SL3 IQ is a step-up from FF (WB, texture, subject separation) - image thread

[Chaemono]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I had taken some test shots with the SL3 in the Leica store a couple of months ago to see how it performed with M lenses vs. the SL2-S and my immediate impression upon viewing the pictures was that they looked better than anything I had seen with FF cameras. In terms of tonality/texture, WB, and subject separation it was definitely a step-up from the SL2-S. Red channel is the same, though. @Photoworks was right after all. 

I got my own SL3 this week and the first test shots with the APO 50 Summicron-SL confirm my first impression. I absolutely love the IQ of the SL3.

I set both cameras at EV -2/3 and they exposed equally with 1/25 sec. Look how much better the WB of the SL3 is. Link to view and download the less compressed JPEGs here: https://chaemono.smugmug.com/SL3-test-shots-vs-other-cameras 

Besides the settings/adjustments that show, the red color slider was also moved to +20.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

[jrp]

This quite nicely illustrates that the differences don’t really matter for internet content creation. You could easily tweak one image to look more or less like the other in Lightroom. 

Unless you are earning your crust shooting sports or other photos where the technology or reliability will make a real difference, the enjoyability of using the system probably matters more. This goes to weight / bulk and availability of (specialist) lenses, resolution of the viewfinder, ibis performance, etc.

For my part, like a few others here, I vacillate between the SL / Panasonic system and the Sony line up.  Sony has a slightly wider range of lenses, although, objectively, the difference is not great if you include Sigma L-mount lenses. Their most recent lenses do, however, tend to be a bit lighter.

If I’m just walking about, the Sony A1 + 24-70 GM II or 16-35mm GM II + 50mm GM + 70-200mm G II or 100-400mm  GM or 70-200mm GM II produce good results for town / cityscapes.

The Leica SL3 system produces (slightly) better images if you use the APO Summicrons or even the 24-90 / 90-280 zooms and the 100mm Panasonic, but it is much bulkier and heavier, and there is more faff switching lenses. 

I still use both systems (the technological superiority of the Sony v the slight ergonomic superiority and lens superiority of the Leica system) but Leica’s ergonomic lead is not what it was at the time of the SL, when, for example, the viewfinder was noticeably superior to the A7r2, eg. 

[Chaemono]

The SL3 creates a slightly cooler look with basically the same color palette as the SL2-S which some may prefer as a starting point. 

[CptSlevin]

No difference at all

GAS justification

[Stuart Richardson]

I kind of have to agree, they look remarkably close to me...more so than I would have expected. This is after downloading the jpegs. I should say too, that I have good color and hue discrimination (I scored a perfect result on xrite's color discrimination tests), so it is probably not that I have a dull eye unable to appreciate the nuances...it is my day job to deal with color. What is of course interesting, is just how much more information you get from 60mp vs 24mp. Certainly a meaningful bump in resolution if you print big. Regarding the WB difference, I used the color sampler tool to look at the WB reference, and the tone varies all throughout the target, so it is quite plausible that the exact pixels you chose for sampling would shift the WB slightly in one direction or another. Similarly, since it is natural light it is likely that there were minute variances that could be responsible for variations.

[Jim B]

I’m absolutely in love with the SL3, I will most likely keep the SL2-s for low light performances, however focus  does hunt in low light. The real issue is what to do with my Sony A1, A7r5. I guess I could keep them for action and sports but not sure if I would really need them anymore. 
 

For me, the real issue is the dread of complexity of setting up the Sony’s. Sure they work great if you have the right settings, but since it’s not my daily driver I’m not as intuitive at using the camera. I just had a disaster happen, and I was lucky that I was donating my services and that it was not a paid shoot. I don’t leave my camera’s with batteries in them, and I guess I let the Sony sit too long without use. Apparently the internal batter that holds the system setting lost power. So when I was getting the camera ready, I have to reset the time, date, etc….. But what I didn’t realize was somehow the camera reverted to only shooting jpegs…. no Raw’s. I am a raw only shooter.

So the action shoot was for a young lady gymnast who won the local state championship. The kids all want these chalk dust photos, they usually require a lot of editing, and sometimes compositing. Much more work than I would consider doing to a jpeg. Luckily, I pulled if off but what a stresser! 
 

The elegance of the Leica menu system is really great. I can always pick up a Leica and just use it. The camera never gets in the way and it just works. The Sony’s always make me feel like I am using a complex tool, that sometimes might have a mind of its own. I have no idea why the camera would have defaulted to jpegs only, and now I guess it’s one more thing I’ll have to check when I use it again!

