SL-3 Quirks that drive me crazy

[stbeyer]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my SL-3 and love the images it produces. However, there are a few peculiarities that I have not encountered in other systems and that annoy me. Any suggestions for workarounds are welcome. I believe most of this is either down to software (so could be fixed by Leica) or user error (could be fixed by me).

• Subject detection is an autofocus mode, so it cannot be combined with other modes, nor is it possible to switch it on or off with 1 custom button (this was discussed at length in a previous thread).
• There is no way to quickly center the focus point/area, except by using the touch screen. On every other system I have used, the joystick can be set up to center when pressed. 
• Unrecognized lenses (like adapted manual focus lenses without 6-bit code) mean that auto ISO stops working. The workaround I am aware of consists of setting a fixed minimum shutter speed, even if the focal length has been set by hand. 
• Related to the previous point, such unrecognized lenses are not recognized as manual, so the camera doesn't change the assignment of the dials that I prefer for manual focus lenses (this is really annoying).  
• I get that image stabilisation only works if the camera knows the focal length, but not all focal lengths are available as an option. In particular, there is no option for my adapted Nikkor 105mm F2.5, which is a lovely lens. 

These quirks are probably not relevant to most users, but really affect my use cases and seem unnecessary software restrictions, rather than inherent limitations. This is mainly a vent but Any tips and tricks that I might have missed are highly appreciated! 

 

[frame-it]

3 hours ago, stbeyer said:

I get that image stabilisation only works if the camera knows the focal length, but not all focal lengths are available as an option. In particular, there is no option for my adapted Nikkor 105mm F2.5, which is a lovely lens. 

you can choose any lens close to 105mm i.e 90mm, 100mm etc 

it just needs to know the focal length to determine "how much" it might have to stabilize the images [based on the dumb ancient quirk that longer focal lengths are usually bigger heavier lenses...my pentax 105 is lighter and smaller than my 90apo summicron!] 

Edited July 30 by frame-it

[o2mpx]

8 hours ago, stbeyer said:

 

• There is no way to quickly center the focus point/area, except by using the touch screen. On every other system I have used, the joystick can be set up to center when pressed.

 

The FN buttons can be set to select Toggle Focus Point, which centers the focus parch. 

[NickT]

I occasionally use a couple of Voightlander Ms with a Novoflex adapter and I find that auto ISO works both when changing exposure by shutter speed on the camera and changing the aperture on the lens. Attaching the lens does not change the focus mode so if the previous lens was in an AF mode it will stay in that mode but not actually auto focus. If the AF mode was animal detect it will continue to detect them (which I find useful) but if you change the focus mode to manual on the menu screen then it will not. In this case the dial settings for manual focus are adopted.

It would be nice if it was possible to "dial up" the aperture on the camera to match the aperture on the lens so that it can be recorded in the EXIF data as can be done on a NIkon Zf. I have mentioned this to Leica when they did a survey after the SL3 was released - but no luck yet.

[stbeyer]

1 hour ago, NickT said:

I occasionally use a couple of Voightlander Ms with a Novoflex adapter and I find that auto ISO works both when changing exposure by shutter speed on the camera and changing the aperture on the lens. Attaching the lens does not change the focus mode so if the previous lens was in an AF mode it will stay in that mode but not actually auto focus. If the AF mode was animal detect it will continue to detect them (which I find useful) but if you change the focus mode to manual on the menu screen then it will not. In this case the dial settings for manual focus are adopted.

Are you suggesting that the camera just stays in the current focus mode and the related dial settings with undetected lenses, instead of falling back to manual focus? That's actually logical behavior. I can't believe I didn't figure this out myself! Thanks!

[Photoworks]

On 7/30/2025 at 3:14 PM, stbeyer said:

Subject detection is an autofocus mode, so it cannot be combined with other modes, nor is it possible to switch it on or off with 1 custom button (this was discussed at length in a previous thread).

Yes, I did suggest the solution on that thread. You can press the joystick, and it changes to the field.

On 7/30/2025 at 3:14 PM, stbeyer said:

There is no way to quickly center the focus point/area, except by using the touch screen. On every other system I have used, the joystick can be set up to center when pressed. 

I have set a custom button to "toggle Focus Point". It does exactly what you want, plus it solves your previous point of coming out of the subject detection.

On 7/30/2025 at 3:14 PM, stbeyer said:

Unrecognized lenses (like adapted manual focus lenses without 6-bit code) mean that auto ISO stops working. The workaround I am aware of consists of setting a fixed minimum shutter speed, even if the focal length has been set by hand. 

You can use "S Mode" and auto ISO works fine, you other two dials are to set the time and exposure compensation.

 Have you noticed that when you use the 6nit coded lenses, you have only "M" and "A"?
The camera has no way of changing Aperture, so "P" is disabled.

 

On 7/30/2025 at 3:14 PM, stbeyer said:

I get that image stabilisation only works if the camera knows the focal length, but not all focal lengths are available as an option. In particular, there is no option for my adapted Nikkor 105mm F2.5, which is a lovely lens. 

you can set it to the closest one, 100mm

 

[stbeyer]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

On 7/31/2025 at 3:58 PM, stbeyer said:

Are you suggesting that the camera just stays in the current focus mode and the related dial settings with undetected lenses, instead of falling back to manual focus? That's actually logical behavior. I can't believe I didn't figure this out myself! Thanks!

