Upgrade Guide
Leica Q→Leica SL2
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Q. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the SL2
-
Resolution47MP vs 24MP (+23MP)
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Burst rate20fps vs 10fps
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Battery life370 shots (CIPA) vs ~270 shots (CIPA)
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Generation4 years newer (2019 vs 2015)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | Q | SL2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +3.3 | ||
| Street | -1.6 | ||
| Travel | +0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.4 | ||
| Documentary | +3.3 | ||
| Landscape | +2.3 | ||
| Casual | +0.6 | ||
| Food | +2.0 | ||
| Macro | +3.0 | ||
| Architecture | +2.4 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.1 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Q | SL2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,266 used | £2,103 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | Full-frame CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 47MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 49 AF fields, face detection | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 20fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | 370 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 640g (with battery and card) | 835g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.68× magnification | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot | |
| Mount | Fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH | Leica L-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | 2× SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See Q and SL2 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the SL2 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the Q
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Camera family history