Leica SL compared to others of its kind

[ernesto]

Hello,

I really love that Leica has released the SL. I wonder if there is any review, comparing to others competitors of its kind.
The first that I can recall is Sony A7 series, but really do not know if other brands have something similar.

Here is a photo comparison http://www.photographyblog.com/news/leica_sl_vs_sony_a7r_ii_side_by_side_comparison/
Here a partial comparison http://bokeh.digitalrev.com/article/leica-sl-vs-sony-a7r-ii
Here a rather strange comparison, since the Canon and Nikon are other kind of cameras, anyway here you are: https://www.ephotozine.com/article/...lpha-a7-mark-ii--canon-1dx---nikon-d4s--28318
Here a comparison of specs: http://cameradecision.com/compare/Leica-SL-vs-Sony-Alpha-7-II
Here size only: http://cameradecision.com/compare/Leica-SL-vs-Sony-Alpha-7-II

Yours

Ernesto

 

[bmattock]

I don't think there is anything similar yet, other than the aforementioned Sony A7. I'm sure there will be more competition in this space though.

It's a beautiful camera and astoundingly low-priced for what it is and carrying the Leica nameplate as well. Still utterly out of my budget, but I admire it.

I will probably buy a used first-gen A7 when my tax return shows up, mount my old Canon FL lenses, and have a blast.

That SL is a work of art though.

 

[jsrockit]

What other competitors? There are none... the A7 is not a competitor. You truly have to see the SL in person to understand why it is different from a Sony. And I like Sony.

 

[uhoh7]

What other competitors? There are none... the A7 is not a competitor. You truly have to see the SL in person to understand why it is different from a Sony. And I like Sony.

It's impossible not to compare the two cameras. That's how you understand the differences.

try this:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2015/11/30/leica-sl-camera-review-my-camera-of-the-year-2015/

These are the first two FF EVF based camera bodies, though the Sony has had a chance to evolve a little through various versions. The price seems to separate them, but the Sony is not cheap, costing more than a D810. Sony has been very polite in covering it's sensor in a way which precludes high performance with M glass. More than any other factor, this is what separates them on the ground. With a thin cover and some user programable lens corrections for RAW the A7r2 could easily shoot M glass very well. But Sony wants to sell lenses, and then end result is two very different "systems".

In one sense Sony greed is Leica good fortune, but not for lens sales. 😉

Hopefully somebody else will get a clue and take the best aspects of each and make the "interchangable Q" 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

It's impossible not to compare the two cameras.

Why? All you have to do is hold each of them in your hands to tell that they are in different classes.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

It seems to me these cameras are quite comparable: the first two examples of the genre of full-frame universal mirrorless bodies. The Leica is clearly a highly refined example of its kind, but it's still conceptually similar to the Sonys. I suspect Canon, Nikon, and maybe Pentax will eventually release their iterations on the concept, too.

It's the future, baby!! Which Leica, of all manufacturers, seems to be years out in front of, for the first time since, I dunno, 1954??

 

[bmattock]

It seems to me these cameras are quite comparable: the first two examples of the genre of full-frame universal mirrorless bodies. The Leica is clearly a highly refined example of its kind, but it's still conceptually similar to the Sonys. I suspect Canon, Nikon, and maybe Pentax will eventually release their iterations on the concept, too.

It's the future, baby!! Which Leica, of all manufacturers, seems to be years out in front of, for the first time since, I dunno, 1954??

I agree with your conclusions.

 

[ferider]

It's impossible not to compare the two cameras. That's how you understand the differences. try this: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2015/11/30/leica-sl-camera-review-my-camera-of-the-year-2015/ These are the first two FF EVF based camera bodies, though the Sony has had a chance to evolve a little through various versions. The price seems to separate them, but the Sony is not cheap, costing more than a D810. Sony has been very polite in covering it's sensor in a way which precludes high performance with M glass. More than any other factor, this is what separates them on the ground. With a thin cover and some user programable lens corrections for RAW the A7r2 could easily shoot M glass very well. But Sony wants to sell lenses, and then end result is two very different "systems". In one sense Sony greed is Leica good fortune, but not for lens sales. 😉 Hopefully somebody else will get a clue and take the best aspects of each and make the "interchangable Q" 🙂

You ignoring the 240 intentionally ?

 

[rbelyell]

they are both full frame, evf based, mirrorless, 20 something megapixel cameras. i'm not sure how much more in the weeds we can go to seperate them, so seems like the same 'class' to me.

 

[bmattock]

You ignoring the 240 intentionally ?

But it's not an evf, it's a true rangefinder in the classic sense. Very different I think. I see full fame evf more as the natural evolution of the slr than the rangefinder.

