Canon R3 vs Leica SL3-S

The Canon EOS R3 and the Leica SL3-S are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2021 and January 2025. Both the R3 and the Leica SL3-S are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R3		Leica SL3-S
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/60p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-50,000 (50 - 100,000)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2" LCD – 4150k dots		3.2" LCD – 2333k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
760 shots per battery charge		315 shots per battery charge
150 x 143 x 87 mm, 1015 g		141 x 108 x 85 mm, 852 g

Check R3 price at
amazon.com
Check Leica SL3-S price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R3 and the Leica SL3-S? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R3 and the Leica SL3-S. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica SL3-S is notably smaller (29 percent) than the Canon R3. Moreover, the Leica SL3-S is markedly lighter (16 percent) than the R3. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R3 gets 760 shots out of its Canon LP-E19 battery, while the Leica SL3-S can take 315 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL6 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the R3 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the Leica SL3-S, Leica provides the HG-SCL7 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
2.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
4.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
5.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
9.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A1	129 mm	97 mm	81 mm	737 g	530	Y	Jan 2021	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Leica SL3-S was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 12 percent) than the R3, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the R3 and the Leica SL3-S have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the Leica SL3-S is much more recent (by 3 years and 4 months) than the R3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Leica SL3-S has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

Unlike the R3, the Leica SL3-S has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Canon EOS R3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica SL3-S are ISO 100 to ISO 50000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-100000.

In terms of underlying technology, the R3 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the Leica SL3-S uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
2.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
4.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
5.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
6.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
8.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
9.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
10.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
11.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
12.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
13.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
14.		Sony A1	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.9	14.5	3163	98
15.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Leica SL3-S provides a better video resolution than the R3. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 6K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The R3 and the Leica SL3-S are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 5760k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R3 and Leica SL3-S in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
10.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A1	9437	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R3 and the Leica SL3-S both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the R3 and the Leica SL3-S write their files to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R3 and Leica SL3-S and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon R3 (unlike the Leica SL3-S) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the R3 and the Leica SL3-S are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Leica SL3-S replaced the earlier Leica SL2-S, while the R3 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Leica websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon R3 better than the Leica SL3-S or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R3:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (4150k vs 2333k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (760 versus 315) on a single battery charge.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2021).

Advantages of the Leica SL3-S:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/30p vs 6K/60p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (141x108mm vs 150x143mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 163g or 16 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (12 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 4 months of technical progress since the R3 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Leica SL3-S emerges as the winner of the match-up (10 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R3 and the Leica SL3-S place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R3 and the Leica SL3-S in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
2.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
4.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
5.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
9.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A1	5/5	o	4.5/5	93/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2021	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R3 price at
amazon.com
Check Leica SL3-S price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check R3 price at
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Check Leica SL3-S price at
amazon.com

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