SL3S size

[jaapv]

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I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

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

[Elliot Harper]

Were you not able to see and try SL3 when it came out ?

Bashing SL3S because of its size / ergonomic doesn’t make sense now.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

21 minutes ago, jaapv said:

I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

Yes. This is a thing for some. Personally I find the SL3 series much more comfortable. But you’re not the only one to prefer the SL2 series.

I have a size large in men’s gloves and was comfortable in Iceland’s winter last year. But for sure you should try before you buy.

Gordon

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, Elliot Harper said:

Were you not able to see and try SL3 when it came out ?

Bashing SL3S because of its size / ergonomic doesn’t make sense now.

No interest in the SL3 at all. Far too many MP. 

[Photoworks]

The SL3 has a larger grip, and for small hands it may be more confable the older SL2 grip.

I am using the SL3 with the smallrig cage often, the grip is even bigger, but it works for me..

[CptSlevin]

I don’t like the material or paint

Size is boxy, but not comfy (long fingers)

[Jeff S]

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I recently held the SL3 (average sized hands), but liked my SL2 grip as well or better. I find no compelling reason to switch at this point, especially given the extremely low trade value. But the Q3-43 intrigues, although I would likely need a grip and/or thumb rest.

[Carrot]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

I sold my SL3 and went back to my SL2-S for exactly the same reason, it felt uncomfortable and less stable with my little finger half hanging off the bottom of the grip.  I suppose I could have added a baseplate to lengthen the grip, but as I hardly never use a tripod it seemed an unnecessary weight addition and a contrived solution.

[rsh]

2 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

Yes. This is a thing for some. Personally I find the SL3 series much more comfortable. But you’re not the only one to prefer the SL2 series.

I have a size large in men’s gloves and was comfortable in Iceland’s winter last year. But for sure you should try before you buy.

Gordon

I do not feel he was bashing the SL3-S but rather he was stating that it uncomfortable to him.  Everyone is different and what feels right to one person may not feel right for another.

[LBJ2]

Muscle memory can be very powerful and unknowingly persistent. So good advice IMO to not only try before you buy, but even better if you can take it out and about for at least a few hours for a real operational demonstration.

In my case, coming from tiny full frame Sony mirrorless and Leica rangefinders, took me a few outings over some days before I adjusted to the SL2 form factor. Luckily I had a few weeks to "try" the camera, otherwise I would not have purchased the camera based upon any quick look/hold and ultimately missed out on one of the most enjoyable systems I used to date... outside of the Leica rangefinder system.

 

[SrMi]

I do not find SL3-S more or less comfortable than SL2-S. It is different and I quickly got used to it.

[hoolyproductions]

I agree with SrMi, just to add I agree on the gloves: the front buttons are harder to reach with anything other than wafer thin gloves. This was already tricky for me on the SL2-S.

Otherwise now I got used to the grip (felt wrong at first) I actually prefer it. 

[wjdrijfhout]

Agree with the OP. Also after several months of use, I find the handling of the SL3 worse than the SL2. The body is 5mm thicker and for me that affects the balance in a negative way. Together with fingers getting stuck behind the big original Leica Zooms (body 7mm narrower) and the loose pinky, makes it overall worse experience than SL2. 
Thinking of adding vertical grip, baseplate or half-case or so. 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

6 hours ago, rsh said:

I do not feel he was bashing the SL3-S but rather he was stating that it uncomfortable to him.  Everyone is different and what feels right to one person may not feel right for another.

I believe you quoted the wrong person…

Gordon

[FlashGordonPhotography]

So Jaap. You prefer the even smaller S5ii to the SL3-S? Or just the wide SL2-S body?

I like the S5ii grip but find a couple of finger swinging in the breeze. The SL3 is goldilocks for me. Not at X2D levels. But then nothing is.

Gordon

[Piri]

vor 22 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

Yes, same here.

[jaapv]

13 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

So Jaap. You prefer the even smaller S5ii to the SL3-S? Or just the wide SL2-S body?

I like the S5ii grip but find a couple of finger swinging in the breeze. The SL3 is goldilocks for me. Not at X2D levels. But then nothing is.

Gordon

Yes, the S5Ii grips differently. Ergonomics is not just size; it is also the shape and placement of controls. Professionally I have small tools that handle fine and larger ones that feel like a lump. I think that Leica shrunk the SL3S whilst retaining the basic shape. That is probably fine or possibly better for small to medium sized hands but awkward for large ones 

[la1402]

22 hours ago, jaapv said:

I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

I had the same experience with the SL3. I have large hands but the grip felt cramped and very uncomfortable even after a short while. It felt that the thicker body resulted in insufficient depth for the fingers.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Smogg]

22 hours ago, jaapv said:

I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

This was the main reason I sold the camera. It was very uncomfortable to hold (I have big hands).

[tom0511]

vor 22 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

I had a look at the SL3S today.  I found it uncomfortable in my (large) hands compared to the SL2S. The grip felt cramped. I was not able to use it comfortably with gloves. So it is one more reason to stay with the 2S for me. My advice: try before you buy. 

I felt the same when I exchanged my SL2-S for the SL3. For me the SL2-S sits (slightly) better in the hand. I then added a grip for the SL3, which feels super but makes the whole thing quite heavy. So I unmounted the grip (most of the time)

BUT after having used the SL3 without grip for some months now I got used to its ergonomics. I wouldnt say its bad, just not as good as the SL2(s) which was near perfect for my hands. But it good enough (for my hands) that I dont think about it any more. 

 

Edited January 22 by tom0511