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Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera

BH #LESL3S • MFR #10643
10 reviews
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Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera
90-Second Intro
Key Features
  • 24MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor
  • Maestro IV Processor with L2 Technology
  • Hybrid AF System with 779 Points
  • 3.2" 2.33m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
The Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera arrives with a bundle of features that continue to prove the brand's Midas touch. At the core of this release is the hybrid autofocus system and its 24 MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, which supports continuous shooting at up to 30 frames per second with full autofocus, making it the fastest Leica ever built. The video capabilities are equally impressive, providing unlimited 6K Open Gate internal recording while utilizing the full size of the sensor in its native 3:2 aspect ratio. Securely protected by an IP54-certified solid all-metal body and credentials technology in accordance with the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), the SL3-S covers all bases.
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Leica SL3-S Overview

Leica SL3-S: Faster than Ever
The Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera arrives with a bundle of features that continue to prove the brand's Midas touch. At the core of this release is the hybrid autofocus system and its 24 MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, which supports continuous shooting at up to 30 frames per second with full autofocus, making it the fastest Leica ever built. The video capabilities are equally impressive, providing unlimited 6K Open Gate internal recording while utilizing the full size of the sensor in its native 3:2 aspect ratio. Securely protected by an IP54-certified solid all-metal body and credentials technology in accordance with the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), the SL3-S covers all bases.
24MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor and Maestro IV Processor
Spearheading this launch is the 24MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor with fast PDAF. When combined with the Maestro IV processor and 8GB of buffer memory it provides exceptional low-light performance and incredible color output at a file size ideal for sharing, making the SL3-S a powerful asset for a diverse amount of shooting situations. This system allows for DNG and JPEG format at 24MP and handheld multishot modes at 48 and 96MP.
Advanced Autofocus System
The SL3-S sensor boasts 779 autofocus points, which is three times more than the SL-2S and over two times more than the SL3. The combination of Contrast Detection AF and the 779-point phase-detection system affords quicker, more intelligent object detection and tracking for working with moving subjects, especially when shooting continuously up to 30 fps. Tracking, in general, has never been easier for Leica users.
Video Capabilities
Unlimited 6K Open Gate Internal Recording
This system's video capabilities were meant to match its photo counterpart, with unlimited 6K Open Gate internal recording the user gains new creative possibilities when it comes to postproduction while using the full size of the sensor in its native 3:2 ratio. Additionally, this upgrade offers:

  • Re-Framing Flexibility: Allows cropping and adjusting framing without losing quality.
  • Better for Visual Effects: More image data aids in tasks like stabilization, tracking, and applying visual effects.
  • Allows usage of anamorphic lenses on an SL3-S without loss of image information.
  • Creative Aspect Ratios: Provides the option to experiment with different aspect ratios, like 4:3 or 3:2, giving more creative control.
External Recording and Additional Video Features
5.9K RAW external recording provides the best post-production flexibility, offering malleable files with incredible dynamic range and color grading support. Additionally, you can now use larger storage options thanks to SSD recording via USB-C.
  • Direct SSD recording via USB-C allows users to use larger storage options
  • Records HDMI-Raw in 5.9K at 30 fps to external display recorders
  • Upgraded Cine Mode specifically for professional video production
  • Fast transmission rates for CFexpress type B are supported for video production in up to 6K quality with efficiency codecs and lauded L-Log color space
Professional Body Design
Image Stabilization and EyeRes Viewfinder
Complementing this camera's powerful sensor is a 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization IBIS system that provides up to 5 stops of shake reduction, allowing you to capture sharper handheld images. The SL3-S EyeRes viewfinder is equipped with an optical system of glass lenses display that clearly displays the subjects with up to 120 images per second and a resolution of 5.76m-dot.
Additional Body Features
  • UX design adapts based on orientation of camera body 
  • Tiltable screen with enhanced touch and gesture control
  • SD UHS II + CFexpress Type B
  • HDMI 2.1 Type A
  • Timecode Interface
  • USB-C 
  • Direct to SSD Capturing
Leica Content Credentials
The SL3-S is the first camera in the SL system with Leica Content Credentials and dedicated CAI-compliant hardware. You can have each image signed with tamperproof metadata and receive access to verification tools that provide content, production, and editing process history.

