The Leica SL2-S (RM21,600) has all the robust feel of the SL2 that was released last year and handles near-identically as well – but in terms of function, has very much its own niche. Equipped with a 24-megapixel back-illuminated sensor, it trades sheer resolution (the SL2 has a 47.3-megapixel sensor, by comparison) for speed, versatility, and video capabilities – and an incredible low-light performance of up to ISO 100,000.
It shoots at up to 25 frames per second, which makes the generous four-gigabyte internal buffer especially useful. It has no hard limit to video filming time and is therefore limited only by the capacity of its two SD cards. Its casing has an IP54 protection rating, making it highly dust- and water-resistant; the latter is particularly attractive to those who have rainy or maritime ambitions. The SL2-S is also the first SL model that can be integrated with Capture One, the industry standard software, for tethered shooting.
Leica has already committed to a year’s worth of firmware updates which will primarily further enhance its video capabilities – including the planned support of internal 10-bit 4K recording at 60p with more efficient compression.
