7 minute read
LEICA S3
RECLAIMING THE CROWN
LEICA S3
With a new image sensor offering an impressive 64-megapixel resolution and significantly improved video capability, the S3 is reclaiming the crown as Leica’s top camera model.
It has often been said that you cannot rush perfection. This sentiment undoubtedly contributed to the delay in the S3’s release date – after all, in the field of medium format photography, perfection really is everything. On the other hand, the time was ripe for Leica to take action: the S (Typ 007) may only have been on the market for five years – an almost negligible age for a medium format camera; however, in that time Leica’s other systems overtook the flagship model with their exceptional sensor resolution.
While the previous S (Typ 007) recorded images at 37.5 million pixels, the new Leica S3 is equipped with a 64-megapixel sensor – which offers not just a significantly higher resolution, but also reduced noise, a higher maximum ISO, and greatly improved video capabilities. Remarkably, the S3 accommodates all of these improvements in a virtually unaltered camera body with the exact same operating concept as its predecessor. If the S system was aimed at amateur photographers, this might be interpreted as a lack of progress and Leica would have ensured that the evolutionary leap is also reflected in the camera’s exterior. Professional photographers, by contrast, tend to value the benefits of continuity, combined with the best possible image results.
NEW SENSOR. The Leica S (Typ 007) already featured a video-capable CMOS sensor, whose 37.5-megapixel resolution (the same as that of the original S2) is still more than respectable. However, especially more recently, there has been a meteoric rise in sensor resolution across the camera industry. In Leica’s case, this has taken the form of the SL2 and M10 Monochrom with their respective 47 and 41-megapixel sensors.
This fact alone would not necessarily have required Leica to take action – especially as the difference, in real terms, is still relatively minor. However, the S3’s 64-megapixel sensor offers all of the benefits of stateof-the-art technology. As a result, the S3 produces lower levels of image noise, despite the 71-percent boost in resolution. This is reflected in the camera’s new ISO ceiling of 50 000, which is two stops higher than that of the predecessor model. Leica also promise a dynamic range of 15 stops – suggesting an exceptionally broad exposure latitude.
The sensor’s high sensitivity proves especially useful when it comes to handheld shooting: even without a tripod, the photographer is now able to use slower shutter speeds, or stop down for compositional purposes, without the instant risk of camera shake. This emphasises one of the core strengths of the S system, which is to combine the image quality of the medium format with the handleability and ergonomics of a full-frame camera. →
With its new, ultra-high-performance sensor, the Leica S3 delivers a vastly improved image quality in a virtually identical exterior. In the professional world of the S system, continuity is considered a valuable asset
MOTION CAPTURE. The S3’s ability to record moving images is another vital advantage. The Leica S (Typ 007) was the world’s first medium format camera equipped with a video-capable CMOS sensor. The camera used the full width of its sensor to record HD videos, but only a cropped section for the more contemporary 4K format.
The Leica S3, by contrast, captures Cine 4K video across the entire sensor area – producing highresolution films that are imbued with the aesthetics of the medium format. These appear to be in high demand: Leica’s sister company, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar (formerly CW Sonderoptik) caused a stir among cinematographers with its ‘Thalia’ lens range, which essentially comprises cinematic versions of the lenses of the Leica S system – the only difference being that their PL, LPL and XPL lens mounts make them compatible with professional cine cameras. Of course, the S3 is primarily a tool for still photography and cannot take the place of a high-end movie camera. However, in carefully managed ambient conditions, it can deliver films characterised by a distinctive aesthetic and cinema-level quality.
LIVE VIEW. Naturally the S3’s CMOS sensor also facilitates Live View which, in sufficient light, is displayed at a frame rate of up to 60 fps. This allows for precise image evaluation, especially as the camera also supports Tethered Shooting with the aid of a plug-in for Adobe Lightroom – an extremely important feature for many of those working with the Leica S system.
But there is also much to be said for using the optical mirror reflex viewfinder, a component that seems almost antiquated these days. Most manufacturers increasingly turn their backs on the elaborate, space-consuming mirror mechanism in favour of mirrorless systems – including Leica, with their full-frame SL. However, an approach that works perfectly well in the 35mm format can be somewhat problematic in a larger format. This is because an electronic viewfinder requires a sensor that operates on a continual basis – which not only uses up energy, but also causes the sensor to heat up. The impact of this is far more noticeable in the medium format than with smaller sensors. The raised temperature leads to increased image noise and a decreased dynamic range – resulting in a lower-quality image. Photographers who are keen to tease out every last ounce of quality will therefore forfeit Live View in favour of the mirror reflex finder.
The optical viewfinder offers yet another advantage: the blackout time between two exposures is minimal, and the camera
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immediately regains its readiness to shoot – a convenience many medium format cameras without optical finder are unable to provide. Camera lag can be frustrating: this makes the S3’s fast and fluid operation – which is on par with the almost seamless performance of full-frame systems – all the more welcome.
CONCLUSION. Not everyone would have wagered that Leica were going to expand the S system with the S3; some might have expected the medium format system to be made redundant by the slightly smaller and faster Leica SL. However, the S system has a faithful following, and has been a substantial contributor to the company’s revenue. Its target market consists of professionals whose working tools are a longterm investment – and who will welcome the fact that both camera body and operation have remained practically unchanged.
With its 30 x 45mm sensor, ergonomics that equal those of a full-frame SLR, and its truly superb lens portfolio, the S system embodies a concept that continues to be extremely attractive. The larger sensor facilitates a wider scope of creative possibilities, without the instant need for enormous amounts of light that is normally associated with even larger recording formats. Most lenses of the S system are available with a central
The new sensor’s 64-megapixel resolution facilitates higher light sensitivity and significantly increased image quality shutter, allowing for higher flash sync speeds, while the camera’s focal plane shutter is ideal for shooting in natural light.
In essence, the Leica S3 represents a welcome upgrade of the S system. Its new sensor offers across-the-board improvements over the previous model, without any drawbacks. From a technical point of view, there is no reason to favour the previous Leica S over the S3 – though economically, the new camera is undoubtedly a major leap. However, for those in search of uncompromising image quality, it is a more than worthwhile investment: as of now, the Leica S3 is the uncontested top model among all Leica cameras.
HOLGER SPARR
