Leica’s SL3-S is its newest camera, an upgrade of its pro-grade full-frame system

Leica announces its newest full-frame system camera, the SL3-S. It’s been nearly a decade since Leica Camera launched the SL-System, a full-frame digital SLR camera system that went head to head with the established players in the pro photography arena. The Leica SL3 was introduced in spring 2024; the company has now given it a new upgrade to create the SL3-S.

The SL series was aimed at photographers and videographers from the outset, and this functionality has been enhanced with the new camera. Speed and versatility are of paramount importance, with two different kinds of memory card slots, HMDI 2.1 output, connectivity to external hard drives and power supplies via USB, and built-in compatibility and connectivity with Apple products. Later this year, Leica promises to add a link to the Adobe frame.io cloud.

Image stabilisation is joined by a new autofocus system, and the SL3-S can shoot at up to 30 frames a second – the ‘fastest Leica system camera ever built’. Other innovations include the ability to digitally sign metadata to track any image manipulation.

Video recording can be undertaken at up to 6K resolution, with pro-grade timecode synchronisation. The viewfinder uses Leica’s EyeRes technology, with a frame rate of 120fps. In addition to the camera’s physical controls, the 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen provides direct access to the interface.

The sensor is new and offers a 24-megapixel native resolution, alongside 48- and 96-megapixel multi-shot modes. The L-Mount system provides full compatibility with all Leica lenses, as well as third-party suppliers and adapters provide access to Cine-specific lenses, which are catered for by the SL3-S’s software.

Leica SL3-S, £4,500 / €5,190 / $5,295, Leica-camera.com, @Leica_camera