Again and again I find myself dreaming of a Leica camera
Not sure, if this is by any means a rational dream, however, well, it comes coming up again and again
So I am wondering, instead of going all in and buying a SL3 for far too much money (at least in my case), I could start of by buying a Leica SL2–S (used around 2500-3000 Euro) or a new Pansonic S5 II (new 1600 Euro) and add one SL glas, either the SL 90 (used) or den SL 50 ASPH (new?).
Which camera would you pick for what reason? I once held a Leica SL2 in my hands (just briefly) and I didn‘t really like its ergonomics, too large etc. Not sure if I ever had a chance to hold a S5 II, but I assume, just from looking at it I could assume that it my feel better in my hands. However, it‘s not a Leica!
I just want to try the system for some time and in case I don‘t fall in love with it sell it again, so that‘s why I don‘t want to invest too much.
Can one feel the Leica magic when shooting with a Panasonic camera? Can it ignite the fire?
Which one would you recommend in my case? Since I predominantly shoot portraits (rather casual ones), a (well) working eye AF would be nice.
My current camera is a Sony A7III and I still can live with its af (and eye af). So if the SL2-S is equally good as my Sony A7III, it might be an easier choice. What do you think?
A lot of people are speculating that Panasonic will release the S5 III (or S5R) pretty soon, or the S1R mk2, now that the Leica SL3 is out, so it might be worth waiting a few months to see if that speculation proves true. You'd still be spending less than you would on an SL3 and maybe an SL2 as well.
I have owned both Leica and Panasonic L-mount camera bodies. For me, they are completely different experiences. Panasonic cameras, while excellent in their own right, do not feel the same as Leica. They handle differently and the menu systems are drastically different. Leica's menu system is streamlined and not complex. Panasonic (this is from the S1R that I owned) is far more extensive and (for me) difficult to navigate. I also found that the images had different renderings (SL2 vs S1R) with both being excellent, just different.
For a Leica shooting experience, I would choose a Leica camera. If you are more interested in the performance and rendering coming from Leica lenses, then you will get excellent results with either brand.
Other people may have opinions different than mine, but for me, I absolutely did not feel the Leica magic when shooting with the Panasonic body. While the S1R produced stunning images, it just was not an enjoyable camera for me to use (in part because it was too large for my hands to work comfortably).
zeitlos wrote:
Again and again I find myself dreaming of a Leica camera
Not sure, if this is by any means a rational dream, however, well, it comes coming up again and again
So I am wondering, instead of going all in and buying a SL3 for far too much money (at least in my case), I could start of by buying a Leica SL2–S (used around 2500-3000 Euro) or a new Pansonic S5 II (new 1600 Euro) and add one SL glas, either the SL 90 (used) or den SL 50 ASPH (new?).
Which camera would you pick for what reason? I once held a Leica SL2 in my hands (just briefly) and I didn‘t really like its ergonomics, too large etc. Not sure if I ever had a chance to hold a S5 II, but I assume, just from looking at it I could assume that it my feel better in my hands. However, it‘s not a Leica!
I just want to try the system for some time and in case I don‘t fall in love with it sell it again, so that‘s why I don‘t want to invest too much.
Can one feel the Leica magic when shooting with a Panasonic camera? Can it ignite the fire?
Which one would you recommend in my case? Since I predominantly shoot portraits (rather casual ones), a (well) working eye AF would be nice.
My current camera is a Sony A7III and I still can live with its af (and eye af). So if the SL2-S is equally good as my Sony A7III, it might be an easier choice. What do you think?...Show more →
Sorry to bump an old thread but what "Leica magic" were you looking for exactly? If you are talking about the look of the photos, the S5II and SL2-S produce nearly identical looking photos. Really no surprise given this year makes 25 years the two companies have been working together, they share sensor technology and Panasonic has made several of Leica's compact cameras for years now. I have an S5II and it is a fantastic camera, especially for the sale price you can usually get it for, it's on sale now in the US. If you are still trying to decide, check this video out. Hope this helps.
