The SL2-S is a very capable
hybrid mirrorless camera straight out of the box, and it’ll be even better when its first firmware upgrade arrives. This will add many extra video goodies than it does photographic ones.
The full sensor (at 6072x4056 pixels) is used with oversampling for C4K and UHD recording at 24, 25 or 30fps with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour and All-Intra compression, giving a bit rate of 400 Mbps. Both C4K or UHD at 50/60p can be recorded internally, but with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour and the Super 35/APS-C crop (along with a 1.5x increase in the effective focal length). A 10-bit 4:2:2 50/60p output is available via HDMI, but still with the crop. Full HD recording options include frame rates at up to 150fps for
PAL and 180fps for NTSC, enabling super slow-mo effects when output at 24fps.
Recording durations are unlimited beyond the storage capacity of the memory cards or the external recorder. For 4K UHD and FHD, there’s the choice of the MOV or MP4 codecs – the latter wedded to Long GOP interframe compression to give more manageable file sizes – with the more efficient H.265 HEVC coming with the firmware upgrade that will enable internal 4K recording at 50/60p with 10bit colour. The upgrade will also add a waveform monitor (which is essentially the video equivalent of a real-time histogram), colour bars and segmented recording to join the existing zebra pattern (with an adjustable threshold) and time code with free-run and rec-run modes. The SL2-S also has the L-Log and HLG gamma profiles straight out of the box, and you can also apply any of the five Film Style settings. For L-Log shooting, LUTs will be added with the upgrade, providing Natural and Classic options (the latter mimicking the look of Kodachrome) and adjusting the displays accordingly so you can see exactly what the footage will look like. There’s a choice of videospecific aspect ratios – 1.33:1 (a.k.a. 4:3), 1.66:1, 1.78:1 (16:9), 1.85:1, 2.35:1 and 2.40:1 – and, in fact, when switched to video, the SL2-S provides scope for a complete different setup to when it’s in photo mode. Additionally, switching from photo to video, changes the exposure settings in the main display and the EVF. The ISO becomes ASA, the shutter speed is marked in degrees (as it would be with a rotary disk shutter) and f-stops are replaced by T-stops, which are more relevant to cinematographers because they indicate the actual amount of light being transmitted by the lens (rather than a mathematic equation based on the focal length).
Continuous AF with subject tracking is available with adjustments for sensitivity, speed and the tracking start position (which includes the last start position). The face/body detection tracking is available, but not object detection and, presumably, eye and head detection will be added with the upgrade. Follow focus will be certainly among the added features.
On the audio side, the SL2-S has built-in stereo microphones with auto/manual levels control, a gain adjustment (from -10 to +6.0 dB) and a wind-cut filter. There’s a stereo audio input and an output for headphones, both 3.5mm minijack connections.