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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.

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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 2030 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued, but there has not been a direct replacement model for the S3 from Leica.

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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.

Download the Manual

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.

amazon.com ebay.com

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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.

Find S3 guide book at
amazon.com

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.

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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.

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    Core camera specifications

    Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Leica S3.

    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Leica S3
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Leica S mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2018
    Launch Price USD 18 995
    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 AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno 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 SealingWeathersealed 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)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

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