Leica SL Review - THE BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERA!

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In this video I review the Leica SL mirrorless full frame camera with the Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH Lens and tell you why I think the Leica SL is the BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERA ever made. I had a chance to borrow the camera and lens for a few days and even take it on a commercial shoot.
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I was amazed with the Electronic Viewfinder and loved shooting with the SL. I also tell you what I think could be improved.
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[@ckdav1]

After waiting till the price was right in 2024 I am hooked on this camera after shooting L-Mount for the last 5 years. I’m not sure I want to shoot anything else apart from the CL which is lush as well. Managed to get a perfect example boxed for just over £1k and got a battery grip to go with it. It took two days to learn how to use it because it works in a very unique Bauhaus way. The simplicity is difficult to adjust to.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

the simplicity is my favorite thing about it - especially the button layout and giant EVF

[@wjohn9778]

I have owned a SL for two years, I just love this camera!

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Nice!

[@fispen875]

@@AdamLernerPhoto trash dynamic range ive owned it along with primes includin 50mm, 75mm i sold all of them including the SL and now am sticking with my hasselblad H6D,X1D and a canon eos r for the sake of RF lenses

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@fispen875 Im looking forward to the SL2. The DR and IQ will be hugely improved.

[@fispen875]

24 MP and signs of grain after 1600 ISO really! ok the pixel pitch is relatively big but its limiting me when its only 24MP, its glass is amazing but since Canon RF lenses is on the same level i guess something has to change for a full frame sensor cameras

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@fispen875 the SL is a 2015 camera. the SL2 is on the way.

[@goldfinch2283]

I use the Leica SL since 3 years and it works very well with Capture 1.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

You tether natively to Capture 1 with your SL?

[@goldfinch2283]

Adam Lerner No, I don‘t do studio shooting.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@goldfinch2283 So why are you saying it works well with C1? The point I was making is that you cannot tether with C1.

[@goldfinch2283]

Adam Lerner . Sorry did not understand that you meant tethered shooting. Thought that you meant C1 raw development.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@goldfinch2283 No worries. I wanted to clarify so people don't get confused. Cheers

[@LCM94120]

Hello, great review :). For stills only I am really tempted by this SL. Do you think it's still worth it in 2023? I guess it is, just need to be conforted in my decision :)

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Hey Laurent, the original SL is still a fantastic camera in 2023. That sensor produces beautiful images with great color and incredible detail. The camera itself is built so well and the EVF with the high magnification is a pleasure to use. And you can use Leica SL glass, adapted M glass, R, glass, S glass, Sigma and Panasonic glass. So lots of options out there. Cheers

[@LCM94120]

Just got mine on Monday used for 1700€ from a pro photographer. Very happy testing it with a vintage Pentax 50mm f1.2 😊 I forgot to mention that your review among the too many 😵‍💫 I watched, was the most balanced and honest. It helped me finally decide to go for it. Thanks!!

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

​@@LCM94120 Interesting! That Pentax lens has very classic rendering. I own one, but never tried that on my SL. How do you like the look?

[@eveanddell]

Great review- you think this would be Ok for sports photography (like basketball/soccer/football)?

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Well, an original SL uses contrast detect autofocus which is pretty slow compared to most newer mirrorless cameras that use phase detect. that said, it's definitely possible but focus tracking will require quite a bit more skill than if you were using a newish Nikon/Canon/Sony. Remember the original SL came out in 2015 and tech has changed exponentially since then. The original SL is still a fantastic camera but fir basketball/soccer/football, it's probably not the ideal tool.

[@broben87]

love your opinions on this camera! am considering to get this used. =)

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

they're great cameras. i prefer the SL2-S but a used SL is still quite viable. thanks

[@manilamartin1001]

great review. I can't wait for the sl2 to come out.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Thanks and same here! If the SL is this good and it's from 2015, the SL2 can only be better!

[@calvinchann1996]

Did you get to try M glass? My used SL arrives on Monday and all I have is M glass for now. The 24-90 may come later, but my concern with M glass is the loss of automatic aperture control.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

I love the 24-90. It's a masterpiece of a lens. And I also mount my M glass on the SL which works amazingly well. Leica definitely had this in mind and made it very easy. The results are fantastic. Enjoy!

