How many Megapixels does the Leica SL3 have?

The Leica SL3 is equipped with a a full frame sensor that offers an image resolution of 60.3 megapixels (MP), or 60.3 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 9 520 horizontal pixels and 6 336 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Leica SL3 can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 60.3 MP?

The maximum print size of the Leica SL3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 47.6 x 31.7 inches or 120.9 x 80.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 38.1 x 25.3 inches or 96.7 x 64.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 31.7 x 21.1 inches or 80.6 x 53.6 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Leica SL3 to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), 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.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
2.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
3.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
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.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
7.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
8.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
9.		Sony A1	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.9	14.5	3163	98
10.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
11.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the Leica SL3 was initially launched in March 2024 at a price of $6,999.

Check Leica SL3 price at
amazon.com

Camera to camera comparisons

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