Autofocus Comparison Leica SL2(-S) vs. Leica SL3

[Cronilux]

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Hey friendly people, 

for several days now I am trying to find an in-depth autofocus comparison video between the SL2(-S) and SL3, but it seems like there is none or I am just too stupid to find it. 

I really enjoy my SL2-S, but it’s tracking is simply not good. Period. If one bursts photos of a normal walking person it can barely keep track and it’s just disappointing.

So how does the SL3 work in that regard? If you have any videos, please link them.

TIA!

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[Luke_Miller]

Don't have an SL3, but shoot with an SL2. With kids running directly towards me (AF-C in Tracking Mode) I get 80% or better in focus shots. Your SL2-S should do at least as well.

[Cronilux]

vor 2 Minuten schrieb Luke_Miller:

Don't have an SL3, but shoot with an SL2. With kids running directly towards me (AF-C in Tracking Mode) I get 80% or better in focus shots. Your SL2-S should do at least as well.

Which lenses are you using? If I am lucky I maybe get like 30% shots in focus with AFc tracking. 

[Photoworks]

maybe it is because you don't see much difference and it is hard to know when phase detection is active. 

In the video AFC is similar to S5II, it is quite good.

[Luke_Miller]

3 hours ago, Cronilux said:

Which lenses are you using? If I am lucky I maybe get like 30% shots in focus with AFc tracking. 

I 'm away from home, but my recollection is it was the Leica 24-90.

 

 

 

[SrMi]

5 hours ago, Luke_Miller said:

Don't have an SL3, but shoot with an SL2. With kids running directly towards me (AF-C in Tracking Mode) I get 80% or better in focus shots. Your SL2-S should do at least as well.

I find AF-C much worse in the SL2 series than in the SL3 (OSPDAF).

[FlashGordonPhotography]

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Generally, AFC and tracking is much improved on the SL2 but still not at the level of the S5II or other action based cameras.

If you use the normal or tracking modes things are OK. The camera does well except for extremely erratic movements and focus is generally accurate. However, if the camera gets lost it doesn't do well in re-acquiring the subject and requires user input. It's a bit better than the subject modes and often I'd use tracking instead of subject for objects that moved more erratically. It does work very well for portraits and where the subject is large in the frame.

The same is obvious in animal recognition. The system does OK but erratic movement send it into a spiral where it'll just give up. Once lost it makes no attempt to require without user intervention. Especially for smaller subjects. It also doesn't do well with ANYTHING in front of the subject. Even a single grass stem will cause the system to focus on that rather than the subject.

For more consistent or less speedy changes in direction I've found the system to do quite well. It's not the best EVF view but the results are fine and most files are in focus. It does OK in lower light levels (say 6400) but not very low light.

This is for the current firmware and things are likely to change. The AF system has parts marked as beta. I did most of my testing with the 100-400 and Sigma 500/TC. The Sigma 2.8 zooms are a bit better as they have the fastest AF motors in L mount so far.

Gordon

[SrMi]

51 minutes ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

Generally, AFC and tracking is much improved on the SL2 but still not at the level of the S5II or other action based cameras.

I assume you meant much improved on SL3, not SL2.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

9 hours ago, SrMi said:

I assume you meant much improved on SL3, not SL2.

"from" the SL2 would be better... 😀

Gordon

[Luke_Miller]

With my SL and Sl2 what works best for me in my event work is Joystick initiates autofocus, AF-C and Tracking Mode.  That is my setup for both static and active subjects.  With a static subject I gain focus and recompose and take the shot keeping autofocus active.  With moving subjects, I allow enough time for the camera gain track on the subject as I pan to get the desired composition. I do not find any of the subject recognition modes useful.  As I mentioned earlier with running subjects, I get about an 80% in focus rate, but with most subjects it is near 100% if I do my part correctly.  I am happy enough with the SL2 autofocus that I ordered an SL2-S.

If I need better than that I bring out my Nikon Z8.  I use the same autofocus setup as with my SL bodies. Again, I don't use the subject detection modes (which are pretty amazing) since in shots with several subjects I prefer to select the subject rather than letting the camera.

Edited August 22, 2024 by Luke_Miller

[Cronilux]

vor 18 Stunden schrieb FlashGordonPhotography:

This is for the current firmware and things are likely to change. The AF system has parts marked as beta. I did most of my testing with the 100-400 and Sigma 500/TC. The Sigma 2.8 zooms are a bit better as they have the fastest AF motors in L mount so far.

So maybe I should wait for the next firmware update, that improves AF to then decide. How do you know that parts of the AF are marked as beta? 

Thank you for the in depth insights from your experience. Really helpful. 

[Cronilux]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb Luke_Miller:

With my SL and Sl2 what works best for me in my event work is Joystick initiates autofocus, AF-C and Tracking Mode.  That is my setup for both static and active subjects.  With a static subject I gain focus and recompose and take the shot keeping autofocus active.  With moving subjects, I allow enough time for the camera gain track on the subject as I pan to get the desired composition.

Ah, so you lock in onto your subject with your thumb on the joystick and then you can constantly track it, while shooting. I’ll definitely try that. I’ve tried tracking, but not with the joystick. 
 

I’ll report back tomorrow. Thanks a lot for these tips. 

[Cronilux]

vor 19 Stunden schrieb SrMi:

I find AF-C much worse in the SL2 series than in the SL3 (OSPDAF).

Any more detailed examples? What’s improved? Which focus settings are you using on the SL3? What’s the accuracy?

[SrMi]

8 hours ago, Cronilux said:

Any more detailed examples? What’s improved? Which focus settings are you using on the SL3? What’s the accuracy?

As I remember, the DFD in SL2 pulsates occasionally, while SL3's AF-C (PDAF) is more solid and reliable.

[Cronilux]

So, I still don’t get a good tracking result with the SL2-S. No matter what I try. The first 2 photos might be in focus, but that’s about it. I talk about tracking with apertures between f1.2 and f2. Closing down the aperture to get good tracking shouldn’t be necessary.
 

It feels like using AFc on an old DSLR, where one was better advised to use single shot AF and simply over shoot to ensure in focus shots. 
 

If anyone has any further insights on the SL3 or useful tips to set up good tracking autofocus on the SL2-S I would be super happy. 

[Simone_DF]

7 minutes ago, Cronilux said:

So, I still don’t get a good tracking result with the SL2-S. No matter what I try.

And you won't. No PDAF = no good tracking. There's no escape from that.

I don't know about the SL3, but the S5II has improved things dramatically compared to my SL2-S, so it's just a matter of time until Leica reaches parity. 

[Luke_Miller]

I find that with a subject moving towards me I need higher shutter speeds than I would expect.  That would be amplified at wide apertures.  Subject motion looks very much like missed focus in that situation.

Edited to add:

Apparently if in Continuous High the camera only focuses on the first shot.

Edited August 23, 2024 by Luke_Miller

[Photoworks]

Even with a steady subject in video it goes in and out of focus

SL2 8K Summicron SL Apo 35 AFC

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[hdmesa]

7 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

Even with a steady subject in video it goes in and out of focus

SL2 8K Summicron SL Apo 35 AFC

Should AFc be smart enough to realize the subject is staying at the same distance? Probably, but I would never shoot that scene in AFc on any camera. 

[Cronilux]

vor 56 Minuten schrieb hdmesa:

Should AFc be smart enough to realize the subject is staying at the same distance? Probably, but I would never shoot that scene in AFc on any camera. 

You can easily do with any modern camera nowadays. AFs basically obsolete. Sony manages this absolutely perfectly.