S-lenses on SL3-S

[msh58]

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Hello!

I just acquired an SL3-S, which is clearly a significant step up from my old faithful SL typ 601.

When testing the new camera, I encounter problems with autofocus with my three S-lenses, which work as they should on S/006 and the old SL with S-Adapter L. The autofocus seems to be totally unreliable if the focus point, for example field or spot is close to the center of the image frame. When moving the point off center, autofocus starts to work correctly. The camera claims it has focused correctly but this can be very far from the truth. It seems that the behavior is lens independent.

My Firmware version is 3.1.1.  

Has anyone tried using SL3 or SL3-S with S lenses?

- Matti

[Stuart Richardson]

I think you should report this to customer service. There were never many S cameras out there, and fewer still use their S lenses on the SL3, so the group of people they have to test it is probably small. I used my S lenses on the SL2 without any of the issues you described, but I do not have an SL3, so cannot help you with this specific question. I will say, however, that this is the kind of issue that Leica tends to take seriously. I think if you email customer service and perhaps take a video of the behavior with your phone, you might get a response quickly (you can just include it as a wetransfer link in the mian email, or in google drive etc). My guess is that this is a bug that can be remedied in the next firmware update.

[msh58]

Thanks, Stuart, I will ask Leica and see what they think.

[ImmerDraussen]

I´m just traveling in Scotland and have the SL3 and the 180mm S lens with we. I can't find a difference between focussing in the center or elsewhere.
The focussing seems to work in two steps. First the focus move relative fast near the target and then continues slowly for a while. Once there its on spot.

I can't tryother lenses for now.

Andreas

[msh58]

vor 37 Minuten schrieb ImmerDraussen:

I´m just traveling in Scotland and have the SL3 and the 180mm S lens with we. I can't find a difference between focussing in the center or elsewhere.
The focussing seems to work in two steps. First the focus move relative fast near the target and then continues slowly for a while. Once there its on spot.

I can't tryother lenses for now.

Andreas

Thanks, Andreas, good to hear it works on SL3. That's how it works on my original SL 601. I hope to hear back from Leica soon whether they can replicate the problem. SL3-S may be different because of the different sensor etc.

[GMB]

No issues on the SL3 

[msh58]

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Now it looks like the problem is limited to SL3-S or to my camera. Leica developers are investigating. I will report the conclusion once we arrive at it.

[msh58]

Am 14.6.2025 um 13:55 schrieb Stuart Richardson:

I think you should report this to customer service. There were never many S cameras out there, and fewer still use their S lenses on the SL3, so the group of people they have to test it is probably small. I used my S lenses on the SL2 without any of the issues you described, but I do not have an SL3, so cannot help you with this specific question. I will say, however, that this is the kind of issue that Leica tends to take seriously. I think if you email customer service and perhaps take a video of the behavior with your phone, you might get a response quickly (you can just include it as a wetransfer link in the mian email, or in google drive etc). My guess is that this is a bug that can be remedied in the next firmware update.

Leica investigated the situation and gladly they were able to replicate the autofocus issue, which means that the reason was not any of my hardware. They are working on a solution, which must mean new firmware. From the other posts in this thread I gather this issue is limited to SL3-S, which has obviously a different autofocus strategy.

[helged]

On 6/25/2025 at 5:39 PM, msh58 said:

Leica investigated the situation and gladly they were able to replicate the autofocus issue, which means that the reason was not any of my hardware. They are working on a solution, which must mean new firmware. From the other posts in this thread I gather this issue is limited to SL3-S, which has obviously a different autofocus strategy.

Good to hear that things may be solved with SL3-S! I can confirm that S-lenses work as expected on SL, SL2, SL2-S and SL3. In my case, I chose to use manual focus with focus magnification on SL-bodies. By doing so, the focus is (always) where it is supposed to be. In addition, the AF-speed with S-lenses on SL-bodies is rather slow, so not much to gain there (for me, at least).