Recently, Leica improved the SL with the release of a new firmware version. Version 3.0 features a couple of outstanding improvements: continuous exposure preview is my personal favorite. Here’s an excellent overview of the improvents:

Schermafbeelding 2017-06-09 om 12.43.02

I think Leica did very well with this update, but I think there’s still room for improvement. After surfing around on the Leica fora, I combined my own wish list with these of other SL users. Here we go:

  1. Adding the possibility to shoot in compressed DNG, like the M240 could. Now, the SL files are twice the size of the M240 files. It slows down my workflow and I don’t need more data.
  2. Being able to keep the magnification on a set focus point. The SL changes its focus point to the centre again with MF lenses, every time you ‘zoom out’. This is not convenient.
  3. Customization of the information in the viewfinder. While you can flip through focus peaking, the histogram and other features, I’d like to be able to combine this information in a custom viewfinder layout.
  4. On/off switch for LENR. Long exposures require the NR to be completed, before you can take a new shot, just like with the M. Some people don’t like this.
  5. Bring back the guessed aperture for MF lenses. SL users report that the guessed aperture reminds them they opened up the aperture for focusing.
  6. Add another step to continuous exposure preview. Although I’m pretty happy with the new CEP, some would love to see the old option incorporated into the new possibility. Adding the option to activate or deactivate the CEP with a half press of the shutter, would work. And while we’re still talking about CEP, please do not disable this function when a TTL flash has been connected.
  7. Shooting wireless ‘tethered’ to computer. I know, we’re getting cheeky now. Now that it’s possible to wirelessly transfer DNG’s to the SL app, couldn’t it be possible to shoot tethered to a computer… without a cable?
  8. Video raw over HDMI. This could make post processing for demanding video shoots a bit easier.

Do you have anything on your wish list? Let me know!