[@mickeylickey123]

I just bought an SL but I dont have a lens for it yet. I have ordered a fd to sl mount adapter and am excitingly waiting for it to show up. Been a week with the SL and no lens. I'm getting antsy to shoot it. Also waiting for the 50mm summicron to come out. I'll be buying that lens for sure. Great video by the way. Cheers

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Nice! May be worth checking out the Panasonic LUMIX S PRO 50mm F1.4 Lens. Leica certified and all.

[@gewglesux]

Thanks for the Upload..... i'm still waiting for my Bloody Q2..

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

You and everyone else! The SL2 will likely have the same sensor as the Q2. Very excited to see what the SL2 will be.

[@gewglesux]

@@AdamLernerPhoto My Q2 will be my gateway... i can't wait... at this rate it'll be a christmas Gift... and i'm good with that.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@gewglesux Awesome! My friends that were lucky enough to get the Q2 love it.

[@gewglesux]

@@AdamLernerPhoto they might have ordered up early... not me... like with the D850 i waited to the last minute.

[@PiperBlush]

@@AdamLernerPhoto I got Mine a long time ago ;-)

[@p_adam19]

The Panasonic S1 (S1R) is a serious in-house competition that could push down SL values even further. Cheaper but with an even higher-res EVF, sensor stabilisation, tilting high-res screen, a bit better battery batter life, better dynamic range and high ISO, much better video features, etc. The SL is simpler and has a more appealing build and design with a Leica badge, but these things probably appeal to less people now.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

The S1 (SL sensor) and S1R (SL2 sensor), are apparently great cameras with the same L mount. Better specs all around for sure, but they both lack build quality and both don't have the sensors tweaked by Leica. They're both exciting cameras and very cool that you can use all of the Leica SL glass as well as adapted leica and other glass but you wont have the shooting experience nor will you have the same look. WOuld be interesting to do an actual shoot out and really compare.

[@WilliamPayneNZ]

As a photographer who is getting paid work and at a point where I need a good working full frame kit I looked at the Panasonic S1/R but my no no was the price and also the lack of lenses only 2 native lenses available. I would love to try leicas. With my budget constraints at the moment I’m looking at the A7R III and a 50mm and 85mm

[@williamlivesay738]

Hey Adam you mentioned you used strobes on a the SL. Do you know what brand strobe and trigger? Cant seem to find anything native to the Leica brand. Thanks!

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

You can literally use anything with the SL as most strobes and triggers are not camera brand specific. I was using pocketwizards to trigger with these photos combined with some Paul Buff Einsteins. The only thing to consider is some triggers like Godox have camera specific triggers.

[@williamlivesay738]

@@AdamLernerPhoto Dude thank you for the reply! this helped a lot, too bad all my strobes are Godox which are Sony specific lol looks like I might have to invest in some new lights since I just got the SL

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

You can totally use your godox but would need a different trigger than the Sony specific one. Like the Fuji Nikon or canon would work. You could trigger and control your strobes. Just not hss with the SL

[@007plan]

Any suggestions on the tethering ?

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Not really. Unfortunately Leica never fixed the issue with the original SL. However they did resolve the tethering with the SL2.

[@00Skyfox]

Hey Adam, I haven’t seen you around in a while. I hope all is well for you.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Hey! All good here. Just been super busy with shoots and now on vacation but some new content is in the pipeline. Thanks for checking. Cheers...Adam

[@NetGawker]

I went to the Leica store in Vegas last year and got a chance to checkout the SL and I've never stopped wanting one ever since.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

It’s a great camera. Not perfect and not nearly the tech offered by Sony and Panasonic but the SL2 is coming out soon and that’ll likely be a huge advancement. I love my SL despite the quirks.

[@michelejones5538]

It was the Boston store for me. Over a year later I finally bought one from Leica DC.

[@CamiloCasta7]

I miss the videos a lot!

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Thanks - been busy shooting but working on some new content soon!

[@choutoods]

too expensive to me. but I think to buy second hand was a choice better than SL2.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Second hand for sure

[@Mr7Poz]

Boké. It's japanese, not German. Just saying. But, yes I'm eyeing one.

[@williaminbody205]

I think I agree, the SL is still on top of pro mirrorless cameras. S1r has hit a home run, and the price is very fair. However the Leica build quality and design is superior. While all the controls on the S1 are very tempting but the simplicity of that SL interface is just to clever, SL is still best...I do plan on buying the LUMIX pro 70-200 L Mount, rather than a Leica telephoto. Walk around lens on the SL is the 16-35 zoom.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Agreed and for those who are reading and don't know the S1 or S1r, they're both the full frame equivalent from Panasonic. Far more bells and whistles, very similar form factor, yet lacks the build quality and color science from the Leica. Hopefully some of the advancements that are on the S1/S1r will make it to the Leica SL2 whilst maintaining it's rugged and minimalist form factor.

