The Leica SL3 is a 60.3 MP full-frame mirrorless camera that features two memory card slots.
One slots supports UHS-II / UHS-I (SD/SDHC/SDXC) memory cards and the second slot supports the much faster CFexpress Type B memory cards.
You can setup the SL3 to record to both slots simultaneously, record to one slot first then the second slot when the first card is full, or split different file formats across the cards. So you could record DNG files to the CFe card and JPEG files to the SD card.
It's always a good idea to format a new memory card before use. In the Leica SL3's menu's SETUP section, select Format. Then in the submenu select which of the two card slots you want to format and confirm the action.
Recommended CFexpress Type B Cards
Our top recommended CFexpress Type B cards based on speed and reliability for the Leica SL3 are:
| CFexpress Type B Memory Card | Min Sustained Write Speed | Max Write Speed | Max Read Speed | Video Rating | CFexpress Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delkin Devices BLACK 4.0 | 2040 MB/s | 3200 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Delkin Devices POWER 4.0 | 820 MB/s | 3240 MB/s | 3650 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| Angelbird AV PRO SE v4 | 1050 MB/s | 1100 MB/s | 3700 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| SanDisk PRO-CINEMA | 1400 MB/s | 1500 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
| Lexar Professional DIAMOND 4.0 | 3200 MB/s | 3400 MB/s | 3700 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Nextorage NX-B2 PRO | 3400 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | 3900 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Delkin Devices POWER G4 | 805 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | 1780 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
| Lexar Professional GOLD 4.0 | 3000 MB/s | 3300 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| Lexar Professional SILVER 4.0 | 2600 MB/s | 3000 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| ProGrade Digital 4.0 Gold | 850 MB/s | 3000 MB/s | 3400 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
|
ProGrade Digital 4.0 Iridium |
850 MB/s | 3000 MB/s | 3550 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Sony CEB-G | NA | 1600 MB/s | 1850 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
| SanDisk Extreme PRO | NA | 1200 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
Recommended UHS-II SDXC Cards
Our top recommended UHS-II SDXC cards based on speed and reliability for the Leica SL3 camera are:
| UHS-II Card | Max Write Speed | Max Read Speed | Video Speed Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delkin Devices BLACK | 250 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| Delkin Devices Power | 250 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| Angelbird AV PRO SD (MK2) | 280 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| Nextorage NX-F2PRO | 299 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| SanDisk Extreme Pro | 260 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| Sony SF-G Tough | 299 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| Lexar Professional GOLD 2000X | 260 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| OWC Atlas Ultra | 250 MB/s | 300 MB/s | V90 |
| Lexar Professional GOLD 1800x | 210 MB/s | 280 MB/s | V60 |
| Nextorage NX-F2SE Series | 100 MB/s | 280 MB/s | V60 |
FAQs
How many images can be stored on a 64GB card?
The Leica SL3 can store approximately 900 DNG images or 1800 L-JPG images on a 64GB card.
How many minutes of video can be recorded on a 64GB card?
When recording in MOV C4K 30p at 400 Mbps you will be able to record approximately 21 minutes of video with a 64GB card.
Is there a maximum recording time limit for video?
No. The Leica SL3 has no recording time limit, but the maximum file size is 192GB. Once a recording exceeds this file size, the overrun will be automatically stored in a new file.
Are CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards compatible with the Leica SL3?
Yes, the Leica SL3 is compatible with CFexpress 4.0 cards because the 4.0 standard is backward compatible with 2.0. Unfortunately in-camera there is no speed benefit to using a 4.0 card over a 2.0 card because the SL3 memory bus does not support the faster 4.0 speeds. Where you will see a benefit is when copying files from your memory card to your computer, with a 4.0 card this can be up to twice as fast compared to a 2.0 card when using a CFexpress 4.0 Type B compatible reader.
What is the difference between CFexpress Type B 2.0 and 4.0?
The main difference is speed. CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards utilize the PCIe Gen 4 bus which delivers twice the bandwidth (up to 4 GB/s) compared to CFexpress 2.0 Type B cards that utilize the PCIe Gen 3 bus (up to 2 GB/s).
CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards are backward compatible with CFexpress 2.0 devices, meaning a 4.0 card will work in a 2.0 camera or reader, but the performance will be limited to CFexpress 2.0 speeds. Similarly, a CFexpress 2.0 card will perform at its peak in a CFexpress 4.0 device.
Are CFexpress Type A cards compatible with the Leica SL3?
No. The Leica SL3 is not compatible with the physically smaller CFexpress Type A cards, only CFexpress Type B cards are supported and SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II/I) cards.
What is the difference between UHS-I and UHS-II memory cards?
UHS-II offers much faster speeds (up to 312 MB/s) compared to UHS-I (up to 104 MB/s). This is possible via a second row of pins and two data lanes for simultaneous upstream and downstream data transfer. The extra row of pins are visible on the back of UHS-II cards. Both card types are backward compatible, but a UHS-II card will only operate at UHS-I speeds in a camera that only supports UHS-I cards.
What is the difference between SDHC and SDXC memory cards?
SDHC cards are formatted using the FAT32 file system which is limited to a maximum file size of 4GB. So when recording video clips, the clip will be split every 4 GB but playback with the camera will be seamless. SDXC cards use the exFAT file system which supports a maximum file size of 16 exabytes (EB), so video clips will not be split. SDHC cards support capacities of between 4-32GB and SDXC cards support 64GB-2TB.
Where can you find the Leica SL3 specifications?
Full specifications for the Leica SL3 can be found on Leica's website.
