GoKawiilThe SL3-P is Leica's latest addition to its interchangeable lens mirrorless camera lineup and I've been able to spend some time testing it. Sitting right in between its siblings, the SL3 and the SL3-S, the P version is best thought of as the Goldilocks of the range, offering better specs than the entry level S model, but at a more palatable price than the flagship SL3 -- despite having higher specs in some areas. It packs a 44-megapixel full-frame image sensor, offers 40 frames per second raw shooting, phase detection autofocus (with subject tracking) and advanced video skills including 8K open gate recording and Apple ProRes codec support.
As with any Leica it comes with a pretty hefty price tag attached. It'll set you back £5,150, which sits neatly between the £4,500 of the SL3-S and the £5,920 of the SL3. US prices aren't known at the time of writing but for reference that UK price converts to roughly $8,090.
I was lucky enough to get hold a model ahead of its launch, along with a 28-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens, both of which I took away with me on a photography trip to the Scottish island of Mull. Here's a selection of my favorite example photos from the Leica SL3-P. Note that all images were taken in raw and have been edited in Adobe Lightroom. You can click each image to see larger versions.
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For my first image I wanted to take advantage of the camera's in-body image stabilization which can let you take slow shutter images without needing a tripod. I took this at about half a second in order to blur the motion of the water and ordinarily I'd require the camera securely locked on a tripod to avoid the whole image being blurred due to the camera movement. The built-in stabilization has done a great job here, capturing crisp details on the static parts of the scene and turning that water into silky smooth ribbons.
Enlarge Image Andrew Lanxon/CNET
A more tranquil scene here. The camera offers around 15 stops of dynamic range which has been helpful here in capturing a balanced image with subtle tonal gradations from the darker parts of the scene to the bright clouds. I've done little to the edit here, instead wanting to maintain a natural look that complements the soft feel of the scene.
Enlarge Image Andrew Lanxon/CNET
I took this image of this cute dog at the full 70mm end of the zoom lens I was using -- plus I cropped a bit more in post. It's pin-sharp though and I loved being able to shoot in aperture priority mode here to quickly get the snap when the moment happened.
Enlarge Image Andrew Lanxon/CNET
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