Canon R6 Mark II vs Leica SL3-S

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the Leica SL3-S are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2022 and January 2025. Both the R6 Mark II 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 R6 Mark II		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
4k/60p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 100-50,000 (50 - 100,000)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k 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
450 shots per battery charge		315 shots per battery charge
138 x 98 x 88 mm, 670 g		141 x 108 x 85 mm, 852 g

Check R6 Mark II 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 R6 Mark II 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon R6 Mark II and the Leica SL3-S is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 dimensions 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 larger (13 percent) than the Canon R6 Mark II. Moreover, the Leica SL3-S is markedly heavier (27 percent) than the R6 Mark II. 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 R6 Mark II gets 450 shots out of its Canon LP-E6NH battery, while the Leica SL3-S can take 315 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL6 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	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 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R5 C	142 mm	101 mm	111 mm	770 g	320	Y	Jan 2022	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
8.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
11.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
13.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
17.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The R6 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 53 percent) than the Leica SL3-S, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Leica SL3-S is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the Leica SL3-S has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the Leica SL3-S has a lower pixel density and marginally larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 5.98μm for the R6 Mark II), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the Leica SL3-S is much more recent (by 2 years and 2 months) than the R6 Mark II, 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 R6 Mark II, 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 R6 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. 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.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
2.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
5.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
6.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
7.		Canon R5 C	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.5	3082	96
8.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
10.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
11.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
12.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
13.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
14.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
15.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
16.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
17.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Leica SL3-S provides a better video resolution than the R6 Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Leica SL3-S offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R6 Mark II (5760k vs 3690k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon R6 Mark II, the Leica SL3-S, and comparable 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 R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	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 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R5 C	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
10.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
12.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Leica SL3-S, but is missing on the R6 Mark II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 R6 Mark II 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.

The R6 Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Leica SL3-S uses 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 R6 Mark II 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 R6 Mark II	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 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R5 C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the R6 Mark II and the Leica SL3-S are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The R6 Mark II replaced the earlier Canon R6, while the Leica SL3-S followed on from the Leica SL2-S. 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 what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R6 Mark II and the Leica SL3-S? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• 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 compact: Is smaller (138x98mm vs 141x108mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 182g or 21 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (450 versus 315) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (53 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in November 2022).

Reasons to prefer 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 4k/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2333k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• 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 modern: Reflects 2 years and 2 months of technical progress since the R6 Mark II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Leica SL3-S emerges as the winner of the match-up (11 : 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 R6 Mark II 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R6 Mark II and the Leica SL3-S in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts 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 R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R5 C	..	+ +	..	..	..	..	Jan 2022	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
8.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
11.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
13.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
17.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check R6 Mark II 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Check R6 Mark II price at
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