Leica SL3 review: this is the first Leica that I would actually buy

The Leica SL3 is simply the best camera Leica has ever made – even if it lacks the soul of its rangefinder siblings

James Artaius using a Leica SL3 camera
(Image: © James Artaius)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Leica SL3 is the best camera that Leica has ever made, even though I think it lacks the soul of a Red Dot rangefinder. And it packs so much firepower – between its multi-resolution 60MP sensor, 8K video, 15fps bursts and phase detect AF – that it's also the ultimate realization of the L-Mount system. It's not without a few foibles (the battery life is pretty miserly and the AF isn't as loyal as I'd like) but the SL3 is so good that this is the first Leica camera I would personally buy. Pair it with something like the 50mm Summicron and you will fall in love with photography all over again.

Pros

  • +

    Versatile 60.3MP sensor

  • +

    Up to 8K 30p video

  • +

    Phase detect autofocus

  • +

    Incredible image files

Cons

  • -

    Austere battery life

  • -

    Occasionally sluggish AF

  • -

    Tilt-only screen

  • -

    Limited burst shooting

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The Leica SL3 is the first mirrorless camera from Leica that I've fallen in love with. I love using the M and Q cameras, but the SL series just never did it for me (and it certainly didn't help that they were disquietingly similar, other than the price tag, to Panasonic's S cameras). 

However, the Leica SL3 absolutely knocks things out of the park in ways that its predecessors never managed. While it still lacks the soul of a Leica M11 or even the Leica Q3, this beautiful slab of scultped black metal is a straight-up spectacular imaging machine. With a 60.3MP sensor that delivers truly gorgeous stills, and supports 8K 30p video, it's the best Leica camera ever made. 

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Leica SL3
Header Cell - Column 0 NotesScore
FeaturesWith triple-resolution, 8K video, a new AF system and a great app, pickings are rich5 / 5
Build & handlingThe IP54 weather sealing and great ergonomics are great, though some might prefer a fully articulating screen4.5 / 5
PerformanceSimply the most gorgeous images you can get from a full frame camera4 / 5
ValueThis is a luxury, handmade camera with the performance to match4 / 5

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TOPICS
James Artaius