Leica SL2 Leica SL2-S Mirrorless Digital Camera Review

So you're looking at a Leica. That means you're either a collector, a professional with deep pockets, or someone who values the 'feel' of a camera as much as the photos it takes. The SL2-S sits in a weird spot. It's not the megapixel monster like its SL2 sibling, but it's built around this new 24MP BSI sensor that's tuned for speed and low light. Think of it as Leica's answer to the 'do-everything' workhorse cameras from Sony and Canon, but wrapped in that unmistakable, minimalist metal body.

Who is this for? Honestly, it's a niche player. If you're a Leica shooter who wants better autofocus and burst speed than the M system, this is your ticket. Or maybe you're a hybrid shooter who loves the Leica color science and wants to use those gorgeous L-mount lenses for both photos and video. But with a price tag pushing $3,5k for just the body, you're paying a massive premium for the red dot.

What makes it interesting is that it feels like Leeca trying to play in the mainstream pro market. The 25fps electronic shutter burst is blistering, and that 4GB buffer is huge. It's got the specs on paper to handle sports or wildlife. But then you look at the percentile rankings, and the autofocus is in the 44th percentile. That tells you the specs might not tell the whole story. This is a camera of contradictions.

Let's talk about that burst speed. A 91st percentile ranking is no joke. Shooting at 25fps with the electronic shutter means you can absolutely nail the decisive moment in fast action. And with a 4GB buffer, you can hold the shutter down for a good long while before it slows down. That's a legit sports camera feature set. The trade-off? That's with the electronic shutter, which can introduce rolling shutter distortion. The 9fps mechanical shutter is still respectable, landing it well above average.

Now, the sensor scores in the 58th percentile. That's... fine. It's not class-leading, but this 24MP BSI chip is all about clean files at high ISO. Pushing to ISO 100,000 is more of a party trick than a daily driver, but it means you can shoot in near-darkness and still get a usable image. Where the performance story gets murky is autofocus. Scoring in the 44th percentile means it's likely behind the curve compared to the latest from Sony and Canon. For static portraits or landscapes, it's probably fine. For tracking a bird in flight or an athlete across a field, you might be doing more work than you would with a competitor.

Here's the brutal truth: the Leica SL2-S is a terrible value if you're just looking at specs per dollar. At $3,490, you're deep into Canon R6 Mark II or Sony A7 IV territory, both of which offer better autofocus, superior video, and in-body stabilization for about a thousand dollars less. You're paying a huge premium for the Leica name, the machining, and the color science.

That premium only makes sense if you're already invested in the L-mount ecosystem with Leica glass, or if the intangible 'feel' of using a Leica is worth that much money to you. For everyone else, it's hard to justify. You're buying an experience and a badge as much as a tool.

Stack it up against the Canon EOS R6 Mark II. The Canon matches or beats it in burst speed (40fps electronic), demolishes it in autofocus with best-in-class subject tracking, has incredible in-body stabilization, and is a far more capable video camera. And it's over $1,000 cheaper. The trade-off? You lose the Leica aesthetic and that particular rendering.

Then there's the Sony A7 IV. Another 33MP all-rounder that's a generation ahead in autofocus and video features, also with IBIS, also significantly cheaper. Even the Fujifilm X-S20, while APS-C, offers insane video specs, great autofocus, and IBIS in a tiny package for less than a third of the price. The Leica wins on pure tactile pleasure and burst buffer depth, but loses on practically every objective performance metric next to these rivals.

If you're a Leica devotee who needs more speed than an M camera and you have a cabinet full of L-mount lenses, the SL2-S is a compelling upgrade. It brings the system into the modern age for action shooting. The high ISO performance is stellar, and nothing else feels quite like it.

For everyone else, I can't recommend it. The autofocus isn't competitive for the price, the lack of stabilization is a real drawback, and the video features are an afterthought. You're better off with a Canon R6 II or Sony A7 IV, saving a bundle of cash, and putting that money towards incredible glass. The SL2-S is a beautiful, flawed, and extremely expensive specialist tool.