 

[jsrockit]

Ok, I'll concede. I'm obviously in the minority. My line of thinking is that there is huge size difference, haptics / ergonomic difference, and price difference. The Leica is the first (of many hopefully) mirrorless camera that is sized like a DSLR. That's why I feel it's in a class of its own and why I say you need to hold it in your hand. I like both cameras though.

 

[2WK]

Yes, not much similar besides the A7 series.
I played with the dpreview studio comparison tool and I compared raw and jpeg to A7ii, A7rii, D810, 645z, 5Diii, 5Diii, 5DSR.... it was funny because even the original 5Dmk2 from how many years ago appeared to destroy the SL in terms of resolution. Who knows what lenses are used in that comparison though.

I went and played with the camera at the Leica store and brought a memory card to check the files later. It really is a gorgeous camera. I'm not especially fond of the design...it is quite huge with the native zooms and M lenses do look a bit to small on it. But it handles nice and it is very snappy in performance and very easy to manually focus with that EVF.
Files are really nice. I mainly played with my 50 Summilux ASPH which renders amazing on the SL....but the 24-90 (?) is a fantastic lens. Super sharp.

I would buy it if it could tether with Capture One. I wish more camera companies realized this and made a deal with them to allow tethering and functionality.

 

[taemo]

Ok, I'll concede. I'm obviously in the minority. My line of thinking is that there is huge size difference, haptics / ergonomic difference, and price difference. The Leica is the first (of many hopefully) mirrorless cameras that is sized like a DSLR. That's why I feel it's in a class of its own and why I say you need to hold it in your hand. I like both cameras though.

by that logic, wouldnt the Sony a99 be the first mirrorless camera sized as a DSLR?
it shouldnt really be considered DSLR as it doesnt have a reflex mirror, however it only takes A mount lenses

 

[bmattock]

Ok, I'll concede. I'm obviously in the minority. My line of thinking is that there is huge size difference, haptics / ergonomic difference, and price difference. The Leica is the first (of many hopefully) mirrorless camera that is sized like a DSLR. That's why I feel it's in a class of its own and why I say you need to hold it in your hand. I like both cameras though.

I am guessing but I think leica is aiming at the a7 market. As noted, they have a ff digital rf already. They've run similar experiments before, pns cameras, the modul r, etc. They seem to have exerted huge effort on this on though. Really taking that presumed market seriously. Just my 2 cents,

 

[YYV_146]

What other competitors? There are none... the A7 is not a competitor. You truly have to see the SL in person to understand why it is different from a Sony. And I like Sony.

Why is it different from, say, an A7rII?

Deliberately omitting half the dials and putting in a bigger EVF doesn't automatically put it in a different class.

I like Leica, but if the best they can do in a regular mirrorless form is a reinforced, oversized A7 with one currently available native lens (and no others until Q3 2016), a massive standard zoom no less, they need to up their game.

The EVF is great, though. I wish my A7rII had the same amount of eye relief.

 

[Addy101]

These are the first two FF EVF based camera bodies, though the Sony has had a chance to evolve a little through various versions.

Ehm, Sony A99? If you make the EVF the important bit, the Sony A99 needs a mentioning.

Re. competition or no competition - it all depends on what you want to use it for and how important build quality is. For some there might be no competition because of build quality, for some others because of price. But if it is a tool to do something specific, any other camera that can do that job just as well will be competition.

Basically it is useless to say this or that camera is or isn't competition.

 

[jsrockit]

Why is it different from, say, an A7rII?

It's twice the size...

 

[jsrockit]

I am guessing but I think leica is aiming at the a7 market. As noted, they have a ff digital rf already. They've run similar experiments before, pns cameras, the modul r, etc.

I was told, by the Leica store in Soho, that Leica was aiming at DSLRs. They might not know everything regarding Leica's thought process, but they probably know more than me.

 

[bmattock]

I was told, by the Leica store in Soho, that Leica was aiming at DSLRs. They might not know everything regarding Leica's thought process, but they probably know more than me.

Seems reasonable in the sense that the a7 is aimed at the dslr. As in disrupt the market (gate that phrase, but it appropriate here) and steal sales from those who might otherwise buy a dslr. Consider even the name, the SL. What else was called that. 😉

 

[jsrockit]

by that logic, wouldnt the Sony a99 be the first mirrorless camera sized as a DSLR?
it shouldnt really be considered DSLR as it doesnt have a reflex mirror, however it only takes A mount lenses

I'll be honest, I wasn't aware that the A99 was mirrorless. Looks like the real SL competitor to me...