Leica SL3-S Specs

Key Specs
Lens Mount
L-Mount
Effective Sensor Resolution
24.6 Megapixel
Image Sensor
Full-Frame
Image Stabilization
Sensor-Shift
ISO/Gain Sensitivity
Native: 100 to 200,000
Max Recording Modes
H.265 Long GOP/MOV 4:2:0 10-Bit
Up to 5.9K at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97 fps
Raw 10-Bit
Up to 5.8K at 23.98/25/29.97 fps
ProRes 4:2:2
Up to 5.7K at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97 fps
H.264/H.265 Long GOP/MP4 4:2:0 8/10-Bit
Up to UHD 4K at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps
H.264 ALL-Intra 4:2:2 10-Bit
Up to UHD 4K at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97/47.95/48.00/50/59.94 fps
H.265 Long GOP 4:2:0 10-Bit
1080PsF at 25/29.97 fps
Max Video Output
Raw 10-Bit
Up to 5.8K at 23.98/25/29.97 fps
Media/Memory Card Slot
Slot 1: CFexpress Type B
Slot 2: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Video I/O
1x HDMI Output
Audio I/O
1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRRS Headphone/Microphone Input/Output
Power I/O
1x USB-C Input/Output
Other I/O
1x USB-C 3.1/3.2 Gen 2 (Data) Output (Shared with Power Input)
Wireless
Wi-Fi
Display Type
Tilting 3.2" Touchscreen LCD
Battery
1x Leica BP-SCL6 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 7.2 VDC, 2200 mAh (Included)
 • Approx. 315 Shots
Imaging
Lens Mount
L-Mount
Effective Sensor Resolution
Effective: 24.6 Megapixel
Actual: 25.3 Megapixel
Image Sensor
Full-Frame BSI CMOS
Sensor Crop (35mm Equivalent)
Crop Factor: 1x
*Additional Crop Occurs in Select Video Modes
Image Stabilization
Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis
Built-In ND Filter
No
Capture Type
Stills & Video
Exposure Control
Shutter Type
Mechanical Focal Plane Shutter and Electronic Rolling Shutter
Shutter Speed
Electronic Shutter
1/16000 to 60 Seconds
Mechanical Shutter
1/8000 to 30 Seconds
Bulb/Time Mode
Bulb Mode
ISO/Gain Sensitivity
Native: 100 to 200,000
Metering Method
Center-Weighted Average, Highlight Weighted, Multi-Zone, Spot
Exposure Modes
Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Exposure Compensation
-3 to +3 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
White Balance
Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (Cool White), Fluorescent (Warm White), Manual, Shade, Tungsten
Continuous Shooting
Up to 30 fps at Maximum Resolution
Interval Recording
Yes
Self-Timer
2/6/12/30-Second Delay
Still Image Capture
Aspect Ratio
3:2, 16:9, 17:9
Image File Format
DNG, JPEG
Bit Depth
14-Bit
Video Capture
Internal Recording
H.265 Long GOP/MOV 4:2:0 10-Bit
5952 x 3968 at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97 fps (200 Mb/s)
5888 x 3312 at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97 fps (200 Mb/s)
5952 x 3136 at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97 fps (200 Mb/s)
4096 x 2160 at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97/47.95/48.00/50/59.94 fps (400 to 800 Mb/s)
