Leica SL2 vs Leica SL3-S

The Leica SL2 and the Leica SL3-S are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2019 and January 2025. Both the Leica SL2 and the Leica SL3-S are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Leica SL2 has a resolution of 46.7 megapixels, whereas the Leica SL3-S provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica SL2		Leica SL3-S
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
46.7 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 100-50,000 (50 - 100,000)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 2333k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		315 shots per battery charge
146 x 107 x 42 mm, 953 g		141 x 108 x 85 mm, 852 g

Check Leica SL2 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 Leica SL2 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 Leica SL2 and the Leica SL3-S. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size 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 somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Leica SL2. Moreover, the Leica SL3-S is markedly lighter (11 percent) than the Leica SL2. 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 Leica SL2 gets 370 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL4 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 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.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	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.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
4.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
5.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
7.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S1R II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	795 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	US$ 3 199	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The Leica SL3-S was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 12 percent) than the Leica SL2, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.

Technology-wise, the Leica SL3-S uses a more advanced image processing engine (Maestro IV) than the Leica SL2 (Maestro III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Leica SL2 offers a higher resolution of 46.7 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Leica SL3-S. This megapixels advantage translates into a 39 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the Leica SL2 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.30μm versus 6.00μm for the Leica SL3-S). Moreover, it should be noted that the Leica SL3-S is much more recent (by 5 years and 2 months) than the Leica SL2, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica SL2 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Leica SL2 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41.8 x 27.9 inches or 106.3 x 70.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 33.5 x 22.3 inches or 85 x 56.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.9 x 18.6 inches or 70.8 x 47.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica SL3-S are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica SL3-S has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Leica SL2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000, which can be extended to ISO 50-50000. 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. 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.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
2.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
3.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
4.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
5.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
6.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
7.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
8.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
9.		Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.2	14.2	2805	94
10.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
11.		Panasonic S1R II	Full Frame	44.2	8144	5424	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
12.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
13.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Leica SL3-S provides a better video resolution than the Leica SL2. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Leica SL2 is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Leica SL2 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Leica SL2 and Leica SL3-S along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
2.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
4.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
7.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
8.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2 / 2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S1R II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/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 Leica SL2 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 Leica SL2 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 Leica SL2 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.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
5.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica SL2 (unlike the Leica SL3-S) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the Leica SL2 and the Leica SL3-S are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Leica SL2 replaced the earlier Leica SL (Typ 601), 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 Leica website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica SL2 and the Leica SL3-S? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Leica SL2:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (46.7 vs 24MP) with a 40% higher linear resolution.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.76x).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (370 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 November 2019).

Arguments in favor of the Leica SL3-S:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (Maestro IV vs Maestro III).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 101g or 11 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (12 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 2 months of technical progress since the Leica SL2 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Leica SL3-S is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 5 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 Leica SL2 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Leica SL2 or the Leica SL3-S perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
2.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
3.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
4.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
5.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
7.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic S1H	..	..	4/5	90/100	..	..	May 2019	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S1R II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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 Leica SL2 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 make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check Leica SL2 price at
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