The 44-Megapixel Leica SL3-P Is the Company’s Most Capable Camera Ever
Leica announced the SL3-P, a 44-megapixel L-Mount camera that can shoot 40 frames per second. The company calls it “the best-performing camera” it has ever made.
Made in Germany, the SL3-P is a premium, all-metal camera designed for professional photographers. The backside-illuminated full-frame sensor provides, by far, Leica’s best autofocusing system and fastest readout speeds.
Leica says it has gone for a more understated approach for the exterior design; there is no red dot, for example. The grip has been improved, and the all-metal body has a sturdy IP54 weather rating.
Leica, a company renowned for its stunning film cameras and M-series digital cameras that emulate film, acknowledges that the SL3-P is “swimming in a bigger sea” with other camera manufacturers, but insists that its unique strengths combine to create something special.
The sensor boasts 14 stops of dynamic range, and the faster readout speed enables the electronic shutter to shoot 12-bit images at 40 frames per second and 14-bit images at 25 frames per second. The mechanical shutter can shoot up to seven frames per second in 15-bit.
The new 819-point hybrid autofocus system offers phase detection, contrast detection, and object detection — including people, pets, and vehicles. The ISO ranges from 50 to 200,000.
With editorial work in mind, the SL3-P has “advanced content credentials” to “protect the integrity of your work.” Each image has a transparent history, which can prove its provenance via the Content Credentials C2PA protocol.
The UI is designed to be simpler for the photographer to operate, and it adjusts automatically when the camera’s orientation is switched from horizontal to vertical. Photo and video menus are color-coded so it’s easy to tell which settings the camera operator is looking at.
The buttons and dials have a minimalist design with no lettering on them. The camera, therefore, is made to be customized by the user, allowing them to pick exactly where they would like the aperture, shutter, and ISO controls to be.
The Leica SL3-P is also the best video camera the German manufacturer has ever made. It can record video in open gate up to 8K at 30p and 4K up to 120 frames per second. This allows for simple reframing and cropping in post, and the SL3-P also supports anamorphic desqueeze. The Apple ProRes codec is available for footage at up to 5.8K. There are also two new in-camera LUTs — Leica Pure and Leica Cine — for the L-Log color space.
The EVF has 5.76 million dots (1,600 x 1,200 pixels), while the partially articulated LCD screen has 2.3 million dots (1,080 x 720). The SL3-P writes to UHS-II cards and CFexpress Type B cards, as well as UHS-I and SD cards.
The Leica Fotos app can be used to connect to the camera directly and download DNG, JPG, and video files. The app also offers the ability to edit photos and adjust the same Leica Looks that can be applied in-camera. There is also native tethering support for Lightroom Classic and Capture One.
The SL3-P sits within the L-Mount alliance, which Leica says is the “fastest growing alliance in the industry” with over 130 lenses to choose from.
The Leica SL3-P is available starting today for $6,800.
Image credits: Leica
