Leica SL2-S

At nearly £4K the SL2-S is not a cheap camera… but since the nights out have tailed off, perhaps it’s the perfect companion to bubble with

At four grand, is this a likely Leica?

£3975 (body only) / stuff.tv/sl2s It feels like a welcome bonus on a Huawei phone, but nobody buys a ‘proper’ Leica camera without very careful consideration.

Being engineered to the highest standards is a given, but you also get the impression that each one has been crafted with the luxury of giving little or no thought to the cost.

The SL2-S is being pitched as an alternative to the SL2, the key difference being a new 24MP full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor instead of the SL2’S mammoth 47MP one… and with it comes a slightly less scary price.

Whether you’re looking for an entry into L-mount lenses or just don’t want to deal with colossal files, the SL2-S is a tempting proposition – and with the latest firmware updates it gives the SL2 a run for its £5300 of money on video and light sensitivity.

So, bringing a new meaning to ‘neighbourhood watch’, we spent a week swinging it around on our daily lockdown walks.

Leica rolling stone

Made in Germany, this is an angular, imposing solid block of metal that’s seriously chunky and weighty at almost 1kg (1). It’s actually a pinch heavier than the larger-sensored SL2, has an IP54 waterproof rating, and feels more like a pro DSLR as opposed to a full-frame mirrorless.

This is what it feels Leic

The lovely textured grip would make it possible to hold this camera one-handed if it weren’t for the heavy lenses, and that same mesh-like texture (2) runs across the entire body. There are three buttons devoid of markings, which is a little intimidating but good for stylish minimalism.

I Leic the way you move

With no mode dial on top, you press a rear one inwards to switch between modes. There’s a joystick (3), which is a stretch for small hands but a huge asset. Throw in a 3.5mm mic socket, HDMI port, USB-C charging port and two SD card slots, and that’s a well-connected bit of kit.