The SL3-P is Leica’s latest addition to its interchangeable lens mirrorless camera lineup and I was able to spend some time testing it. Sitting between its siblings, the SL3 and SL3-S, the P version is best thought of as the Goldilocks of the range, offering better specs than the entry-level model, but at a sweeter price than the flagship SL3 — despite having higher specs elsewhere. It packs a full 44 megapixel image sensor, offers 40 frames per second of raw shooting, phase detection autofocus (with subject tracking) and advanced video capabilities including 8K open gate recording and Apple ProRes codec support.
Like any Leica it comes with a pretty hefty price tag attached. It will set you back £5,150, which sits neatly between £4,500 for the SL3-S and £5,920 for the SL3. US prices are unknown at the time of writing but as an indication the UK price converts to around $8,090.
I was lucky enough to hold the model before its launch, along with the 28-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens, both of which I took with me on a photography trip to Scotland’s Isle of Mull. Here is a selection of my favorite example images from the Leica SL3-P. Note that all photos were taken raw and edited in Adobe Lightroom. You can click on each image to see larger versions.
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For my first photo I wanted to take advantage of the image stabilization in the camera body which would allow you to take slow shutter photos without needing a tripod. I took this for about half a second to blur the motion of the water and usually needed the camera to be locked securely on the tripod to avoid the entire image being blurred by camera movement. The built-in stabilization did a good job here, capturing clear details in the still parts of the scene and turning that water into smooth ribbons.
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It’s a quiet scene here. The camera offers about 15 stops of dynamic range which was useful here in capturing a balanced image with subtle tones from dark parts of the scene to light clouds. I did a little editing here, instead wanting to keep a natural look that goes with the soft feel of the scene.
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I took this photo of this cute dog at the full 70mm end of the zoom lens I was using — and cropped more for the post. It’s pin sharp but I also loved being able to shoot in pre-entry mode here so I can quickly get a shot when that happens.
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This beach was nice enough but I wanted to find an interesting foreground to put in the scene and I felt I had struck gold when I saw this old tree stump. While I put the camera in black and white mode to help me visualize the scene, since I was shooting in green I could switch back to color in post if I wanted to. However, I like the dramatic, dynamic look here and enhance the “cinema” feeling with this wide, small panoramic plant.
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But if you’re looking for moving pictures, this boat scene is for you. It was raining a lot this morning, but I didn’t care — the camera is rated IP54 for water resistance, so a little rain wouldn’t be a problem. Instead, I continued shooting in the middle of bad weather and came out with an aerial shot of these abandoned fishing boats. I enhanced the drama in Lightroom and I like that the camera raw files offer enough flexibility to let me edit my photos however I want.
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This photo was taken at a shutter speed of 1 minute which meant it had to be locked on a tripod — there’s no way anyone could keep it still for a full minute! I noticed these old pier bases and knew they would make for a lovely monochrome scene.
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Although this photo was taken at a maximum shutter speed of 3.5 minutes. I used a PolarPro 10-stop neutral density filter here to limit the amount of light entering the lens and therefore allow me to use such long exposure times. The result is that the movement of the clouds above has been transformed into these ethereal trails in the sky, while the water around the rocks is thrown like a ghost. This technique can be great for taking amazing looking photos especially in overcast conditions like this.
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Not long after I took a long exposure the sun broke through the clouds and I was treated to a blue sky. I love the colors in this scene but I think I got lucky especially since the CalMac boat is right on the frame. By combining both elements — the lighthouse and the boat — with the mountains in the background I was able to capture a photo that really tells the story of this island.
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The next day I was on a ferry, back to mainland Scotland and finally back home to Edinburgh. I took this photo looking at the back of the boat and I love the way we live. The bright red contrasts well against the green deck floor and the blue sky above, while the waving flag adds the perfect central point of focus.
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Back in (rainy) Edinburgh, I took the camera out to take some street photos and I’m really happy with this photo. Shot through the glass of a bus stop, I was relieved that the camera’s autofocus was able to find the actual subject of this photo — the chap at the telephone booth — rather than trying to focus on the people in the foreground.
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While we’re at it, the camera’s subject detection does a pretty good job of identifying — and locking — the person taking the picture with their phone. Fast street photography can be enhanced with accurate subject tracking autofocus as it allows you to quickly snap the frame when you see the right moment for the shot and you don’t have to worry about losing focus.
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However, here I found myself focused on the task at hand and quickly moved in close to capture this photo of a small dog looking sadly out of the car window.
I enjoyed my time with the Leica SL3-P. It’s a solid all-round mirrorless camera that combines great image quality with the solid feel you’d expect from an expensive, hand-built Leica camera. Still, it’s not a Leica for me. As a “normal” mirrorless camera it feels and performs the same way you’d expect from a Canon, Nikon or Sony camera, without the same excitement you’d hope for from a Leica product — at least in my opinion. I bought a Leica Q3 43 last year and its small size and 43mm fixed lens means it remains not only my favorite Leica camera, but my favorite camera I’ve ever owned.
But this is the camera to choose if you want more profile level details for photography and commercial work, and a wider choice of lenses at your disposal – as an L-mount camera, you can use not only Leica lenses, but options from Panasonic, Sigma, Viltrox and various others. It’s a solid all-around “do-anything” camera and while it may not give me the artistic joy I’m looking for in a camera, you’ll probably feel differently.