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Canon’s mirrorless cameras have been performing pretty well in the market. They are chosen by photojournalists, sports photographers, and event photographers. Like Canon, Leica also decided to create DLSR-style interchangeable cameras, one that offers speed and a sturdy build for fast-paced, outdoor photographers. If you are a serious photographer who wants to buy a new camera to meet your demands, then here are two contenders that you must have a look at.
Autofocus
The camera is pretty great when it comes to autofocus. We found the device to focus on humans and animals accurately. In fact, when you focus on people of color in low light, the SL3s can hold on to their faces for longer, which is a huge deal today. We barely saw any misses, even if others are moving in front of the subjects. When photographing people and doing events/journalism, the SL3s doesn’t disappoint. When paired with the Panasonic lenses, the camera still performs fast, but with Sigma lenses, the latter can slow you down slightly.
The Canon R8’s focus is good, but not the best in the league. The camera, whether in Servo or single, combined with whole area AF mode, often couldn’t figure out what we wanted to photograph. The camera is behind Sony’s entry-level camera and its own R5. However, we found that when you choose a focus point and scene detection, you get a device faster than the R5.
Specs:
– Leica SL3s has 779 AF points and can track people and animals
– Canon R8 has 1053 AF points, including people, animals, and vehicle detection
Image Quality/High ISO
The Leica SL3s offers great images in well-lit situations. And also pictures that look like they were shot with their other cameras. That’s because users can apply Leica’s look in-camera with this device, which they have connected to the Leica Photos app. Due to this, if you open the images in Capture One, they will seem rendered and different. So, best to stick to Leica’s app. As for the ISO, inages are clean at ISO 6400, and they are as clean as with the Nikon Zf. The image above was shot with ISO 12,500, which showcases loss in detail but also in colors. So, best to avoid that.
The Canon R8 produces more subtle images, but they are not very versatile. The JPEG quality shines bright, as it offers rich colors and details. But the RAW files are not that spectacular, and it is challenging to get details from shadows. Similarly, the high ISO photographs were not great for areas in shadows.
Specs:
– Leica SL3s comes with up to 200,000 ISO and 30fps of burst mode with an electronic shutter
– Canon R8 also has ISO up to 204,800 and a continuous shooting speed of 40fps in electronic mode
Build/Ergonomics
The Leica SL3s has an incredible feel. It is lightweight and smaller than the SL2s. The dials are well-made and don’t easily get damaged. The camera has a large grip and an effective diopter. There is also IP durability and weather resistance, which makes the camera easy to use in challenging weather. The SL3s are comfortable to use, and the menus are detailed. Plus, you get Content Credentials, which ensure your images stay safe.
The Canon R8 looks like the EOS R and the EOS RP, but it doesn’t let the shutter come down. It is weather-resistant, but it is not as great as other higher-end products. The camera feels nice in the hands, is small, and is easy to carry everywhere. However, other than that, we haven’t found anything to be too distinct. The image stabilization of RF lenses works at 1/15th with excessive movements of the device.
Specs:
– The Leica SL3s has a 5.76m-dot EVF with a 120fps refresh rate. You get a 3.2-inch 2.33m-dot LCD at the back, a 1.28-inch 128 x 128 pixels top LCD, and 5-axis image stablisation
– Canon R8 has a 2.36m-dot EVF, with 120fps of refresh rate. There is also a 1.62 M-dot LCD and 5-axis image stabilisation
Conclusion
As you can see, the Leica SL3s outperform the Canon R8 in many ways. However, things get more impressive at every point. The SL3 costs under $6000, but the R8 is under $1500. Photojournalists who can afford it will be far happier with the Leica, as Content Credits are important to them. However, if you are on a budget, then the R8 is your best bet. It is old, but it is a decent performer.