Actually, I have tried this now. It does not work. The camera does not switch to my manual controls setup with unrecognized lenses, even if I set the focus mode to manual. The expected behavior should be to fall back to a manual lens setup. 

[stbeyer]

50 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

Yes, I did suggest the solution on that thread. You can press the joystick, and it changes to the field.

Yes, that's a usable workaround which I currently use, but it means I have to default to field. 

50 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

I have set a custom button to "toggle Focus Point". It does exactly what you want, plus it solves your previous point of coming out of the subject detection.

Yes, again, good workaround. It means that I lose my magnification setting for the joystick button, but I can live with that. 

50 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

You can use "S Mode" and auto ISO works fine, you other two dials are to set the time and exposure compensation

Ah, I hadn't noticed that! Thanks!

 

[jaapv]

On 7/31/2025 at 2:07 PM, NickT said:

I occasionally use a couple of Voightlander Ms with a Novoflex adapter and I find that auto ISO works both when changing exposure by shutter speed on the camera and changing the aperture on the lens. Attaching the lens does not change the focus mode so if the previous lens was in an AF mode it will stay in that mode but not actually auto focus. If the AF mode was animal detect it will continue to detect them (which I find useful) but if you change the focus mode to manual on the menu screen then it will not. In this case the dial settings for manual focus are adopted.

It would be nice if it was possible to "dial up" the aperture on the camera to match the aperture on the lens so that it can be recorded in the EXIF data as can be done on a NIkon Zf. I have mentioned this to Leica when they did a survey after the SL3 was released - but no luck yet.

The Leica adapter offers more functions than the Novoflex one. 

[Photoworks]

4 hours ago, stbeyer said:

Yes, that's a usable workaround which I currently use, but it means I have to default to field. 

Yes, again, good workaround. It means that I lose my magnification setting for the joystick button, but I can live with that. 

Ah, I hadn't noticed that! Thanks!

 

You have not read it correctly

[stbeyer]

2 hours ago, Photoworks said:

You have not read it correctly

Which part? Sorry, I am confused here. Which point have I misunderstood?

[Photoworks]

28 minutes ago, stbeyer said:

Which part? Sorry, I am confused here. Which point have I misunderstood?

I have set a custom button to "toggle Focus Point". It does exactly what you want, plus it solves your previous point of coming out of the subject detection.

[stbeyer]

11 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

I have set a custom button to "toggle Focus Point". It does exactly what you want, plus it solves your previous point of coming out of the subject detection.

Ah, thanks for clarifying! I think I understood you correctly. What I meant with my replies was: 

- When I do this, it always toggles back to field autofocus, but I cannot jump straight into tracking, for example. This is fine, good enough for most cases.

- If I set my joystick up with this functionality, I cannot use my preferred setting, which is magnification on the joystick. 

But again, these are good workarounds. I just wish the software were slightly more logical in the setup options (or what my brain perceives to be logical).

[Biotar]

Am 30.7.2025 um 21:14 schrieb stbeyer:

• I get that image stabilisation only works if the camera knows the focal length, but not all focal lengths are available as an option. In particular, there is no option for my adapted Nikkor 105mm F2.5, which is a lovely lens. 

Is it no longer possible to enter the value with millimeter precision under “other focal lengths”? ... as with the SL-2

[stbeyer]

44 minutes ago, Biotar said:

Is it no longer possible to enter the value with millimeter precision under “other focal lengths”? ... as with the SL-2

It is indeed! Thanks!

It seems I never actually scrolled down far enough to see that! 🤦‍♂️

[Photoworks]

16 hours ago, stbeyer said:

Ah, thanks for clarifying! I think I understood you correctly. What I meant with my replies was: 

- When I do this, it always toggles back to field autofocus, but I cannot jump straight into tracking, for example. This is fine, good enough for most cases.

Toggle is a switch from one AF option to another and back. You can have on in the corner, switch to the center with one press, and press again back to the corner.

I didn't say anything about changing the joystick function. If you are in AF and getting magnification, you have already changed from the default. Magnification was dedicated to MF.
But with AF lenses, if you have face detection on, you can press it once, and it will switch to a field temporarily.

[Malabito]

On 8/1/2025 at 7:53 PM, jaapv said:

The Leica adapter offers more functions than the Novoflex one. 

what additional functions it offers? I have both, and haven't noticed any benefit from the leica besides the automatic detection which doesn't seem to work all the time...

(this on a sl2s, perhaps on the sl3 is different)

[jaapv]

detection of coded lenses is quite useful for EXIF, IBIS, lens profiles. Aperture estimates too.  

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, Malabito said:

what additional functions it offers? I have both, and haven't noticed any benefit from the leica besides the automatic detection which doesn't seem to work all the time...

(this on a sl2s, perhaps on the sl3 is different)

There are some wide-angle lens corrections that the camera can apply to the raw file that are not just a setting but baked in.

Came to mind the 21 SEM lens, evening out of exposure, and vignetting correction for the noctilux, something that can not just be duplicated by a slider in post.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Malabito]

50 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

There are some wide-angle lens corrections that the camera can apply to the raw file that are not just a setting but baked in.

Came to mind the 21 SEM lens, evening out of exposure, and vignetting correction for the noctilux, something that can not just be duplicated by a slider in post.

but dont you achieve the same results by manually selecting the lens in the menu? I use the leica adapter with my leica lenses due to the 6 bit coding, and the none leica ones with the novoflex, cause eitherway i still need to select a lens for ibis to work correctly. Thought that by selecting manually the lens it will give you those corrections.