Is the Leica SL 601 Still Worth It?
I’ve been using the Leica SL (Type 601) for three years now, having bought it back in 2023. I have to admit it was an odd choice even then, as it was already eight years old and still more expensive than newer cameras with better technology. Its newer siblings, the Leica SL2 and SL2-S, were available but even more expensive, so I really couldn’t justify them. But I had a very specific set of criteria I was looking for in a camera, and I had been hopping from system to system for a few years trying to find something that ticked all the boxes.
I started out in photography shooting wildlife, and for that purpose I had always used Canon. I cannot fault Canon for one second in that regard. I’ve owned everything from a 5D Mk II to a 1Ds Mk III, 1D Mk IV, a 1DX and now an R6, all of which were amazing. But when I started shooting more travel, documentary and personal work, I felt there was something lacking in the images.
I’ve always hated editing photos. I find it a chore and prefer to do as little to an image as possible. This isn’t down to some idea that you have to “get it right in camera”, because even when shooting manually the camera is still making decisions and processing the image in its own way. I just prefer minimal editing and really don’t want to be adjusting colours at all.
I tried a number of different brands and sensors, including Fuji and Nikon, both of which are excellent, but again something felt missing. I couldn’t quite define it, but I knew what I didn’t like. Fuji’s crop sensor and Nikon’s portrait colours always felt slightly “off” to me. I knew I wanted something tactile, like my old Olympus OM-2. Something metal, something heavy, something solid.
I had tried the Leica SL (Type 601) a few years previously, but at that time I didn’t think the autofocus was good enough, as I was still wildlife-focused. By 2023 my priorities had changed, so I tried it again. It was amazing.
I tested it with some Olympus lenses that I could use on both my Canon R6 and the Leica SL, allowing me to directly compare the two. The difference surprised me. The colours and the sharpness from the sensor felt leagues ahead of the Canon. But how? The Leica SL (Type 601) had so many flaws: slow contrast-detect autofocus and no IBIS. Yet somehow the images were just incredible. Fantastic contrast and clarity. Warmth in all the right places without being overpowering. Something I had never quite achieved with the Canon.
It was solid too. I’ve dropped it a couple of times and knocked it against things, and it’s still working, albeit with the scars to show for it. It was exactly what I was after for my non-wildlife work.
Since those early days, the Leica SL (Type 601) has barely left my side. It’s been with me all over the world, from the Philippines to Jerusalem, Ukraine and across Europe. It’s building up a lovely patina as the paint wears on its angular frame. I believe the shutter count is now around 220,000 images, judging by the file names. It has only let me down once. I was out in heavy rain in the Lake District and the rubber nipple on the directional thumb pad came off, allowing rain to enter the body. This affected the internal buttons, meaning it constantly selected the furthest autofocus point. Annoying, but once it dried out it was fine.
It has survived the humidity of the Philippine mountains, the salt air of Manila Bay, the dust of Jerusalem and even drones flying overhead in Ukraine. It has survived bivvying sessions tucked inside my sleeping bag and temperatures of minus 11 degrees in Latvia.
Professionally, I’ve had to make it pay for itself, and it has. It has shot content for brands such as Arc’teryx UK and Belstaff Motorcycle. It has covered weddings and christenings, Easter services and countless portraits, all of which it excels at, as long as the subject is not moving too fast.
That’s the funny thing. Yes, the autofocus will sometimes let you down. But at other times it really surprises you and performs brilliantly. Because it is older and has an older processor, you have to try to make it think as little as possible to get the best from it. It’s not just about shooting manually. Even small things matter. For example, if you’re shooting tracking in burst mode, you’ll often get better results using the electronic shutter and shooting wide open. Do that, and you can actually get a few sharp frames.
It truly excels with manual focus lenses. With autofocus lenses and the mechanical shutter in burst mode, it can stutter, hesitate and fire an odd number of actuations before briefly locking you out. With a manual focus lens, the shutter button feels far more responsive, especially with the electronic shutter. You can fire bursts without hesitation, whereas with the mechanical shutter, it can pause when you press it again, which is not ideal in high-pressure situations. The other major drawback is the lack of IBIS, i would LOVE IBIS in this camera as being able to shoot a scene at 1/25 or so would be so beneficial in those lower light settings - at the moment I do find myself chasing the light in those situations.
All of those flaws feel meaningless when you get the image you were after. Then it really sings.
With this camera, particularly paired with manual focus lenses, my work has become more engaging, more purposeful and more connected. Is this camera right for everyone? Absolutely not. I would be unlikely to recommend it to anyone other than someone who purely wants to do photography and values a tactile experience above all else.
For me, it works exactly how I want to shoot. The price was worth it because of how much use I’ve had out of it, and the jobs that have paid for it. I have been tempted to upgrade, but I worry that moving to the SL2-S might mean some of the magic is lost, especially after finding something that works so well for me.
For now, this camera is doing everything I need, and I don’t want to change a winning formula.
I hope you’ve enjoyed some of the photos I’ve shared alongside this text. I’ve certainly enjoyed taking them, and hopefully I get to take many more.
For those interested in the lens ive used for the photos posted here they are;
Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron
Leica 28mm (11672), 35mm (11879), 50mm (11826) f2 Summicron
Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 L-Mount
7Artisans 35mm f2 mki
Sigma I series 24mm, 35mm and 50mm f2 L-Mount
If you have enjoyed reading this and viewing my photos, please consider following me on my socials linked below. I also run workshops where I teach photography, so if you’re interested in getting to grips with new gear or you’ve just bought the Leica SL (Type 601) and would like help getting the most out of it, please get in touch.