What I like and DONT like about my Leica SL2 Camera!

Let's take a look at my Leica SL2 mirrorless camera and I will tell you what I like and dont like about this amazing little machine. I bought this camera and wanted to use it for a while before making a review video about it, so I have been using it for the past 6 months and have a list of item I like and dont like about this little camera. The Leica SL2 digital camera is a 47MP full frame mirrorless camera with IBIS or In Body Image Stabilization and has a long list of features that make this the camera of choice for a great many photographers out there.
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[@NineVoltDigitalCinema]

You nailed exactly why I love my SL2: simplicity of design and function, without sacrificing any essential features. I find I can work much faster with the SL2 than with any of the bigger name cameras. I also hate buttons on my camera as I get older, it took a few years, but I tracked down an M10-D for exactly this reason, no buttons, no screen, all manual. Keep up the great videos!

[@davidsaylors]

It is my favorite camera at this point in my life. I am intrigued by the new Nikon Zf but I will probably be back to this machine in short order. LoL

[@NineVoltDigitalCinema]

@@davidsaylors for my taste the new Nikon’s beauty is only skin deep, it’s basically just a pretty Z6. But the SL2 is perfect for me. I’ll keep it till it stops functioning. 📷🤩

[@davidsaylors]

@@NineVoltDigitalCinema I will as well. I really enjoy my Leica machines. As for the Zf… I am a sucker for that retro styling…😬🤷🏻‍♂️ Thank you for your thoughts, I really appreciate them.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts David on the Leica. I can see your pros and cons and glad it does what you want it to do. Great review thanks for sharing 👍🙏

[@davidsaylors]

My pleasure! I really liked your video today too, That yellow robin photo on the nest was amazing, but so were all the other photos too.

[@PhilThach]

The perfect camera for you, David. I like the doorless battery compartment. Reminds me of the Osmo Action. With the battery being a part of the weather sealing, I don't think I'd trust a third-party battery even if someone made one. Too much to lose if that seal fails. This was an enjoyable review. Now I need to know more about that 50mm lens you like so much. :)

[@davidsaylors]

Thank you Phil, I really liked your wildlife video today too, what a great trip afield! I really appreciate your time and thoughts. That 50mm review is coming soon, I am making some notes about it right now... Your nudge just got me to get moving on it. 😁

[@STEVEMUNCY]

I have a SL2-S and agree with most of your comments. However, I MUCH prefer my 24 megapixel camera since I think 24 mp is the sweet spot for most uses. In the unusual case where I need a higher resolution to at match the SL2 I can use multi shot which also works well. I prefer my Leica CL for street and travel shooting. I use Sigma glass (28-70mm) And it works great! I also use Voigtlander M lenses and they work very well too. The low light capabilities of the SL2 are incredible. The battery is too expensive but it really is part of the body’s weather protection since it isn’t hidden inside with a separate door subject to breakage.

[@davidsaylors]

I have basically the same kit. I also like my CL for non-rainy street and general photography. I currently have a TT Articans 35mm f1.4 on it with the native L mount configuration and that little lens is impressive. For 75$ it was honestly just as cheap to buy it as it was to rent a more costly lens... long story about all that and I wont waste anymore space here talking about it... lol. I agree that most photos work really well at 24MP, I just like the ability to crop a fairly large amount and still not really lose any detail. That SL2-S is a monster of a machine and I am glad it exists as I got a huge firmware upgrade recently because of it! Thanks!!!

[@sc1]

I'm very satisfied with my SL2-S and Q2. But I also have the CL with a few of the TL lenses, but I'm thinking about getting rid of the CL and staying with the SL2-S/ Q2 combo. Do you think the SL2-S/ Q2 is good enough to take over for all street and landscape?

