Leica SL2

The Leica SL2 is a full-frame mirrorless camera released in 2019. Its 47-megapixel resolution suits photographers who want large image files, and it uses the Leica L mount for its lenses.

At 916 g, and with a body measuring 146 x 107 x 83 mm, it is a substantial camera to carry, better suited to deliberate work than a light travel kit.

The electronic viewfinder and touchscreen rear screen handle framing and settings, and weather sealing rounds out a body built for outdoor sessions.

A 47-megapixel full-frame sensor anchors the SL2's stills output and earns an exceptional Optics score of 84, placing it in the top 4% of cameras in our database for Optics. That resolution leaves room for heavy cropping and large prints.

Burst shooting is rated at up to 20 frames per second, though a maximum figure is not a sustained-speed promise. A 1/8000-second maximum shutter speed helps when using wide apertures in bright light, and the 225-point autofocus array gives the system many focus points to choose from.

In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake, so handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds becomes practical. It will not freeze a moving subject, but it helps with static scenes in dim conditions. The native ISO range runs from 100 to 50,000, giving room to keep shooting as light fades.

The Maestro II processor manages all that sensor data, and the 5.76-million-dot electronic viewfinder shows the scene crisply, which helps with manual focus and precise composition.

Video is a real strength, reflected in a very good Video score of 91. The SL2 records up to 4K, and its fastest video frame rate reaches 120fps. Footage captured at high frame rates can play back in slow motion, which opens creative options for action and nature work.

A built-in timelapse mode handles the interval work for you, so you can capture a scene changing over time without extra kit or remote timers. Because the mode is built in, no separate intervalometer or remote trigger is needed for this kind of sequence.

Recordings are saved as MPEG-4, MOV or H.264 files, so the camera offers a choice of container and codec rather than a single fixed output.

Handling centres on a 3.2-inch TFT touchscreen with 2.1 million dots, a detailed display for playback and menus. Touch input handles settings and focus-point placement directly on the screen, and this control mix contributes to a very good Features score of 87.

The screen is fixed, so framing from very high or low angles means moving yourself rather than tilting the display. Live view is available when you prefer to compose on the screen instead of the finder.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow the camera to connect wirelessly to other devices. There is no built-in GPS for automatic location tagging, and no built-in flash, though an external flash is supported when you need one.

The body is weather sealed, which helps keep dust and moisture out during outdoor shoots.

Storage is one of the SL2's stronger points. Two card slots accept SD, SDHC and SDXC media at UHS-II speed, so fast cards perform as intended and there is capacity for long shooting sessions.

Battery life is the weak spot. The BP-SCL4 battery is rated at 370 shots, a specification figure rather than a promise of real-world endurance, so a spare battery is worth packing for longer sessions.

The SL2 does not charge over USB, so you need a mains charger and charged batteries ready before a busy day. The modest section score of 55 reflects the battery rating and the absence of USB charging.