It has been a long wait since 2015 when the first Leica SL was introduced and today, with its launched activity in Malaysia, the Leica SL2 is set to give users some big leap in imaging-tech from its predecessor.
Four years has been a long wait for any camera models to get an upgrade and Leica has been listening to users from its first generation of SL user to get an impressive improvements for the SL2. The good news is, since the beginning of this year, the L mount alliances from Panasonic and Sigma also made the family grow bigger with a wider selection of lenses and cross camera-body usage. So, apart from its great price (RM28,200 body, what’s so great about the Leica SL2? Lets us summarise for you.
Built
The Leica SL2 offers an innovative user interface whose efficient design allows photographers to focus their attention on the creative process. The design alignment with the existing M and Q systems makes the adjustment even easier for existing Leica photographers. The main recording parameters can be viewed on the rear display and adjusted quickly and easily with a simple finger tap. A click wheel, a joystick and three strategically placed, individually configurable buttons also contribute to a straightforward operation. With two dedicated status menus for stills and video recording, the parameters for either shooting mode can be adjusted entirely separately from each other.
The Leica SL2 has kept the same size as the SL. With improved body design paired with increased durability make the SL2 the perfect companion for all forms of shooting. The SL2’s IP54 certification ensures elevated weather sealing for more rugged situations, while a new option to turn off noise reduction during long exposures allows for more hands-free shooting. Less worry about the weather and environmental situations means photographers can focus.
47MP CMOS Sensor and Maestro III Processor
The Leica SL2 was built with CMOS image sensor in full-frame format for an unparalleled level of detail rendition and image quality. A wider dynamic range and colour depth of 14 bits per RGB channel and a sensitivity of up to ISO 50,000 enable outstanding image quality in all lighting conditions. Even when combined with Leica TL lenses, which are designed for the smaller sensor format of the Leica TL2 and CL, the SL2’s sensor still delivers an excellent image resolution of over 20 megapixels.
The new Maestro III processor enables the autofocus with significantly faster and virtually lag-free shutter release in any shooting situation, which is further complemented by the new Smart AF mode, which autonomously switches between focus priority and shutter release priority. Full-resolution recordings of consecutive images are possible at 10 frames per second with the focal plane shutter and 20 frames per second with the electronic shutter. With two UHS-II-compatible SD card slots for this model, raw files can be saved simultaneously in DNG and JPEG format.
Autofocus
The new Leica Object Detention AF ensures a fast and reliable AF. In addition to an array of modes and features, including face recognition, the SL2’s high-performance AF system also automatically detects whether a subject is stationary or in motion, and subsequently
switches between motion and focus priority.
Optical image stabilization through sensor-shift technology
One major improvement from the SL, the Leica SL2 features a suspended sensor which adjusts its position in order to quickly and efficiently compensate for camera shake. Additionally, in multishot mode, the tripod-mounted camera can record up to eight consecutive frames, whereby the sensor is shifted in half-pixel increments in between every exposure. This key feature results in images with an incredible quadrupled resolution of around 187 megapixels, leading to an extreme increase in detail resolution.
Leica EyeRes Viewfinder
The camera’s electronic viewfinder now boasts a resolution of 5.76 megapixels, allowing for a large, entirely natural-looking viewfinder image. Simultaneously, the experience is further enhanced when using the touchscreen, which has increased in size to a 3.2-inch diagonal, and now offers a significantly higher resolution of 2.1 megapixels.
Video
Leica SL2 is able to record up to 60 frames per second in Cine 4K mode, and up to 180 frames per second in Full-HD mode. Activating Cine mode transforms the SL2 into a manually controlled cine camera as ISO becomes ASA, the shutter speed is marked in degrees on the rotary disk shutter, and the f-stops indicating the aperture ratio are replaced by T-stops, which measure the actual amount of light transmitted through the lens. Connecting audio equipment to the Leica SL2 no longer requires the use of adapters, as the camera now features a build-in headphones and mic jack, complemented by a fully-fledged HDMI connector for external monitors.
Expansion
Featuring an L bayonet lens mount, the Leica SL2 is compatible with lenses of the TL-System and with the legendary lenses of Leica’s M, S and R-Systems via an adapter, accessing more than 170 Leica lens options. The L-Mount Alliance expands this scope of possibilities even further, by giving SL2 photographers access to L-mount-compatible lenses from Sigma and Panasonic.
Sharing
File sharing is now made easy with Leica FOTOS, the app available for Android and iOS Smartphones. Leica FOTOS connects directly to the camera via Wi-Fi and enables photographers to access the Live View function of the camera and remotely control the camera with most of the important settings such as the aperture, ISO value, shutter speed and exposure compensation from a smartphone, including wireless control of the shutter release. Selecting photos, saving them to the smartphones and sharing to social media is made easy.
The Leica SL2 is available now for RM28,200 (body only), if you are interested, please visit your local Leica Store. More specs and details Here.