[@davidsaylors]

Yes. They will work really well for landscape snd street. The reason I like my CL so much is the small size. I normally run a small manual lens on it to keep the system smaller too. I dont have any of the TL lenses now as I prefer the manual glass myself with that camera. 👍📸

[@STEVEMUNCY]

@@sc1 I would think that the Q2 and SL2-s combo would give great results for both street and landscape, as long as you like the 28mm focal length. I have adapted Voigtlander M lenses to my CL and they work fine - but since comparing my results to the 18mm Leica Elmarit-TL 2.8 (28mm equivalent) I leave that lens on almost all of the time since it left the other lenses in the dust and gives me the option of autofocus. Incredible lens and so small! It has transformed me into a 28mm street shooter. Next stop is a Q2 Monochrom but that is a few years down the line. :)

[@roynewport5397]

Had mine now for around the same time the more I use it the more I love it.

[@davidsaylors]

It is an awesome machine, I got mine out in the rain for the first time yesterday, worked perfectly.

[@iandavidbrown8852]

Nice review David. I had one with the 24-90 but boy it was just too heavy. Brilliant camera and I was sad to sell it, but just too heavy for my non professional work.

[@davidsaylors]

That is what I have noticed with just the body, but I am used to bigger heavy gear, so it isn’t a huge deal to me. The vario-elmar is a launch point honestly, most likely I will end up with a Summilux L 50mm for general Street and such. Thank you!!!👍📸

[@rumporridge1]

@@davidsaylors definitely a launch point.

[@TL-vt8uk]

Great video David! I concur with everything you said with regard to my SL2. I find that my CL is actually the camera that gets more use on the streets just because of it's size and weight.....but the crop factor comes into play when trying out vintage glass. When you going to try an Leica L-mount lense on that SL2? I hear the 35mm or 50mm F2 are amazing!

[@davidsaylors]

Soon. I have pretty much saved the cash for my first lens, just need to start searching for it now. I am going to start with the 24-90mm and then I want the Summilux 50mm f1.4 L after that. Time… 😬👍📸

[@rumporridge1]

@@davidsaylors yes start with that zoom. You will be quite satisfied to the max with that stellar zoom. I have that and the 75mm SL APO. All I need for now but definitely will get the 35mm and 50mm 1.4. Then head to the poor house lol.

[@jimwlouavl]

Nice well thought out review. Thanks.

[@davidsaylors]

Thank you Jim, I have been thinking about this for awhile now and figured it was time to do it finally. More to come soon. 👍📸

[@David-my3uu]

Totally agree that the simpler the buttons and menu system the better! Just wish Leica made an affordable camera that handled wildlife photography (great autofocus, long lenses) but that’ll never happen - affordable that is! Lol.

[@davidsaylors]

They dont seem to be after the sports action/wildlife crowd so I agree, they will never do it. 😂 I think they wont make budget cameras either as they have a raving fan base at this point and dont want to cheapen the image. Pretty awesome marketing if you ask me. Honestly Nikon and Canon have mastered wildlife and sports anyway. It just makes sense to use those companies since they are already masters in that space. 👍📸

[@David-my3uu]

@@davidsaylors You're very right (again) about that, David. I keep my old but great Nikon F3 with a beast of a 400mm handy but am thinking more and more about the instant gratification and all of the digital world so I may have to look into the Z6 or 7 or even a Fuji xt-5 when that comes out - with the crop sensor, I could get a lighter weight Tamron 18-300mm lens that would act like a 120 - 450 easily and even then be able to crop in. All for maybe less than $2,500. Keep up the great vids!

[@bassangler73]

That camera and you are like EVH and his 5150 Kramer....a perfect fit. ....Leica learned a lesson from gen 1 Glocks with the anti drop battery :) Im ready to see what you can do with the L mount glass..

[@davidsaylors]

Thank you Bassangler, I really have you to thank for even having it since it was you that told me I should look at them... Thank you. 👍

[@bassangler73]

@@davidsaylors it's the camera for you imo...I'm glad your happy with it!!!

[@davidsaylors]

Thank you. 👍📸💸😂

[@bassangler73]

@@davidsaylors lol..your gonna need that wad of bills for the glass

[@ronaldsand3000]

I have an SL2 and agree with everything you mentioned I bought the Leica 24-90 lens and although superb quality, it’s far too heavy, big and extremely expensive, for these reasons its the only camera system I feel choosing lighter smaller and far cheaper third party L mount lenses are probably a far better option especially if you want a number of auto focus lenses

[@davidsaylors]

I have the 24-90mm as well now and I can confirm IT IS A HEAVY GIRL! But those images are butter! Wow! I will use it for now.

