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Leica M EV1: Die erste M mit EVF statt Messssucher ×
Leica M EV1: The first M with EVF instead of Rangefinder ×

buying SL2-s ?

E.M

By E.M
in Leica SL System

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E.M

E.M

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Hello all, I am thinking about buying a new SL2-s. Is the camera coming in a sealed box when new ? And how to check the shutter count ? Focussing M lenses  on it, is it as easy as focussing AIS lenses on a Nikon D3 ? I never had a mirrorless camera before, and the SL2-s is very tempting right now with the current price drop. Thank you very much !

http://www.etiennemichiels.com

 

 

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jaapv

jaapv

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Most probably won't come in a sealed box any more. But there are plenty LNIB and mint examples out there. Just buy from a reputable source. M lenses are quite easy to focus on an SL and the camera is designed to accommodate M lenses in other respects  as well.

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BernardC

BernardC

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1 hour ago, E.M said:

Focussing M lenses  on it, is it as easy as focussing AIS lenses on a Nikon D3 ?

I never tried a D3, but I am familiar with the similar Canon 1D series of cameras.

Everyone's eyes are different, but I find that the SL (and SL2, SL3) are easier to focus than late DSLRs. By that point DSLR screens were optimized for brightness instead of sharpness, so they looked blurry. You could get special manual-focusing screens, but they still weren't very good.

I think you'll find that the SL2-S's viewfinder has more "bite" than your old D3, and that the ability to switch to a magnified image at the touch of a button will remove any doubt.

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jaapv

jaapv

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It is indeed not realistically possible for the user to check the shutter count which is meaningless anyway. The camera is released multiple times whilst testing and possibly retesting during the production process and as it has an electronic shutter it is possible to use the camera without changing the count. At any rate, the cameras are extremely reliable and shutter failures are virtually unheard of. It is rated for 150.000 actuations but there are a few  cameras out there with well over a million. 

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E.M

E.M

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Shutter count is meaningful if it is coming in an unsealed box. Is it than not possible to check the shutter actuations of the mechanical shutter of a Leica SL. With my Nikon it was easy to check.I know that a  digital pro Nikon is rated for at least 300.000 shutter actuations , analog F-series Nikons 150.000.

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jaapv

jaapv

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No it is not possible and quite irrelevant if the target actuations number is in the hundreds of thousands. Shutters are minimal-wear items. The way the camera has been used if at all as evidenced by its cosmetic condition is far more important. If you want an untouched camera you will have to search high and wide or just buy a SL3S straight from the factory. 

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Malabito

Malabito

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On 4/12/2025 at 2:14 PM, E.M said:

Hello all, I am thinking about buying a new SL2-s. Is the camera coming in a sealed box when new ? And how to check the shutter count ? Focussing M lenses  on it, is it as easy as focussing AIS lenses on a Nikon D3 ? I never had a mirrorless camera before, and the SL2-s is very tempting right now with the current price drop. Thank you very much !

http://www.etiennemichiels.com

 

 

Depends on what you mean by easy. 

The D3 will give you focus confirmation using a green dot and tell you if you need to move the focus ring to the right or to the left. The sl2s doesn't have anything like that, it only has focus peaking, which works as with any other mirrorless camera, and a very nice evf which you can use and punch in to confirm focus. 

So, if you are used to the dot mechanism of the D3, better look for a Nikon ZF or Z8, which if not mistaken have something similar. The sl2s will give you a beautiful evf, but no manual focus assist tools besides the standard focus peaking. 

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jaapv

jaapv

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And magnification; combined with peaking it allows extremely precise manual focus. 
 

I don’t think that the OP will have much trouble there. His main problem will be getting to grips with the user interface. 

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Archiver

Archiver

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On 4/12/2025 at 9:14 PM, E.M said:

Hello all, I am thinking about buying a new SL2-s. Is the camera coming in a sealed box when new ? And how to check the shutter count ? Focussing M lenses  on it, is it as easy as focussing AIS lenses on a Nikon D3 ? I never had a mirrorless camera before, and the SL2-s is very tempting right now with the current price drop. Thank you very much !

http://www.etiennemichiels.com

Focusing with M lenses is pretty easy with the SL2S, especially if you use the back button to punch in for fine tuning. The EVF is very large and bright, too. Just be sure to update to the latest firmware, as earlier firmware removed punch-in function from the back button, but the latest firmware brought it back. Also, the SL2S can be set for any Leica M and R lens from menus in the UI, and you can even customize those lens menus to display only the lenses you want. There is a third menu with focal lengths only, which sets the camera's IBIS for the focal length of a non-Leica lens, and does not include any vignetting or distortion corrections that are given for M and presumably R lenses.

Manual focus is easiest with wide aperture lenses that are 35mm and higher - much wider, and it becomes more difficult to ascertain focus, even with punch-in. A 35mm f1.4 - 2 lens is fine. My preference is to dial in focus by feel as I'm bringing the camera to my eye, and punch in with the back button at the same time. By the time the camera reaches my eye, I've almost got focus, and it usually only needs a bit of fine tuning once there. It's hopefully getting to be as fast as rangefinder focusing.

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V23

V23

Posted
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On 4/12/2025 at 9:14 PM, E.M said:

Hello all, I am thinking about buying a new SL2-s. Is the camera coming in a sealed box when new ? And how to check the shutter count ? Focussing M lenses  on it, is it as easy as focussing AIS lenses on a Nikon D3 ? I never had a mirrorless camera before, and the SL2-s is very tempting right now with the current price drop. Thank you very much !

http://www.etiennemichiels.com

 

 

I’ve found that I get a more accurate focus using image magnification than focus peaking at f1.4 f2.0 act…. Focus peaking seems to me bit of a hit and miss arrangement. Leica should implement MF lenses focusing system that Nikon does have (only read about it no personal experience). 

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hamey

hamey

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I also must admit the Manual Focusing with my R lenses on my SL2-S's is superior to my previous R cameras, however I did like the little green dot for Manual Focus confirmation on my Nikon F cameras, however love my two SL2-S's and  consider them TO BE  the best cameras that I have ever owned, and believe me I have had a few cameras in my 76 years.

Also Love my Fuji X cameras, but Manual Focusing is not as good as the Leica SL2-S.

If you're interested in the SL system go for it.

Ken.

 

 

Edited by hamey
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