Leica has finally released its flagship: The S3 64MP Medium Format DSLR that is capable of un-cropped full-width 4K video with 15 stops of dynamic range. And the price? Don’t ask.
An entirely new medium format experience
Leica
Leica S3
The S3 has been announced back in Photokina 2018 as Leica medium format flagship and supposed to be released in spring 2019. This long-awaited medium format DSLR boasts a 64-megapixel sensor and uncropped full-width 4K video. This camera was a completely new developed medium format 64MP CMOS sensor and state of the art Leica Maestro II imaging processor that supposed to provide “An entirely new medium format experience,” as stated by Leica.
That is not a filmmaking tool. It’s a piece of jewelry.
Although the Leica S3 has a vast competition (Fujifilm GFX range, for instance), it has one significant strength: Its S-Series glass. Furthermore, the S3 features a new Leica ProFormat sensor, now with 64 megapixels of resolution. The sensor dimensions are 30 x 45mm, which corresponds to the aspect ratio of the classic 35mm format. Let’s take a glimpse of the specs relevant to video capabilities.
Video Highlights
- Sensor: Leica CMOS-Sensor 30 x 45 mm
- Dynamic range: Up to 15 f-stops
- Crop factor: 0.8 equivalent to 35 mm format
- Video: Cine 4K and Full HD with full sensor width (large-format video)
- Resolution: Full HD: 1920 x 1080 p, Cine 4K: 4096 x 2160 p
- Frame-rate: Full HD: 24, 25, 30 fps, Cine 4K: 24 fps
- Color sampling: 4:2:2, 8 Bit
- Time Code: Internal
- Body: Magnesium body anti-slip rubberized, magnesium top plate, aluminum bottom plate, stainless steel bayonet and operation elements
Medium format video
According to Leica, “The S3 has all the essential technology for shooting professional video footage in 4K cinema resolution”. The quality of the recorded videos is retained under 4:2:2 color subsampling and files store in MOV format complete with time code. However, the MOV container is some kind of obsolete, and its efficiency is limited. Nevertheless, this sensor will grant you the medium format look derived by its dimensions.
Price: The Leica S3 costs $18,995 and can be ordered from the B&H website.
The S3 has all the essential technology for shooting professional video footage in 4K cinema resolution
Leica
Final thoughts
As claimed, the Leica S3 is jewelry. It’s a beautiful piece of technology for those who love Leica and see it as a luxury. It’s not a professional filmmaking tool, because it loses in the cost-effective formula. If I may, I wonder why there are no references regarding video tests from Leica. Releasing that expansive camera without any footage to show its video capabilities, it’s not a smart move, especially if you want a market share in the professional filmmaking community.