[@iamhassan9943]

Whoa, $280 for a battery. That is a bit nutty. Nice review David. Seems like the perfect camera for you. Now to get that Leica lens. Which lens are you looking at? I am looking at saving for a Leica lens for my S5.

[@davidsaylors]

Yeah, those batteries are a bit tough to swallow, but I figure I want to get one more and I should be good for a while since they last for years for my uses. The lens I am getting first is the 24-90mm SL zoom lens, then the next one will probably be the 50mm Summilux L which is also native to the system. I wont be putting an L lens on the CL as I wnat that system to stay small and the SL lenses are really quite large and bulky when compared to M or even R lenses. I figure I will end up with either the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 M mount or an actual summilux if I can find one, probably be the Nokton though as it is MUCH more affordable...

[@iamhassan9943]

@@davidsaylors Awesome. We are thinking alike. I am saving for the 24-90 for my S5. That would be my dream lens.

[@davidsaylors]

Mine too. It and a couple of SL primes…

[@krischan5186]

Thanks for sharing! Fyi, your Blurb links in the description are landing on "Page Not Found" pages.

[@davidsaylors]

I fixed the broken links. Thank you for letting me know. It stems from my copying and pasting that block off text…👍📸

[@scrptwic]

David Great camera review I thought $50.00 for a new camera battery was expensive yikes

[@davidsaylors]

Yeah, I almost didn’t get the SL2 just for that reason, but this particular unit came with a spare battery and they have a pretty good track record of service life, so I took the chance. So far it has been good. I want at least one more, so I will eventually grab one, but 2 is working right now. 👍📸

[@p_adam19]

I do agree about the negative points, but those aren't my biggest issues, it is the ergonomics: the joystick on this camera is idiosyncratic. No diagonal movement, magnifies when pushing, does not go back the same way, worst of all, there is no self-centring, so I magnify on one side and I have to go all the way back to the other side, super frustrating. The touch LCD movement is also rubbish. The images I get with the 35/1.4 and 75/1.4 can be wonderful, but they are not forgiving of focusing errors, without an even better EVF I am left with a choppy experience to get my images in focus. I also despise the dials, I am forced to use one button as the dial lock, or I accidentally knock my exposure compensation. Even though the R5 has way more buttons on a smaller, lighter body, I don't have these ergonomic problems (and there are many other little things which had been better thought out), and I also didn't have problems on an M either. I can't imagine the AF experience being that different either, if I have to use that joystick...

[@davidsaylors]

This is good intel. See, I arrange my button layout different and love how it works. But then again, I have not used SL glass either. Thank you for your candid thoughts on this machine, it isn’t for everyone…evidently and I appreciate it. The new Canon mirrorless cameras are amazing machines. You cant go wrong there either. 👍📸

[@TheVFXbyArt]

7:30 The UHS-2 Steve Buscemi teeth connector!

[@davidsaylors]

😂 Yep !

[@yuqin405]

thanks, a bit surprised leica still exists.

[@davidsaylors]

It is all in the mindset that they carry. Nothing more. The reason is they have cultivated a VERY loyal fanbase that doesnt care if the gear is lacking the latest features or doesn’t perform to a certain level. That is how they have survived. It is superior craftsmanship at times, and not at others. Lots of little reasons, but the main one is the mystery of owning one has been made special. That is the only reason they can charge the prices they charge and still be in business. It really doesn’t take a better photo, it is because people want them…and want to use them. Same reason Rolex still exists when a 20$ digital watch keeps more accurate time. People want them.

[@telkirton]

Yours comes after Phil's and Heathers hope you and Mrs S are ok mate, stay safe David...

[@davidsaylors]

We are doing great. Things are slowly returning to normal here. I am finally getting back to what I really enjoy and having a good time doing it. 📸📸📸 camera stuff!

[@williaminbody205]

I call them “black blob” cameras. I’ll never own one.

[@davidsaylors]

That is an interesting perspective.