Leica SL2: Hands-On Preview

The Leica SL2 is the company’s first new L-mount camera since it announced a partnership with Sigma and Panasonic to leverage the existing lens mount a little over a year ago.

- Jim Fisher

Its aesthetics don’t stray too far from the original SL, but just about everything else is new. Leica has added stabilization to the sensor, upped the video tools significantly, and improved weather protection. I’ve been using a pre-production SL2 for a few weeks and have some first impressions to share.

CLASSIC LOOKS

The SL2’s basic silhouette isn’t that much different than that of the SL. Lines are rather stark, highlighted by the angular hump on the top, which houses the electronic viewfinder. The Leica logo is printed on it in block letters, matching the look of the R3, a 35mm SLR introduced in the 1970s.

The original SL was very stark—it looked like a camera straight out of the Bauhaus school of design. The SL2 certainly adheres to the form-follows-function design philosophy, but it has a bit more character. Despite drawing inspiration from a classic camera, the SL2 is all modern inside and out. The chassis is magnesium covered with leatherette, with an aluminum top plate finished in matte black.

Leica’s design team went the extra distance with making the camera rugged and resistant to the elements: It has an IP54 rating, so it’s protected from dust and splashing water.

The grip is a step up from the SL. It’s got an angle to the top, so the shutter release falls more naturally under your index finger, and there’s an indentation on its interior so your other fingers can more firmly grasp the camera. Finally, the material around the grip has a bit of elastic give, which improves comfort.

I’d still pair the SL2 with a cross-body strap—it’s not a light camera, clocking in at 2.1 pounds before you add a lens. It measures 4.1 by 5.8 by 3.1 inches (HWD), a little larger all around than others in its class, such as the Sony a7R IV (3.8 by 5.1 by 3.1 inches).