Yeah, I have my doubts about the design logic on that new Leica SL. Based on the tech inside it, there is no logical reason why it needs to be any bigger than an M9. It can actually be slightly smaller, as an EVF takes up slightly less real estate than an optical finder, even without a mirror, and the lenses mount just a bit closer to the sensor than with the M series.

Leica doesn't have a lot of experience with AF lenses. If I'm not mistaken, the SL might be their first full production camera with a 35mm sensor or 35mm film, and interchangeable lenses. If not, it doesn't have much precedent.

I suspect that the lenses are massive for their specs because with their level of experience, they aren't able to build more compact lenses that deliver the level of quality that buyers expect from Leica.

If so, the SL is probably massive simply because the lenses are massive. Which, to be fair, was sort of what I was complaining about with tiny cameras.

Another way to solve the problem would be to offer much larger battery grips. In the old days, you could buy a Nikon autowinder that was a little tiny brick barely large enough for the batteries, or a big fat model with a big grip on it. That's harder to do now that models turn over so fast, but companies like Sony and Fuji, who continue to use more-or-less the same chassis for several models, could probably do that just fine.

OP...I use mirrorless for 95% of my work. I use dslr for sports and macro, which is seldom.

This whole series was with mirrorless. If I had a dslr could not have done the candid work. Too bulky.

nsfw

http://dewallenrld.tumblr.com/