SL3-S with filming equipment

Videography

Few photographers today work without ever using a camera's video function. Whether for reportage, sports or wedding photography, moving sequences have become par for the course; and this was the case even before Social Media started assailing us with their daily reels. Moving images underline the authenticity of a situation. They are able to tell a completely different story than photos can. They define the narrative more clearly, direct the eye and usually leave less room for interpretation. With a photo, the film unfolds more in the mind of the viewer; with a film or video, it unfolds on the viewer's screen.

Leica SL3-S Open Gate Recording: flexibility as part of the creative process

Open Gate Recording means that the full sensor area in the Leica SL3-S is used for recording videos, instead of being limited to conventional 16:9 or 4:3 formats. The SL3-S full-frame sensor enables recording in the sensor’s native 3:2 format, thereby capturing additional image information in terms of height and width. This provides major advantages for content producers.

One significant benefit is the greater degree of flexibility in terms of post-processing. Since there is extra image information available in terms of height, any footage can be simply cropped for different aspect ratios: you can use 16:9 for YouTube or 9:16 for Instagram Stories without losing any of the quality. In this way, you can post a single take on different platforms, which both saves you time and allows you to ensure a consistent level of quality. By using the entire sensor, you can also benefit from a higher native resolution. In turn, this allows a greater number of details to be captured, which is particularly important when it comes to the demands of professional productions. You can also enjoy a more creative approach to framing with open-gate recording as a result of the full sensor format, which enables the creation of individual image compositions at a later date.

One other important point is that open-gate technology is future-proof. Platform requirements are always changing, which is why the extra image information that is captured is so important: content can be flexibly adapted to any new formats. This allows you to use any shot you’ve taken in a variety of ways, irrespective of where you publish it. 

Videography leica camera