Raw 10-Bit
5888 x 3312 at 23.98/25/29.97 fps
4128 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps
ProRes 4:2:2
5792 x 3056 at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97 fps (1551 to 1944 Mb/s)
4096 x 2160 at 25/29.97/50/59.94 fps (811 to 1944 Mb/s)
1920 x 1080PsF at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps (181 to 454 Mb/s)
H.264/H.265 Long GOP/MP4 4:2:0 8/10-Bit
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps (100 Mb/s)
1920 x 1080PsF at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps (28 to 100 Mb/s)
H.264 ALL-Intra 4:2:2 10-Bit
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97/47.95/48.00/50/59.94 fps (400 to 800 Mb/s)
1920 x 1080PsF at 23.98/24.00/25/29.97/47.95/48.00/50/59.94/100 fps (200 to 400 Mb/s)
H.265 Long GOP 4:2:0 10-Bit
1920 x 1080PsF at 25/29.97 fps (100 Mb/s)
Video Output
Raw 10-Bit
5888 x 3312 at 23.98/25/29.97 fps
3536 x 2656 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps*
4128 x 2176 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps*
*Sensor Crops During Output
Fast-/Slow-Motion Support
Slow-Motion Only
Gamma Curve
Rec709, Rec2020
Recording Limit
No
IP Streaming
No
Built-In Microphone
Stereo
Audio Recording
AAC Audio
LPCM Audio
Interface
Media/Memory Card Slot
Slot 1: CFexpress Type B
Slot 2: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Internal Storage
No
Video I/O
1x HDMI Output
Audio I/O
1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRRS Headphone/Microphone Input/Output
Power I/O
1x USB-C Input/Output
Other I/O
1x USB-C 3.1/3.2 Gen 2 (Data) Output (Shared with Power Input)
Wireless
Wi-Fi
Mobile App Compatible
Yes: Android & iOS
App Name: Leica FOTOS App
Global Positioning (GPS, GLONASS, etc.)
GPS
*Via Connected Smartphone
Monitor
Display Type
Tilting 3.2" Touchscreen LCD
Resolution
2,332,800 Dot
Viewfinder
Type
Electronic (OLED)
Resolution
5,760,000 Dot
Eye Point
21 mm
Coverage
100%
Magnification
Approx. 0.76x
Diopter Adjustment
-4 to +2
Focus
Focus Type
Auto and Manual Focus
Focus Mode
Automatic
Autofocus Points
Photo
Contrast Detection: 315
Photo
Phase Detection: 779
Flash
Built-In Flash/Light
No
Maximum Sync Speed
1/200 Second
Flash Compensation
-2 to +2 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
Dedicated Flash System
TTL
Non-Shoe Flash Connection
No
General
Battery
1x Leica BP-SCL6 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 7.2 VDC, 2200 mAh (Included)
 • Approx. 315 Shots
Shoe Mount
1x Hot Shoe
Tripod Mount
1x 1/4"-20 Female (Bottom)
Accessory Mounting Thread
1x 1/4"-20 on Camera Body
Materials
Aluminum, Magnesium Alloy
Operating Conditions
14 to 104°F / -10 to 40°C
Dimensions (W x H x D)
5.6 x 4.3 x 3.3" / 141.2 x 108 x 82.7 mm
Weight
1.7 lb / 768 g (Body Only)
1.9 lb / 0.9 kg (With Battery)
Packaging Info
Package Weight
4.885 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
10.6 x 7.8 x 6.6"

