Leica SL3 for Street Photography & The Magic of This Lens!

Video Description

I didn’t expect the Leica SL3 to win me over for street photography, but after spending several days shooting non stop in New York City, I walked away impressed, and kind of hooked. My daily camera is the Leica M11 Monochrom, and I usually stick to manual lenses. That camera and I have shared many streets, especially when it comes to black and white street photography. But for this trip, I decided to give the Leica SL3 a real chance as my primary camera, and not just for color, but for all day shooting using a mix of autofocus and vintage manual lenses. In this video, I share my full street photography experience with the SL3, how I set it up, what lenses I used, what worked (and didn’t), and how it actually invited me to explore a slightly different shooting style, more portrait oriented street photography, zooming into people’s faces, textures, and details in a way I don’t usually do. I brought three lenses to New York: 1. Sigma DGDN 35mm f/2 – a compact, sharp autofocus lens that performed really well when I needed quick focus and clean results 2. Leica Summicron 35mm f/2 Version 4 – a classic lens I know inside and out, beautiful rendering, lightweight, and built for manual focus 3. Nikkor 5cm f/1.4 from 1957 – a vintage lens I’ve grown to love, with a dreamy, soft quality wide open and surprisingly close focus (45cm) that made it perfect for getting intimate shots without being too in your face Despite the SL3 being a larger camera body compared to the M system, I was able to shoot for 10 hours a day by carefully selecting a comfortable strap setup and adjusting how I carried the camera. In this video, I walk you through that too, because gear comfort is often overlooked when it comes to full day shooting. The bright, clear EVF on the SL3 was honestly a game changer for focusing vintage lenses. Combined with focus peaking and a clean interface, it made manual focusing fast and reliable. I go into how I set up my manual lens profiles, customized the function buttons, and what settings helped me get the most out of the camera. Another thing I found myself loving was the flip screen, I used it all the time for low angle shots, especially in crowded areas or when trying to stay discreet. It let me get creative with framing and gave me perspectives I probably would’ve missed if I had only used the EVF. Even though I’m a black and white guy at heart, this trip inspired me to lean into portrait style street photography in color. The SL3 encouraged that. I was able to approach strangers, shoot at different focal depths, and really explore a side of my photography that I usually don’t share as much. I talk about that shift in mindset too. This video isn’t a technical review, it’s a real world, street tested experience. If you’re curious about using the Leica SL3 for street photography, especially with a mix of modern AF lenses and classic manual glass, this one’s for you. Whether you’re coming from the M system, are a fan of vintage lenses, or just want to hear how a 1957 Nikkor lens performed on a $7,000 digital body, hit play and join me on the streets of New York. #Leicasl3 #Leicasl3s #streetphotography 🎁10% OFF OWLKROWN STRAPS with Code: "GSHUTTERS10" at www.owlkrown.com - GASTON SHUTTERS on IG: Instagram.com/gastonshutters - OWLKROWN on IG: Instagram.com/owlkrown