New: The Leica SL3-P
Posted on Jun 25, 2026 by Pro Moviemaker
When Leica launched the SL-System in 2015, they set a new standard for creative photography and video production. Based on the L-Mount, the system combines technological innovation with the precision and quality that the company is known for. Developed in close consultation with professional users, the SL-System continues to be refined, drawing on practical experience. The result is an expanding full-frame system that meets the highest photographic and cinematic standards, while also offering non-professional users easy access to high-quality image and video production thanks to its convenient, intuitive operation. Looking to the future, Leica is now significantly strengthening the SL-System by presenting the Leica SL3-P, the brand’s most comprehensive full-frame camera to date, alongside the innovative Summilux-SL 50 f/1.4 ASPH. and APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100 f/2.8 lenses.
At the heart of the SL3-P’s features are a new sensor and a new hybrid autofocus system. The 44megapixel BSI full-frame sensor provides an ideal balance of high resolution and exceptional image quality. With a dynamic range of up to 14 aperture stops, even the finest tonal gradations are captured. The Multishot mode delivers extremely high-resolution, detailed images with up to 176 megapixels, whilst the ISO range of 50 to 200,000 ensures high image quality and flexibility, even in challenging lighting conditions. The new hybrid autofocus system combines three focus technologies – phase detection (PDAF), depth mapping (object detection AF) and contrast detection (contrast detection AF) – to achieve quick, precise and reliable focusing. With continuous shooting at up to 40 frames per second with full autofocus support, improved tracking performance with 819 AF points, and smart subject recognition, the SL3-P can handle even the most dynamic of subjects with ease.
In terms of video, the latest addition to the SL3 family enables recording at resolutions of up to 8K. This includes 8.1K Open Gate in 3:2 format at up to 24p, HDMI RAW 8K Open Gate and 8K at 30p using the full size of the sensor. For smooth motion rendering, the camera offers 5.9K recording at up to 60 frames per second, as well as detailed slow-motion footage in 4K at 120p. Integration of the Apple ProRes codec at up to 5.8K guarantees outstanding image quality, and together with the two new incamera LUTs – Leica Pure and Leica Cine – for the L-Log colour space, this provides maximum freedom in professional post-production. This not only makes the SL3-P suitable for demanding film productions but also for high-quality hybrid workflows. It allows footage to be optimised for various channels and formats, and framing to be determined retrospectively without any loss of quality.
Manufactured in Germany, the SL3-P features a deliberately minimalist design with black control elements and without the red Leica logo. Its solid, full-metal body ensures maximum stability and reliability, while IP54 certification provides effective protection against dust and water splashes. The SL3-P also features the L-Mount, offering maximum flexibility for photography and filming with the exceptionally wide range of compatible lenses from L-Mount Alliance partners.
The SL3-P offers a unique combination of outstanding image quality, precision, feel, reliability and speed, as well as an unrivalled Leica user experience. This is based on well-conceived ergonomics, fully customisable controls and a captivatingly clear user interface. The minimalist icon and menu design, which strictly separates photo and video modes, ensures particularly efficient navigation. A special colour code – red for photos and yellow for videos – visually distinguishes between the two modes. In addition, the user interface automatically adapts to the camera’s orientation, displaying all information clearly and legibly on the high-resolution tilting screen in both vertical and horizontal positions. The exceptional Leica user experience is maintained through ongoing, uncompromising development. Regular firmware updates based on customer feedback are conveniently made available for the SL3-P via the Leica FOTOS App. This means that the camera embodies both modernity and longevity – from the choice of materials and continuous enhancements to the software.
It is a future-proof investment that offers a complete Leica experience from the very first use. The SL3-P’s comprehensive connectivity ensures a seamless professional workflow. The Leica FOTOS App uses fast Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB-C connections to link the camera directly to mobile devices. This enables fast downloads of DNG, JPG and video files as well as full remote control via a smartphone or tablet.
Leica Looks can be applied as soon as the shutter is released, and their intensity can be adjusted either in the camera or later in the Leica FOTOS App. Native tethering support for Lightroom Classic and Capture One provides a stable, direct connection between the camera and computer, facilitating immediate image review in the studio. With Camera-to-Cloud via Adobe Frame.io, photos and videos can be transferred directly from the camera to the cloud, making them available for post-production immediately. In addition, the SL3-P is equipped with pioneering Content Credentials technology, developed in line with the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), which enables images to be signed with tamper-proof metadata if desired, thereby protecting creative professionals’ intellectual property.
The Leica SL-System is renowned not only for its high-performance cameras, but also for its range of lenses offering exceptional optical quality. The arrival of the Leica the Summilux-SL 50 f/1.4 ASPH. once again demonstrates its innovative strength in lens manufacturing by presenting the world’s most compact autofocus lens with this focal length and a lens speed of f/1.4. The large aperture lets you capture high-quality images even in challenging lighting conditions, while also producing precise subject isolation and a soft, natural bokeh. Its compact dimensions are the result of state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, ensuring ‘Made in Germany’ finesse. With a diameter of 74 mm, a length of just 75.5 mm and a weight of 584 g, it combines maximum portability with the exceptional image quality for which Leica is renowned. Eleven aperture blades, two aspherical lens elements and perfectly matched, high-quality glass types produce the lens’s distinctive image aesthetics. The fast autofocus enables rapid operation and focuses by means of a particularly quiet mechanism. With a close focus distance of just 50 cm, an E67 filter thread and an L-Mount, the new Summilux-SL is a highly versatile standard focal length lens. The precision-crafted, full-metal lens body forms a unit with SL-Cameras that is protected against dust and water splashes as per the IP54 standard. The AquaDura coating also ensures reliable protection even under demanding conditions.
The Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 100 f/2.8 was a milestone in optical craftsmanship when it was released in 1987. To honour this classic lens, Leica is now introducing the new APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100 f/2.8. Like its predecessor, this SL-System macro lens delivers outstanding imaging performance right to the edges thanks to apochromatic correction. With a close focus distance of just 30 cm and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:1, this lens reveals details that are invisible to the naked eye. It is also ideal for use as a telephoto lens in portrait photography. The nine-blade aperture, in conjunction with the entire optical design, ensures a harmoniously rendered background. The robust, full-metal LMount body is 137.6 mm long and weighs 862 g, including the supplied lens hood. The front element is protected from external influences by an AquaDura coating, while the E67 filter thread opens up additional creative possibilities.
Starting on the 25th of June 2026, the Leica SL3-P will be available worldwide from Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorised dealers. The recommended retail price is £5,150.00 / €5,990.00 including VAT. and $6,690.00 excluding VAT.
Leica is also offering three attractive kit deals for the SL3-P to mark its launch. These are the SL3-P 28–70 Vario Kit, priced at £6,100.00 / €6,990.00 including VAT and featuring the Vario-Elmarit-SL 28–70 f/2.8 ASPH.; the SL3-P 24–70 Vario Kit, priced at £6,480.00 / €7,490.00 including VAT and featuring the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24–70 f/2.8 ASPH.; and the SL3-P 24–70 & 70–200 Vario Kit, priced at £8,560.00 / €9,790.00 including VAT and featuring both the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24–70 f/2.8 ASPH. and the Vario-Elmarit-SL 70–200 f/2.8 ASPH.
The Leica Summilux-SL 50 f/1.4 ASPH. and the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100 f/2.8 will be available worldwide from Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorised dealers from the end of 2026. The recommended retail prices are £3,890.00 / €4,500.00 including VAT for the Summilux-SL 50 f/1.4 ASPH. and £2,110.00 / €2,450.00 including VAT for the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100 f/2.8.
