing costs: it’s in most camera digital hardware by default these days, including in Panasonic equivalents. Leica would be out on a development limb if they wanted to source chips that didn’t do video. They would save some costs in connectors, that’s about all. 

When you email Leica, please point them towards this thread (though I’m sure they’ll become aware of it!🙂)

Edited March 23, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[Stuart Richardson]

15 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Leica would be out on a development limb if they wanted to source chips that didn’t do video.

Not even possible at this point! It is an EVF camera, which means that the sensor has to be capable of outputting at least 120fps at 6mp, which is not something a non-video spec sensor can do. I am not even sure you can find a readily available sensor for 35mm anymore that does not have video capability.

If the argument is for saving development resources, then developing a special variant without it is more of a waste of development resources than leaving it in, since all that work is done already.

Edited March 23, 2024 by Stuart Richardson

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[LocalHero1953]

42 minutes ago, Stuart Richardson said:

Professional photography at this point is not a binary.

Nor amateur. I can turn up at a play rehearsal (as I did the other night) and was asked without notice if I could take some video clips for online publicity alongside my stills. The SL2-S was perfect for that (and the SL2, SL3 could have done the same). (The M240 could do the same - but not the M10, M11.....).

[Nosferatu]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb Rob Cale:

I’m looking for SL(3)-P with all that useless video stuff stripped. Maybe even in a monochrome version. And of course with the choice of a silver body.

Great Idea. Body in Silver with monochrome Sensor. No Video Options. Only for photography. Or as n SL-E on SL2 Basis

 

Edited March 23, 2024 by Nosferatu