Leica SL3-S Reviews

My work horse

By Albert
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2026-03-24

I always loved Leica cameras. But I also own a Canon R5 kit because Leica is never fast enough for me for a hired shoot. After I received this camera, I was confident enough to sell my R5 kit and go all in with L mount. First the pros. Improved focus speed. Fast for Leica, not as fast as Sony and Canon, but enough for me. Incredible transfer speed to phone. JPEG to phone is almost instant. Mind blowing fast compare to SL2 or even R5. Image quality is fine for a 24mp camera. Now some cons. Performance varies depends on the lens. I find the 24-70 is rock solid, 35 APO, 50 Lux, and 90 APO is decent. The sigma 135 1.4 struggles at times. They eye autofocus does not kick in reliably, usually I have to move the joystick to the face then the green squares for eyes pop up, especially in half body and full body shots. It's better with close up portraits.. Canon and Sony is automatic every single time. I am wiling to take the cons for using the incredible Leica lenses, and mostly good image quality. In the future I hope Leica can make their high mp sensor work as well as Sony and Canon.

So Good And So Frustrating

By Chris
Rated 3 out of 5
Date: 2025-11-27

This Is My 2nd Leica Purchase, Having Fell In Love With The Leica Q3 And I Was Very Excited To Move Into The SL Line, Coming From Lumix Cameras. There Are So Many Things I Love About This Camera Already. The Ergonomics Are Wonderful, Even Though It’s A Bit Heavy Compared To The Plasticky Bodies Of The Lumix S5IIX And S1IIE. I Love The Way It Feels In My Hand, Like I’m Wielding A Well-crafted Tool Made Of The Finest Materials. The Images I’ve Taken So Far Are Sublime, Giving Me That Sharp-but-not-overly-sharpened Look With Good Natural Falloff. But There Have Been Some Frustrations. I’m Running On The Very Latest Firmware And The Camera Has Locked Up On Me Several Times. I’ve Only Had The Camera For About 10 Days And I Feel Like It Locked Up On Me At Least 10 Times, Twice This Morning When I Was Shooting The Denver Skyline. That’s Way Too Many Freezes For This Much Money. The Camera Will Report An Error About The Lexar Pro CFe Card But Then Go Right Back To Normal. It Has Me On Pins And Needles Whether It’s Going To Corrupt On Me Or Not. And Then There’s Just The Frustration Of Having A Hybrid Camera With No Way To Do Video Of Yourself Without Rigging Something Up Like Connecting Your Phone To The Camera, Just To See Yourself. But Worse, Even When You Do Use An External Monitor Of Any Kind, It Doesn’t Have Any Way To Show The All The Information From The Back LCD To The Monitor. This Means You Can’t See Your Framelines, You Can’t See The Info Bars. The Only Real Way To Do Meaningful Video On This Camera Is From Behind The Camera, Which Isn’t What I Need. I’m On The Fence About Keeping It. I Love The Photography. But I Don’t Think I’m Willing To Part With This Much Money And Have These Kinds Of Problems.

See any errors on this page?

Can this camera be used with all of the lenses ...

Can this camera be used with all of the lenses for the m series cameras?
Asked by: daniel
Yes, if you use the Leica M-Adapter L, you can adapt Leica M series lenses to Leica SL series cameras such as the Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera.
Answered by: Ejona G
Date published: 2025-01-19

native iso?

native iso?
Asked by: VICTOR
According to the manufacturer, the native base ISO for the Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera would be ISO 100.
Answered by: Manzell L
Date published: 2025-03-05

greetings is 12 bit external video open gate?

greetings is 12 bit external video open gate?
Asked by: Joshua
When selecting RAW 12bit Video recording via HDMI on the Leica SL3-S, the output is 16:9: 5888x3312.
Answered by: Richard
Date published: 2025-01-18

What is the largest SD card capacity that will ...

What is the largest SD card capacity that will work in this camera?
Asked by: Emily
2TB is the largest capacity SD, SSD or CF Express card that can be used in the SL3 and SL3-S.
Answered by: Richard
Date published: 2025-02-10

My new SL3s arrived today, without a flash sync ...

My new SL3s arrived today, without a flash sync cover. Does the camera retain its IP54 ratings without this part?
Asked by: Ralph
Yes, the Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera maintains the IP54 certification for dust and splash protection even without a flash sync cap. And based on the user manual, a PC sync cap is not included with the camera.
Answered by: Dan W
Date published: 2025-08-06

Will the Leica SL3-S offer an added battery grip?

Will the Leica SL3-S offer an added battery grip?
Asked by: Ronald C
Leica HG-SCL7 Multifunctional Handgrip BH #LEMHHGSCL7 is the only grip currently available that will work for for the Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera. .
Answered by: Jessica G
Date published: 2025-01-21

Greetings. Does the SL3s have the Arri Log C ...

Greetings. Does the SL3s have the Arri Log C upgrade like the Panasonic S1II?
Asked by: Joshua
The Leica SL3 supports L-Log and HLG Log only and does not support ARRI Log C.
Answered by: Richard
Date published: 2025-07-01

Can you record 12 bit to an ssd via the usbc?

Can you record 12 bit to an ssd via the usbc?
Asked by: Joshua
Unfortunately, 12 bit can only be recorded externally via an HDMI cable and an external recorder with the Leica SL3-S Mirrorless Camera.
Answered by: Daniel C
Date published: 2025-11-05
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