The Leica SL: the new AF Leica

24-90mm range for the zoom lens makes it seem credible.

I don't know of any modern zoom lens from others that ends at 90mm.
 
Leica sticker on a sony ?

Actually it does have a few cleaner lines but still,.. Looks very a7-esq.
this is probably it. That's a bit disapointing if you only like the word hump when it's a verb !:D
 
Where are the aperture rings on those lenses? :eek:


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f16sunshine said:
Leica sticker on a sony ?

Actually it does have a few cleaner lines but still,.. Looks very a7-esq.
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I don't think it really looks that similar to the Sony cameras. It looks much cleaner and considerably bigger.

At this point the only thing I am interested hearing about is performance with M lenses. If the performance is great, I will have to look more into this new system. If it isn't, I have zero interest as a potential user.
 
LOL.

That's even worse than I expected.

I hope it turns out to be a joke. Actually the whole concept is a joke to me.
 
I think Leica needed one of these in its boutique shops. It will sell well there to vacation photographers who like labels and don't know much about cameras. The M, X, and Q are a hard sell to those types and the zoom P&S models just aren't cutting it due to the lack of luxuriousness (i.e. rebadged).
 
jsrockit said:
I think Leica needed one of these in its boutique shops. It will sell well there to vacation photographers who like labels and don't know much about cameras. The M, X, and Q are a hard sell to those types and the zoom P&S models just aren't cutting it due to the lack of luxuriousness (i.e. rebadged).
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Good point.
Many buyers don't have a clue beyond the name (nor need one the name does mean fine optic heritage).
The purchase is just a "feel good" on vacation while they buy their wives jewelry.
My first M8 came from a buyer exactly like that. He bought the camera and 3 new Leica Lenses while on a cruise in '07. I bought it all from him in '08 for $7500. The card was still in the camera with his test shots in the shop and a few mostly out of focus pics of his trip :p
I Went up $3000 on that purchase after selling the lenses I did not need.

The thing about this theory is.... how can Leica capitalize from impulse buyers when they have months long waiting lists ?
 
I'm kinda surprised at how negative y'all's reactions are. It looks to me like a promising full-frame mirrorless, to compete with Sony...a successor to the R, not the M. It looks a little utilitarian, to be sure, but it wasn't so long ago everyone was talking about how ugly and minivan-like DSLRs were?

I'd bet on a mirrorless EVF M body in the Q style before too long.
 
I'm not sure what all the grousing is about. Although whenever Leica announces new products all the enthusiast forums are full of complaints and grousing.

This SL system seems best characterized as a replacement for the R system. The name is based on the Leicaflex SL, which was Leica's second generation SLR camera. It's not a replacement for the M system, or Q, or X, or X Vario. It will likely kill the T system although the rumored body price point is substantially higher than the T body.

The shape is reminiscent of the Leicaflex SL and R3 to R7 cameras .. a little blocky but with simple shapes, simple controls. Having owned the A7 and disliked its cramped and clumsy little shelves, shapes, buttons, and other widgets, this appears on first glance to be a nice clean design with enough space for ease of control and good grip. The lenses also follow the Leica R model: simple design with good gripping surfaces for focus and zoom controls. Aperture moved to body control, the modern way.

Yes, it's an SLR shape ... it's an electronic SLR. There's a reason the classic SLR shape is what it is: it works for cameras that are designed to be used with a huge range of lenses but is biased for use with telephoto lenses. With a big long tele on the front of a camera, having the eyepiece centerline with the lens and lots of gripping space on either side makes for stability and easy handling. It also makes room for a big, bright, high resolution, fast EVF.

I can understand why rangefinder enthusiasts would not be overjoyed since they've already pigeonholed themselves as wanting rangefinders. But this SL seems rather unabashedly a replacement for Leica R SLR line, just like the Olympus E-M1 is for the pro-range of Olympus DSLRs. There's good mojo there.

I don't find it bad looking, but I'll need to see one in person to say how it feels in the hand. Of course, I generally look through a camera a lot more of the time than I spend looking at one.

G
 
And here is an official review from Kristian Dowling of the Leica SL (typ 601): http://kristiandowling.com/blog/2015/10/20/the-leica-sl-type-601-professional-mirrorless-camera

Key Features
Professional Mirrorless Camera.
Super fast autofocus speeds competing against the best Pro-SLR cameras.
Largest electronic viewfinder with 0.8x magnification, 100% view and 4.4 million pixels for incredible clarity. Also built in +2/–4 diopter compensation
100%, 1.04 MP, 2.95" touchscreen display
Fastest burst rate of 11 frames per second with high resolution 24MP CMOS Sensor
Fastest SD card standard UHS II, unlimited sequential shooting at
24MP and 11fps in JPEG format
Highest video quality: 4k Super: 35/24fps, 4k UHD: 30fps, or FHD: 120fps, Move/MP4 format
Professional L-Log gamma selectable
10-bit HDMI video output
Low ISO 50 to Max ISO 50,000
Pro shutter range from 1/8000sec to 30sec.
Strong aluminium body that is dust, moisture and splash resistant – lenses included
Three main lenses announced at launch
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24–90 mm f/2.8–4 ASPH
Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90–280 mm f/2.8–4
Leica Summilux-SL 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH
SL-Lenses with AquaDura coating
Leica T lenses can be used as the mount is the same. Any other lenses including S, M and R can be used with an adapter.
Made in Germany
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My personal take: nice, but not really interesting for my use.
If they price this right so that it can actually compete financially with the A7RII then they might have a winner. If we're talking 2x or 3x the price for the A7RII and matching Zeiss lenses, then, well... Sadly, it won't stand a chance in the market, and will forever remain a niche product.
 
"body alone is priced at $7450, with its 24-90mm F2.8-4 'kit lens' costing another $4950" - can imagine reaction this will get here :D

looks bigger than A7 series, will be interesting to see them side by side.
 
I think that body will slot in very nicely with these lenses ...

​

Now the question of whether, and then when, remains. Not this year, for sure. Maybe not next year. But there's no rush.

G
 
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