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Chaemono]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The difference in WB between the SL2-S and the SL3 is evident in Sean Reid's test shots if one looks closely. He didn't notice it and just wrote in his review that the yellows looked differently (😂), but I did. I also thought that the red channel of the SL3 was better when I looked at his comparisons but it turns out that it was just the difference in WB. Good WB matters for color IMO. If one tries to fix WB in post one can mess up the colors. 

I have two copies of the APO 50 Summicron-SL so that I could shoot the SL2-S and the SL3 side by side for a couple of hours at the auto museum without having to switch lenses. Some general observations first: the weight difference between the two cameras is material. Every time I picked up the SL2-S it felt like I was holding a brick. The SL3 felt just right with the Summicron-SL lens. The SL3 is snappier even if the shutter sound of the SL2-S sounds snappier. The shutter sound of the SL3 is perfectly fine IMO. In terms of muscle memory, when using both cameras in A mode, I have assigned ISO to the lower front button that I can reach quickly with my middle, I have assigned aperture to the top right wheel and EV to the thumb wheel. Never needed to use the top left wheel on the SL3. Ok, the fact that the three back buttons are on different sides is a bit confusing when shooting the cameras side by side, but I much prefer them on the right side of the SL3, I found out. 

 

You'll get the DNGs of these two. I have lot more which I will post latter but likely not the DNGs.

SL2-S DNG download here: https://cc2032.zenfolio.com/img/g832446194-o750076470.dat?dl=2&tk=K_GmxB70Z2qO4TcCWUgTtZd5yOW5ovc4yZo9Z7qE0fo=

SL3 DNG download here: https://cc2032.zenfolio.com/img/g560644353-o750076470.dat?dl=2&tk=1FiPMODF5xlHbluWQphd56bkX1J-A9tMArxeSL2xKcw=

 

The pictures were equally exposed, in A mode with the same settings and EV at -1 on both cameras. The DNGs look equally exposed. But not only is the WB of the SL3 better but there is also more information in its file and the post processed SL3 picture looks better in the way the light is controlled, in terms of tonality and WB IMO. If you fiddle around with the DNGs, you'll see.

Same adjustments in LR as can be seen, the red color slider at +20 for both, and I tried to match the WB.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

SL2-S

 

SL3

Edited July 14, 2024 by Chaemono

[Chaemono]

This is sort of a double post but in this thread it's more to illustrate that no equivalent picture with the SL2-S was taken because I used the tilty screen on the SL3.

Less compressed JPEG here: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-DB59fg

With the APO 50 Summicron-SL

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

ISO 100 f/2.8 @1/30 sec. 

[Chaemono]

There is an issue with the link to download the SL2-S DNG in #7. Here's another link https://cc2032.zenfolio.com/img/g675043402-o750076470.dat?dl=2&tk=gNXANzQcTfpHfREpBAcDQSxJSsDW_uWtysLzvRkCR1g=

 

[Jim B]

On 7/14/2024 at 2:24 PM, Chaemono said:

This is sort of a double post but in this thread it's more to illustrate that no equivalent picture with the SL2-S was taken because I used the tilty screen on the SL3.

Less compressed JPEG here: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-DB59fg

With the APO 50 Summicron-SL

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

ISO 100 f/2.8 @1/30 sec. 

Interesting, what will you do now?  Will you keep the SL2s? 

 I like the SL3 so much that I decided to sell off my Sl2 and my Hasselblad X1D along with the 21,45, 90, 120 lenses and put the money toward 3 used SL Apo lenses …..I have the 90, and would like the 75,50, 35….

Edited July 16, 2024 by Jim B
Wording

[Chaemono]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Jim B:

Interesting, what will you do now?  Will you keep the SL2s? 

 I like the SL3 so much that I decided to sell off my Sl2 and my Hasselblad X1D along with the 21,45, 90, 120 lenses and put the money toward 3 used SL Apo lenses …..I have the 90, and would like the 75,50, 35….

The SL2.-S has become a niche camera now for clean pushed shadows noise at ISO 6400 and above. One could also have a LUMIX S5/II instead with the SL3. The rational thing to do would be to sell the SL2-S but I haven‘t decided, yet. 

[MediaFotografie]

vor 36 Minuten schrieb Chaemono:

The SL2.-S has become a niche camera now for clean pushed shadows noise at ISO 6400 and above. One could also have a LUMIX S5/II instead with the SL3. The rational thing to do would be to sell the SL2-S but I haven‘t decided, yet. 

yes - but mine is a Reporter and I will keep it   🙂