[@williaminbody205]

You might be making a very smart move to get the Q and SL with that 24 megapixel sensor before they are gone or replaced. That sensor is spectacular and I’m afraid the new 47 megapixel in the Q2 and what will get into the SL2 when it comes along soon, doesn’t produce the same “Leica Look” those two cameras do with that sensor.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@williaminbody205 I have to agree with this. I actually prefer the look from the M240 over the M10. So the same may be true for the SL2 and Q2.

[@WilliamPayneNZ]

I think Joey L has brought one of these.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Looks like he's been shooting one with the 50mm Summilux SL for a while.

[@philipsutton2316]

Hey Dude - now that the SL2 is splattered all over KZbin land (all I've seen ad nauseum lately), do you think you bought this a bit too soon? Now you'll be thinking you are behind the 8ball and will be disappointed. What do you reckon man? Philip

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Not at all. Regardless of the SL2 it’s still an amazing camera. I played with the SL2 and can say that the SL is still better than most mirrorless full frame cameras

[@philipsutton2316]

@@AdamLernerPhoto Great stuff - make sure you post us some more of your pictures. Yes it's a bit like my Fuji X-H1's - they have a newer X-T3 out, but still doesn't change how good my H1's are. Philip

[@JoeySov]

You’re only 3 years late bro.. I sold mine, huge money investment but you can make 50k off that 5k 👌🏾💯

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

I sure didn’t pay full price so buyIng a fully depreciated camera at this point was the way to go bro

[@Lysander-Spooner]

Well, if I had $8,000 for the camera and lens I would still get a Fujifilm GFX.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

You'll spend as much on a GFX and a lens and it's not as good of a camera. The GFX is a great camera, but the Leica SL is better. Rarely do you need 50 megapixels, however the SL2 will likely have a new 47 megapixel sensor.

[@pablofernandez66]

@@AdamLernerPhoto How is this camera better than a GFX? In what is better?

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@pablofernandez66 EVF is simply amazing. And the overall feel in the hand and user experience is excellent. But... It's a 35mm full frame and the GFX is a cropped Medium Format. Hard to compare the two in that regard. I've shot both and would take the SL anyday over the GFX. I love the GFX and think it's the best mirrorless medium format camera out there, but I love the SL more!

[@williaminbody205]

You’ll have to hire a Sherpa to carry you GFX gear around....

[@pablofernandez66]

@@williaminbody205 Why? Not bigger than a pro dslr kit

[@fotonutzz]

Great review & Welcome to the Leica SL community. You need to get your hands on the 90-280mm for your portraits. The crispy images generated by the SL is really incredible. You can see the resolution here: YouPic.com/Fotonutzz

[@kevinslaney486]

Errr, no, not the best mirrorless camera. Never was. But looks great if that is important to you

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

Name a better full frame Mirrorless camera from 2015

[@kevinslaney486]

@@AdamLernerPhoto The Sony A7R2 of course. Aknowledged by everyone except Leica fanboys. The Sony A7 series can be made to function in an icredibly simple way also. And this can be done very simply.

[@kevinslaney486]

@@AdamLernerPhoto Don't get me wrong though, now I can buy one in the UK for just over £1000 I am very tempted as a second camera to my Sony A7R4. It is great lookiong and feels very solid, if rather heavy though. I went Leica many many years ago With the M8, but quickly realised Leica is the best marketed luxury item/camera around. Sold up and went with the Sony A7 series and all became clear. The Leica cult couldn't hold me.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

@@kevinslaney486 Makes no sense, but the SL is possibly one of the most simple and elegant mirrorless full frame cameras. Easy menus, easy interface. Focused on function. No AA filter for sharper more dynamic images. HUGE and bright EVF. Built like a tank.

[@kevinslaney486]

@@AdamLernerPhoto What makjes no sense?

[@ftham888]

I like Leicas but unfortunately, they are getting too expensive.

[@AdamLernerPhoto]

They built much fewer cameras with superior materials and so much hands on assembly, so production costs are just so much higher than mass-produced cameras like Sony, Nikon and Canon.