Leica adds SL3-P camera with 44-megapixel sensor and 8K video
Leica’s new full-frame mirrorless body costs $6,690 and sits between the SL3 and SL3-S in resolution, speed and price.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Leica has introduced the SL3-P, a full-frame mirrorless camera that combines a 44-megapixel sensor with 8K video recording. The new body gives Leica a middle option in its SL3 line, priced below the higher-resolution SL3 and above the speed-focused SL3-S, according to The Verge.
Leica says the SL3-P is available now through its own stores and authorized dealers for $6,690. That price covers the camera body only, so buyers who do not already own L-mount lenses will need to budget for glass separately, The Verge reports.
The SL3-P follows Leica’s SL3, released in 2024, and the SL3-S, introduced last year. As with earlier Leica “P” models, the SL3-P drops the company’s red dot badge from the front of the camera, according to The Verge.
The camera’s 44-megapixel back-side illuminated full-frame sensor places it between the 60-megapixel SL3 and the 24-megapixel SL3-S. Leica says the SL3-P can shoot stills with 14 stops of dynamic range at up to 40 frames per second while using autofocus and subject tracking.
Autofocus is one of the main changes. Leica says the SL3-P uses a hybrid system that combines contrast detection, depth mapping and 819 phase-detection autofocus points for better subject tracking. The Verge notes that the SL3-S had 779 autofocus points, while the SL3 had 315.
For photographers who need more detail than the sensor’s native output, Leica includes a Multishot mode. The company says that mode creates 176-megapixel images by combining multiple captures.
Video features also move the SL3-P closer to the SL3 than the SL3-S. Leica says the camera can record open-gate 8.1K footage at 8064 x 5376 using the full 3:2 sensor area at up to 24 frames per second. Standard 8K recording tops out at 30 frames per second, while 5.9K reaches 60 frames per second, according to The Verge.
Leica says the camera can also record slow-motion footage at 120 frames per second in either 4K or 1080p. The SL3-S, by comparison, was limited to 6K video capture, The Verge reports.
The SL3-P uses a metal body made from magnesium and aluminum, covered with textured leatherette. Leica gives the camera an IP54 rating, which The Verge says protects against dust and splashes but is not meant for sustained rain shooting.
On the back, Leica includes a 5.7 million-dot viewfinder and a 3.2-inch LCD with anti-fingerprint and anti-scratch coatings. The screen tilts up and down but does not flip forward for self-recording, according to The Verge.
Leica is also keeping the SL3 line’s simplified interface, with color-coded menus that use red for photo settings and yellow for video settings. A 1.28-inch reflective monochrome display on top shows shooting information such as shutter speed and aperture, The Verge reports.
The SL3-P also supports Content Credentials from the Content Authenticity Initiative. Leica says photographers can use the feature to attach tamper-resistant metadata to images to identify their intellectual property.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.