Leica SL3-P First Look: A 44MP Full-Frame All-Rounder

Leica has been building full-frame mirrorless cameras since 2015, and its SL line now runs to three models: the detail-focused 60-megapixel SL3, the fast, low-light 24-megapixel SL3-S, and the brand-new SL3-P, which tries to be both at once. This is a first look based on a published hands-on preview — not a full lab test or our own trial — so the impressions here are early, with a final verdict still to come.

The SL3-P borrows its body wholesale from the SL3 and SL3-S; the only external tell is the white lettering on the viewfinder housing (the SL3-S uses black). It is a substantial camera — 15.1 x 10.8 x 8.5cm and 768 grams without battery or card — but the large grip makes it comfortable in the hand even with big, heavy lenses. Leica is one of very few makers to publish an IP rating, and the SL3-P is certified to IP54 for dust and splash resistance. The menus, as on recent Leicas, are notably clear and well organised — easy to navigate even for photographers used to other brands.

Where the SL3 chases resolution and the SL3-S chases speed and low light, the SL3-P splits the difference with a 44-megapixel full-frame sensor (8144 x 5424 pixels), the same count as the Panasonic Lumix S1R II. It is designed to stay sensitive too, with an ISO range reaching 200,000. In initial hands-on shooting, images looked genuinely good up to ISO 6400, though how the quality really compares to its siblings and rivals will only become clear in a full test. Anyone weighing high-resolution rivals should see our Sony Alpha 7R VI review.

Leica has reworked the autofocus, promising better subject recognition and fast, accurate tracking, backed by more focus points — 819 of them using quicker Phase-Change measurement. It made a good early impression. Burst speed climbs too, to as much as 40 frames per second, ahead of the SL3-S's tested 29.4fps. That pace fills the 8GB buffer quickly — after about 70 frames — so sustained shooting will depend heavily on card speed, helped by dual slots for fast CFexpress Type B and SD. Sports and action shooters cross-shopping should also consider the Canon EOS R5 Mark II.

Like the SL3-S, the SL3-P is built with video firmly in mind, and it adds 8K capture (up to 7680 x 4320). The video menu runs to nine pages of professional options, including an Open Gate mode that records almost the full sensor area (8064 x 5376) so the frame can be recropped later for widescreen, vertical social clips or anything in between. It records Apple ProRes internally to a CFexpress card, and RAW video out to an external recorder over HDMI — a genuinely pro-grade toolkit. For a mirrorless hybrid at a saner price, our Canon EOS R6 Mark II review is worth a look.

None of this is cheap. The SL3-P body is available now at £5,990-equivalent (€5,990), with lens kits climbing well beyond that. Leica also announced two lenses to accompany it, due late 2026: a compact Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 aimed at low light and portraits, and an Apo-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100mm f2.8 for close-up work that doubles as a portrait lens.

On this early showing, the Leica SL3-P looks like a considered all-rounder: a 44-megapixel sensor that balances resolution and sensitivity, a quicker 819-point autofocus, 40fps bursts and a deep 8K video toolset, all in Leica's rugged, IP54-rated, superbly-menued body. The obvious caveat is the price, which places it firmly in professional territory. Whether it truly unites the strengths of its SL3 and SL3-S siblings — rather than simply sitting between them — is the question a full test will have to answer. This first look suggests the ingredients are there.