Leica S3 PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Leica S3? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Leica makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the S3 offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Leica S3 below.
In any case, the S3 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was announced on September 25th, 2018, which means that, as of today, the camera is 2064 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued, but there has not been a direct replacement model for the S3 from Leica.
Leica's instruction manual for the S3
The camera's instruction manual is 72 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the S3 is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Leica S3 manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Leica's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Leica S3 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Leica S3
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your S3 by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Leica S3 is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Leica S3 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the S3.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Leica S3 based on?
The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Leica S3 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Leica equipped the S3 with the Maestro II image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Leica S3?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Leica S3?
Leica does not publish a shutter rating for the S3. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Leica S3?
The S3 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Leica S3 for flash photography?
The S3's flash sync speed is 1/125 sec.
Does the Leica S3 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-II cards (data transfer speed of up to 312 MB/s).
Which battery does the Leica S3 use?
The camera gets its power from the Leica BP-PRO1 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Leica S3?
Yes, Leica offers the Multi-Function Handgrip S as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Does the Leica S3 support geotagging?
The S3 has a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) module and can embed location information in the EXIF data of the captured image.
Further reading
How does the S3 stack up against available alternatives? If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 1000D vs Leica S3
- Canon 1D Mark IV vs Leica S3
- Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony A9 II
- Canon T100 vs Sony A9 II
- Fujifilm X-Pro3 vs Sony A9 II
- Leica S3 vs Nikon D500
- Leica S3 vs Panasonic G90
- Leica S3 vs Panasonic GF6
- Leica S3 vs Pentax K-50
- Nikon P950 vs Sony A9 II
- Olympus Stylus 1 vs Sony A9 II
- Panasonic GX800 vs Sony A9 II
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Leica S3.
Camera Model | Leica S3 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Leica S mount lenses | |
Launch Date | September 2018 | |
Launch Price | USD 18 999 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Medium Format Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 45.0 x 30.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 1 350 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 54.1 mm | |
Crop Factor | 0.8x | |
Sensor Resolution | 64 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 9 800 x 6 533 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 4.59 μm | |
Pixel Density | 4.74 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 4K/24p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 50 000 ISO | |
Image Processor | Maestro II | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 98% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.87x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 922k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | CF or SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
UHS card support | UHS-II | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 3.0 | |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Leica BP-PRO1 power pack | |
Body Dimensions |
160 x 120 x 80 mm (6.3 x 4.7 x 3.1 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 1 260 g (44.4 oz) |
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