How much dynamic range does the Leica SL2-S offer?
According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Leica SL2-S provides a maximum of 14.1 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.
High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.
Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Leica SL2-S to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Leica SL2-S | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.2 | 14.1 | 3504 | 95 | |
| 2. | Canon R3 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/60p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 4086 | 96 | |
| 3. | Canon R6 | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4k/60p | 24.2 | 14.3 | 3394 | 90 | |
| 4. | Leica SL | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 13.4 | 1821 | 88 | |
| 5. | Leica SL2 | Full Frame | 46.7 | 8368 | 5584 | 4K/60p | 25.3 | 14.3 | 2866 | 95 | |
| 6. | Panasonic S1 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.2 | 14.5 | 3333 | 95 | |
| 7. | Panasonic S1H | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.2 | 14.2 | 2805 | 94 | |
| 8. | Panasonic S1R | Full Frame | 46.7 | 8368 | 5584 | 4K/60p | 26.4 | 14.1 | 3525 | 100 | |
| 9. | Panasonic S5 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.1 | 14.5 | 2697 | 94 | |
| 10. | Sony A7C | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3407 | 95 | |
| 11. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 | |
| Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. | |||||||||||
In the United States, the Leica SL2-S was initially launched in December 2020 at a price of $4,895.
Check Leica SL2-S price at
amazon.com
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 1D vs Nikon Z6
- Canon 850D vs Leica SL2-S
- Canon T8i vs Leica SL2-S
- Fujifilm XQ1 vs Nikon Z6
- Leica SL2-S vs Olympus E-M1X
- Leica SL2-S vs Panasonic FZ1000 II
- Leica SL2-S vs Sony A7C
- Leica SL2-S vs Sony ZV-E10
- Nikon Z6 vs Olympus E-M5 III
- Nikon Z6 vs Olympus E-PL1
- Nikon Z6 vs Pentax K-30
- Nikon Z6 vs Sony A99 II
| Camera Model | Leica SL2-S | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
| Camera Lens | Leica L mount lenses | |
| Launch Date | December 2020 | |
| Launch Price | USD 4 895 | |
| Sensor Specs | ||
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
| Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
| Sensor Size | 36.0 x 24.0 mm | |
| Sensor Area | 864 mm2 | |
| Sensor Diagonal | 43.3 mm | |
| Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
| Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
| Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
| Pixel Pitch | 6.00 μm | |
| Pixel Density | 2.78 MP/cm2 | |
| Moiré control | no AA filter | |
| Movie Capability | 4K/60p Video | |
| ISO Setting | 100 - 50 000 ISO | |
| ISO Boost | 50 - 100 000 ISO | |
| Image Processor | Maestro III | |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 95 | |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 25.2 | |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.1 | |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 3504 | |
| Screen Specs | ||
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 5760k dots | |
| Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | |
| LCD Size | 3.2 inch | |
| LCD Resolution | 2100k dots | |
| LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
| Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
| Shooting Specs | ||
| Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | |
| Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
| Continuous Shooting | 20 shutter flaps/s | |
| Silent Shooting | Electronic Shutter | |
| Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
| Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
| Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
| UHS card support | Dual UHS-II | |
| Connectivity Specs | ||
| External Flash | Hotshoe | |
| USB Connector | USB 3.2 | |
| HDMI Port | full HDMI | |
| Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
| Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
| Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
| Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
| Body Specs | ||
| Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
| Battery Type | Leica BP-SCL4 power pack | |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 510 shots per charge | |
| In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
| Body Dimensions |
146 x 107 x 83 mm (5.7 x 4.2 x 3.3 in) |
|
| Camera Weight | 931 g (32.8 oz) | |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.
You are here: Home » Leica SL2-S Review » Leica SL2-S Dynamic Range