New SL2-S But Manufacture Date Is ~2 years Old

[Robert K]

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Finally trying to join the Leica family  and just purchased a new SL2-S. Body arrived on Friday and, unfortunately, looks like it was a return or open box. But more concerning was the manufacture date on the box and warranty/inspection card which shows April 2023.

Is this normal for a new Leica product to have older manufacturing date? Or was I unlucky in getting someone's old stock?

Appreciate hearing your comments!

[davidmknoble]

It always depends on the store, when they got the stock and if they have some left.  Sometimes Leica holds it and then liquidates it to private stores to make way for new products.

The SL2-S is at the end of its life cycle most likely, but I would not worry about what you got.  It has a warranty from date of purchase, not date of manufacture.

Let us know how you like it!  I really enjoy the SL2-S.

[tomasis7]

24 months Parmesan-cheese-camera.. it must be good!

The electronics dont age at ALL.

[hdmesa]

2 hours ago, Robert K said:

Finally trying to join the Leica family  and just purchased a new SL2-S. Body arrived on Friday and, unfortunately, looks like it was a return or open box. But more concerning was the manufacture date on the box and warranty/inspection card which shows April 2023.

Is this normal for a new Leica product to have older manufacturing date? Or was I unlucky in getting someone's old stock?

Appreciate hearing your comments!

If you purchased "new" and the seal on the outer plain paper box was broken when it arrived, that's "open box" or used. You should pay less than the new price for that.

[jaapv]

Leica builds in batches and sells gradually. Manufacturing date is not a very reliable indicator of a camera being new. 

[darylgo]

Return or open box?  That's a red flag, Leica is known for QC issues.   The Sl2-S are available in abundance, I would return it and find one that is unopened.  

My main concern with a older manufacturer date is the battery.  

[Robert K]

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Thanks for the quick replies and comments. Helps to learn what is normal (or not) and had assumed with Leica these are probably built in small batches and that this could be normal.

(Wasn't too concerned about something not working from sitting on the shelf for so long. It was more of a question on whether this was an older returned camera.)

[LeicaR10]

Robert K,  I second Darylgo's post #6.   If your SL2-S arrived in an open box and you didn't request such, I would return it or ask for an exchange.  The battery is also a concern.

r/ Mark

[Robert K]

1 minute ago, darylgo said:

Return or open box?  That's a red flag, Leica is known for QC issues.   The Sl2-S are available in abundance, I would return it and find one that is unopened.  

My main concern with a older manufacturer date is the battery.  

It's going back as my gut says there's something not right here. Shop has replied since my post and says that the SL2-S production ended in 2023. But I'm seeing much higher serial numbers on used bodies already on eBay so there must be later production units. The battery is a good point as they do age.

As an FYI the serial number is 05643xxx and there's a few 05644xxx on eBay.

[LeicaR10]

Robert K,   I suggest you always follow your gut feeling.  Doing so, will save you a lot of grief later.  Just tell the store the camera is coming back.  You may need a return authorization number, but not always necessary depending on who sold the camera.  If you are close to a Leica Store, then buy one in person.   r/ Mark

PS  I always ask the store if I can't purchase in person, the production dates and serial number.  For Leica M lenses for example, the higher the number such as 48 or 49 means it is newly minted.

Edited December 30, 2024 by LeicaR10

[darylgo]

It's well known amongst the many great Leica dealers that the outer tan box seal should be intact.  It's not unusual for high demand items to be sold without a store demo model so that customer demand can be met.  New is new, otherwise it's used, open box is a synonym for a "do you feel lucky".  

[LeicaR10]

Darylgo,  You are spot on.  The tan box should have seals if unopened.  If its a white box, it was refurbished by Leica again with seals.  If seals are broken and/or no outer box...Clint Eastwood's famous movie line; "Do you feel lucky?"...does come to mind.  r/ Mark

[jaapv]

Open box is a good reason to demand refund or discount. However if you have taken the camera out not provable. As said, production date or serial number are not reliable indicators of new in box or not. Guarantee starts with purchase date. 

[darylgo]

13 minutes ago, LeicaR10 said:

Darylgo,  You are spot on.  The tan box should have seals if unopened.  If its a white box, it was refurbished by Leica again with seals.  If seals are broken and/or no outer box...Clint Eastwood's famous movie line; "Do you feel lucky?"...does come to mind.  r/ Mark

Thanks LeicaR10, I wasn't aware of the white box.  In the past they had a Q designation, iirc it indicated the item didn't pass QC for cosmetic reasons but neither I nor store employees including reps could find the issue(s), and each item functioned well.   

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, darylgo said:

Return or open box?  That's a red flag, Leica is known for QC issues.   The Sl2-S are available in abundance, I would return it and find one that is unopened.  

My main concern with an older manufacturer date is the battery.  

Here are no known excessive QC issues with the SL2S. 

[CptSlevin]

35 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Here are no known excessive QC issues with the SL2S. 

Actually there is massive “System Error” thread on Leica SL2

[RobW0]

1 hour ago, Robert K said:

It's going back as my gut says there's something not right here. Shop has replied since my post and says that the SL2-S production ended in 2023. But I'm seeing much higher serial numbers on used bodies already on eBay so there must be later production units. The battery is a good point as they do age.

As an FYI the serial number is 05643xxx and there's a few 05644xxx on eBay.

My camera is a 5642 and is a 2023 build date, so I would not be surprised if the 5644 was a 2023 also. 5643xxx and 5644xxx are not that far apart most likely from the same build timeframe. 

[darylgo]

29 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Here are no known excessive QC issues with the SL2S. 

My SL and SL2 have been free of issues and very capable, the best of Leica bodies.  My M's are glitchy, S bodies have corrosion, electronic issues, cracked sensors, a recent Q3 body with AF and exposure issues was returned.  I don't want to give the wrong impression I would rather shoot Leica than any other brand despite QC issues.    

[jaapv]

19 minutes ago, CptSlevin said:

Actually there is massive “System Error” thread on Leica SL2

Which is not the SL2S…

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Hallo,

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[BruceRH]

The SL2-S I just received this week from B&H has a manufacture date from November of 2023. The seal on the outer box was intact.