Why such a drop in SL2 and SL2s Prices?

[Simone_DF]

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12 hours ago, jaapv said:

If you mean the SL2S, where do you get the noise from?

I meant the SL2. I’ve shoot the SL2-S at iso 32000 and files look great 

 

12 hours ago, jaapv said:

The main reason that there appears to be a surplus is the Hamster wheel of megapixels - but still the SL2 has dropped even lower.

I disagree about the megapixels. Just look at the other side of the L mount. The S1R did not sell well, the S5 did. Now Panasonic released a -R variant in a S5 shell, at 45mp, so less than the SL3, and the camera, allegedly, is selling above expectations, at least per Panasonic’s words (which of course could just be marketing). 

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[jaapv]

Happy to hear it - it is quite opposed to the sentiment often expressed on this forum.

We still have Baboon DNA: Throw away the half-eaten fruit on the Baobab tree and reach for the next shiny one...

[Simone_DF]

13 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Happy to hear it - it is quite opposed to the sentiment often expressed on this forum.

We still have Baboon DNA: Throw away the half-eaten fruit on the Baobab tree and reach for the next shiny one...

I had the SL2 for about 6 months, then swapped it for a SL2-S as soon as it was released. No regrets, quite the opposite. 

Same for the Q2, I had it for 2-3 months, then sold it because I was disappointed with its pedestrian AF and noise quality, now I'm very happy with the Q3 43, it fixed all the concerns I had with the previous generation.

[jaapv]

1 minute ago, Simone_DF said:

I had the SL2 for about 6 months, then swapped it for a SL2-S as soon as it was released. No regrets, quite the opposite. 

Same for the Q2, I had it for 2-3 months, then sold it because I was disappointed with its pedestrian AF and noise quality, now I'm very happy with the Q3 43, it fixed all the concerns I had with the previous generation.

Not aimed at any person😉, just a comment about the consumerism in the camera market.

[Stuart Richardson]

I have been shooting the SL2 since early 2020 and have no plans on changing any time soon. None of the changes in the SL3 particularly appeal to me, at least not to overcome the things that do not appeal to me, which are exactly what Simone praises. I found the new body comparatively cramped. The power button is a large negative change for me, the flippy screen is less elegant and streamlined, and I almost never have a need for one. If I do, I can use my phone with Leica photos with minimal fuss. The changes to the interface are unappealing, particularly the lack of black borders over the text, so if you are shooting in the snow, for example, you have white text over a white background. Not exactly good for quick and sure decisions about exposure settings. With respect to high ISO performance, I think it is something very overrated unless you are consistently doing events, sports, birds etc. It is more of an amateur or journalistic problem. All of my pro work in the studio is done with controlled lighting at base ISO, and of course the same usually applies to my art...I am usually using a tripod or a flash if the light is insufficient. Over 90% of my photos are at ISO 100-200. If I need higher than 1600 I can use the SL2S which I got primarily for video and those few instances where I have to crank up the ISO.

I have exhibited multiple shows of night photography using cameras people say are terrible in the dark (M9, S2, SL2). There is a very easy solution in most cases: a tripod. All cameras are better at base ISO. Every step higher in ISO is a loss. You can debate how much is tolerable or noticeable, but in every stop above base ISO, you lose color fidelity, you lose acuity, push-ability, and increase noise. The SL2 sensor is incredible at low ISO...it is not specifically ranked on DxO, but the S1R which is the same sensor is still ranked third overall, tied with the M11. In my experience it has an exceptionally clean image with lots of flexibility, while still having a very natural contrast curve and color reproduction. It does not have the HDR look or overly punchy colors of some of the competitors. Anyway, I just don't get the haters for the SL2...it is one of the best cameras Leica has made. It is still the highest resolution Leica ever made (the SL3, S3, Q3 and M11 do not have multishot). As for the value on the used market, it is just a matter of it being old (pushing six years) and the user base for the SL cameras being less collector biased than the M cameras.

[GFW2-SCUSA]

On 4/4/2025 at 5:21 AM, jaapv said:

Happy to hear it - it is quite opposed to the sentiment often expressed on this forum.

We still have Baboon DNA: Throw away the half-eaten fruit on the Baobab tree and reach for the next shiny one...

It took me a bit understand the Baboon reference (having a mind of the same IQ).  What is strange is the Baboon is not subjected to the marketing efforts we humans endure, yet they are so similar. Perhaps the MBAs from Harvard or Oxford studied them carefully . Today my beloved wife just bought  a new car and traded in a very fine one - she liked the color better!! I shall not mention the Baboons to her. 

 

[Chris W]

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6 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

 

I have exhibited multiple shows of night photography using cameras people say are terrible in the dark (M9, S2, SL2). There is a very easy solution in most cases: a tripod. 

If you are traveling or shooting candid it just isn't possible to use a tripod or low ISO. I traveled on a music tour at the end of 2024 and was stuck with ISO1600 to 3200 most of the time, even during the day, and even then my shutter speed had to be slow, which led to many blurred shots.

Lot's of environments from airports, to restaurants to hotels are very low light these days.

[LocalHero1953]

There are just two things that attract me to the SL3/SL3-S from my SL2-S: the tilt screen and CFexpress card*. The tilt screen would be useful for floor level and above head shots for stage performances (no tripod or remote phone control is possible). It's also a back saver when using the camera for video on a tripod: standing I can look down on it when the camera is at chest height, and seated next to it (in a theatre seat) I can look up at it. And although I can't remember the last time a SD card failed on me, a CFexpress card gives a greater sense of security because of its more solid construction. 

However, none of these have been sufficiently important for me to switch to a SL3 or SL3-S. 

 

*Edit. I have experience of a tilt screen from the Q3 43 and Blackmagic CC6K video camera, and CFexpress cards from the BMCC6K.

Edited April 6 by LocalHero1953

[PhotoCruiser]

Not really sure how much sturdier CFCards than high quality SD cards are.
I had CF card and SD card slots on my D800 and never had problems with either card, including the other approx 15 SD cards i have for other cameras and other devices i use.
And the advantage of SD cards is that you can get them almost everywhere if one forget them at home and in the wild the dreaded "No Card" shows up.

The last thing for me would be the tilt screen, some like and use it, i don't and i can't see any other advantage what would steer me to buy a SL3/SL3-S, i would rather buy a SL2-S because the higher ISO as second body.

The SL2/S are very affordable in this moment what makes it a nice bargain to enter the L-Mount world with it's many high quality lenses available from different manufacturers.

Chris

Edited April 6 by PhotoCruiser

[wattsy]

I personally love a tilt screen but I wasn't prepared to spend a grand or more for it when I was in the market for an SL series body. I ended up buying a new SL2-S with 50 F2 kit (plus free battery and M adaptor) and, after selling the 50 lens (which I had no interest in), the SL2-S ended up costing me under £2,500. Not the cheapest price at the moment but I value the 3 year warranty. I agree with the general sentiment that the SL system is easily the best value offering in the Leica catalogue.