Leica Adds the SL3-P to Its Mirrorless Lineup
Leica has announced the SL3-P, a full-frame mirrorless camera built around a 44-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor paired with the Maestro IV processor. The camera is positioned between the existing SL3, which uses a 60-megapixel sensor, and the SL3-S, which uses a 24-megapixel sensor, and is intended to represent what the German company describes as the balance point of the entire SL system.
The autofocus system is one of the most significant updates relative to previous SL generations: the SL3-P uses a hybrid approach combining phase detection, contrast detection, and depth map technology, with 819 AF points distributed across the sensor. Subject recognition extends to humans, animals, vehicles, and objects.
On the still photography side, the camera incorporates a Multi-Shot function that uses sensor-shift stabilization to combine multiple exposures into files of up to 176 megapixels. This mode is primarily relevant to controlled shooting situations — landscape, architecture, still life, and artwork reproduction — where the camera can be mounted on a tripod and the subject remains stationary. Continuous shooting reaches up to 30 frames per second in electronic shutter mode, with a burst buffer capable of holding up to 999 raw files.
For video, the SL3-P records up to 8.1K open-gate footage, with internal ProRes 422 HQ recording and support for L-Log color profiles. Storage is handled through dual slots: CFexpress Type B and SD UHS-II, accommodating the data rates required by high-resolution video capture. Waveforms, vectorscopes, and false color are built into the monitoring tools. An HDMI output allows external recording.
A notable inclusion is native support for Content Credentials, the metadata standard developed within the Content Authenticity Initiative: when enabled, the camera embeds verifiable provenance data into each file at the point of capture, recording information about the camera, lens, settings, and whether any AI processing was applied. Leica frames this as a tool for professional photographers and photojournalists operating in contexts where the verifiability of image origin is relevant.
The body is constructed from magnesium and aluminum alloy and carries an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. The viewfinder is an OLED unit with 5.76 million dots. The rear display is a 3.2-inch touchscreen with a tilting mechanism, and a secondary monochrome status display on the top panel shows key shooting parameters without requiring the main screen to be activated. In keeping with the “P” designation historically used on Leica cameras without the red dot badge, the SL3-P omits the red dot from its front panel.
The SL3-P is available now at €6,750 through Leica Stores and authorized retailers.
