Leica SL2 Review

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Main Features

47MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

No Optical low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter

ISO 100 - 50000

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.2 Fixed Type Screen

5760k dot Electronic viewfinder

20.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (DCI) - 4096 x 2160 video

Built-in Wireless

835g. 146 x 107 x 42 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Leica SL

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Leica SL2 Overview

First introduced in November 2019 , Leica SL2 is a 47.0MP Pro Mirrorless camera with a Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Leica replaced the older SL with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Leica SL2 vs Leica SL

Leica SL2 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

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Leica SL2 Compared to other Mirrorless Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Leica SL2 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Bluetooth Connectivity

Image Stabilization

4K (DCI) Video

Touch Screen

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

47.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

50.000 Max ISO

225 Focus Points

Large 3.2 Screen

2.100k dots LCD Resolution

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

1/1/40000 secs Electronic Shutter Speed

20.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

External Microphone Port

External Headphone Port

Environmental Sealing

Timelapse Recording

5760kdot Viewfinder Resolution

0.78x magnification - Large Viewfinder

2 Storage Slots

Top LCD Display

Flash Sync Port

Remote control with a smartphone

Compatible with fast UHS-II cards

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CONs

No Articulating Screen

Low Battery Life: 370 shots

Heavy Body: 835g

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Leica SL2 Lens Mount and Lenses

Leica SL2 has a Leica L lens mount and currently there are 31 native lenses available for this mount.

SL2 also has a Sensor based Image Stabilization system which means that all of these lenses will be stabilized when used on SL2. Leica claims that the image stabilization of SL2 is effective up to 5.5 stops. Sensor based image stabilization is one of the most useful features that you can have in an ILC. There are also 22 lenses with weather sealing for SL2 that you can couple with its weather sealed body.

Here are some of the most popular Leica SL2 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Leica L Mount Lenses for Leica SL2

Model	Focal Length on SL2	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Leica Summilux-SL 50mm F1.4 ASPH	50mm	35mm FF	335gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM A	24mm	35mm FF	665gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280 mm F2.8-4	90-280mm	35mm FF	1710gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM A	50mm	35mm FF	815gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM A	20mm	35mm FF	950gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art	14mm	35mm FF	1170gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm F2.8-4 ASPH	24-90mm	35mm FF	1140gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art	70mm	35mm FF	515gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Leica SL2 Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Leica SL2 Sensor and Photography Features

Leica SL2 has a 47.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Maestro III processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 8368 x 5584 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. SL2 has a native ISO range of 100 - 50000 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Leica SL2 is not the highest resolution Full frame camera. Sony A7R IV with its 61.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Leica SL2 vs Sony A7R IV or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

Anti-Aliasing Filter

Another important feature about Leica SL2's sensor is the lack of anti-alias (Low-pass) filter. Removing anti-aliasing filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but on the other side it also increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Let's look at how the size of the Leica SL2's Full frame sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Leica SL2 Physical Specs

Leica SL2 weighs 835 g (1.84 lb / 29.45 oz) and has external dimensions of 146 x 107 x 42 mm (5.75 x 4.21 x 1.65″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 435g, Leica SL2 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. On the other hand, with a thickness of only 42mm, it is quite small, 7mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Leica SL2

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Leica SL2

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Leica SL2 with the dimensions:

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Leica SL2 with its main competitors:

Leica SL2 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs SL2	Thickness	vs SL2
Sony A7R IV Compare	665g	170g lighter	78mm	36mm thicker
Panasonic S1R Compare	898g	63g heavier	97mm	55mm thicker
Leica Q2 Compare	718g	117g lighter	92mm	50mm thicker
Leica SL Compare	847g	12g heavier	39mm	3mm thinner
Nikon Z7 Compare	675g	160g lighter	68mm	26mm thicker
Hasselblad X1D Compare	725g	110g lighter	71mm	29mm thicker
Leica M10 Compare	660g	175g lighter	39mm	3mm thinner
Canon R Compare	660g	175g lighter	84mm	42mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Leica SL2 has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Leica SL2 will serve you well. If you attach one of these Leica SL2 weather Sealed lenses to your camera, you will have a great all weather kit.

Leica SL2 LCD and Viewfinder

Leica SL2 has a Fixed Type 3.2 LCD screen with a resolution of 2,100k dots. The Leica SL2's 3.2 screen is larger than average and its resolution is up to the class standarts.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

SL2 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a resolution of 5,760kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later. The magnification ratio of the viewfinder is 0.78x (35mm equivalent).

Leica SL2 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Leica SL2 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11ac + Bluetooth) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection.Leica SL2's Bluetooth connectivity feature comes handy for connecting other devices that supports it. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our SL2. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect SL2 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) port.

Battery

Leica SL2 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 370 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 366 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Pro Mirrorless Cameras

Leica SL2

Min

Average

Max

Olympus E-M1X with its 870shots is the model with longest battery life among Pro Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Leica SL2 vs Olympus E-M1X or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

Leica SL2 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony A7R IV Compare	3840 x 2160	670shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Panasonic S1R Compare	3840 x 2160	360shots	Yes	Yes	No
Leica Q2 Compare	3840 x 2160	370shots	Yes	Yes	No
Leica SL Compare	4096 x 2160	400shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon Z7 Compare	3840 x 2160	330shots	Yes	Yes	No
Hasselblad X1D Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	Yes	No	No
Leica M10 Compare	None	210shots	Yes	No	No
Canon R Compare	3840 x 2160	370shots	Yes	Yes	No

Leica SL2 Video Features

With Leica SL2, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 4096 x 2160 at 60p,50p,30p,25p,24p fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. This means that Leica SL2 provides 4K (Ultra-HD) video. Except some exotic 6K and 8K video recording cameras, 4K is the new standard in consumer video world.

SL2 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. Leica SL2 also has a port for an external microphone and a headphone port for connecting external headphones which make Leica SL2 a very suitable camera high quality videography.

Leica SL2 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Leica SL2 can shoot continuously at max speed of 20.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec. SL2 also has an electronic shutter which can shoot silently at max speed of 1/1/40000 secs. One thing to keep in mind is that electronic shutter may cause rolling shutter / jello effects, and also banding issues under artificial light on your images.

Flash

Unfortunately SL2 doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

Leica SL2 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 225 points to choose from.

Leica SL2 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Leica SL2 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Leica SL2 in 5 different photography areas.

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Leica SL2 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Leica SL2 compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of SL2 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Leica SL2 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Leica SL2

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Leica SL2 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Sony A7R IV

Compare

Panasonic S1R

Compare

Leica Q2

Compare

Leica SL

Compare

Nikon Z7

Compare

Hasselblad X1D

Compare

Leica M10

Compare

Canon R

Compare

Leica SL2 Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Leica SL2 with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Leica SL2's price range.

Nikon D850

Compare

Sony A99 II

Compare

Pentax K-1

Compare

Nikon D780

Compare

Nikon D6

Compare

Pentax K-1 II

Compare

Nikon D750

Compare

Canon 1D X III

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Leica SL2

Does the Leica SL2 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Leica SL2 have RAW support?
Does the Leica SL2 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Leica SL2 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Leica SL2?
What is the Sensor Size of Leica SL2?
is the Leica SL2 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Leica SL2 have Touch Screen?
Does the Leica SL2 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Leica SL2?

Leica SL2 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Leica
Model	Leica SL2
Announced	2019-11-06
Body Type	SLR-style mirrorless
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Leica L
Number of Lenses	31
Focal Length Multiplier	1×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3.2
Screen Resolution	2,100k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	5,760k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.78x
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	1800s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter Speed	1/1/40000 secs
Continuous Shooting	20.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Flash Modes	no built-in flash
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
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Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Full frame
Sensor Dimensions	36 x 24 mm
Sensor Area	864.00mm²
Sensor Resolution	47 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	8368 x 5584
Max Native ISO	50,000
Min Native ISO	100
Min Boosted ISO	50
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	225
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	4096 x 2160 @ 60p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/4096 x 2160 @ 50p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/4096 x 2160 @ 30p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/4096 x 2160 @ 25p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/4096 x 2160 @ 24p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/3840 x 2160 @ 60p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/3840 x 2160 @ 50p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/3840 x 2160 @ 25p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/3840 x 2160 @ 23.98p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 120p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 100p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 60p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 50p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 30p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 25p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM/1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Max Video Resolution	4096 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	835g
Physical Dimensions	146 x 107 x 42mm
Battery Life	370 shots
Battery Type	Built-in
Battery Model	BP-SCL4
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-II supported on slot 1)
Storage Slots	2