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Nikon D810 vs Leica SL

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Nikon D810

36 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D810
$2,796.95
7%
off
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Leica SL

24 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica SL
$7,450.00
Nikon D810 vs Leica SL Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D810 is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 36.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Leica SL is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor.
Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious altenatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting. Fortunately, you can't go wrong with any of these cameras as we rank them amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Nikon D810 is ranked #7 out of 89 Semi-Pro DSLR cameras with an overall score of 89 whereas Leica SL is ranked #6 out of 30 Pro Mirrorless cameras with an overall score of 90.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Nikon D810 and Leica SL before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D810 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-06-26
  • 36MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 64 - 12800 ( expands to 32-51200)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2″ Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 980g. 146 x 123 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D800 Compare

Leica SL Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-10-21
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 50 - 50000
  • Leica T Mount
  • 3″ Fixed Type Screen
  • 4400k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 11.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4096 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 847g. 147 x 104 x 39 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Also known as Typ 601

Nikon D810 was replaced by Nikon D850. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D850 vs Nikon D810
Nikon D850 vs Leica SL (Typ 601)

Reasons to choose Nikon D810 over Leica SL
Built-in Flash Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Max Sensor Resolution 36 MP vs 24 MP 50% more pixels
Number of Focus Points 51 vs 49 2 more focus points
LCD Screen Size 3.2″ vs 3″ 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution 1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots 18% higher resolution screen
Battery Life 1200 shots vs 400 shots 800 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth 25.7 vs 25.0 higher color depth
Dynamic Range 14.8 vs 13.4 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO 2853 vs 1821 better High ISO performance
Price $2,797 vs $7,450 $4,653 cheaper
AE Bracketing Range ±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Autofocus at f/8 aperture Center point vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
Reasons to choose Leica SL over Nikon D810
Wireless Connection Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
GPS BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max ISO 50.000 vs 12.800 290% higher Max ISO
Continuous Shooting 11.0fps vs 5.0fps 6 fps faster
Weight 847 g vs 980 g 133 g lighter
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Strengths of Nikon D810 and Leica SL
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution 36 MP vs 24 MP Bigger prints and more details
Microphone Port Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Top LCD Display Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port Yes vs Yes Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot 2 vs 2 Extra Storage Slot
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-I vs UHS-II Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D810 and Leica SL
Image Stabilization No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Articulating Screen No vs No No flexible viewing angles
Nikon D810 vs Leica SL: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D810 and Leica SL. Leica SL is 19mm shorter and 43mm thinner than Nikon D810 but it is also 1mm wider.

Nikon D810 vs Leica SL Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D810 and Leica SL.
Nikon D810 vs Leica SL Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Nikon D810 vs Leica SL Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Nikon D810 and Leica SL have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D810
SL
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

D810
SL
Min
Average
Max
Nikon D810 vs Leica SL: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D810 has a 36.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features EXPEED 4 processor. On the other hand, Leica SL has a 24.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Maestro II processor.

Nikon D810's sensor provides 12MP more than Leica SL's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Leica SL and Nikon D810 sensors lack anti-alias (Low-Pass) filters. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the D810 and SL sensor size comparison.

Nikon D810 vs Leica SL Sensor Size Comparison


Nikon D810 and Leica SL have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Nikon D810 and Leica SL Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D810 and Leica SL for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D810 for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica SL for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D810 for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica SL for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D810 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica SL for Sports Photography

GOOD
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
49 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D810 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica SL for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
980g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
847g
Read the details

Nikon D810 for Landscape Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica SL for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details


Leica SL vs Nikon D810 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D810 has an advantage over Leica SL. There are 286 lenses for Nikon D810's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 3 lenses for Leica SL's Leica T lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 88 lenses for Nikon F mount and 0 lenses for Leica T mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon D810 Lenses # of Leica SL Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 (17 Full Frame) 1 (0 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 18 (15 Full Frame) 1 (0 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 30 (14 Full Frame) n/a
Wideangle Prime 45 (43 Full Frame) 1 (0 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 49 (39 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Prime 40 (39 Full Frame) n/a
SuperZoom 30 (6 Full Frame) n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 (3 Full Frame) n/a
Macro Prime 22 (19 Full Frame) n/a
Perspective Control Prime 10 (10 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 (0 Full Frame) n/a
TOTAL 286 (205 Full Frame) 3 (0 Full Frame)
Nikon D810 vs Leica SL: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D810 and Leica SL, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D810 and Leica SL scores compare:

Nikon D810
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 92 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #12 out of 1131 in all Cameras
Leica SL
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 49 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #11 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Leica SL has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D810 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon D810
Nikon D810
$2,796.95
7%
off

Leica SL
Leica SL
$7,450.00

Leica SL vs Nikon D810 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D810 Leica SL
Brand Nikon Leica
Announced 2014-06-26 2015-10-21
Body Type Mid-size SLR SLR-style mirrorless
Price $2,796.95 $7,450.00
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.9 x 24 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 861.60mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 36 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 7360 x 4912 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 50,000 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 51200 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 64 ISO 50 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 32 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 51 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Leica T
Number of Available Lenses 286 3
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.2″ 3″
Resolution 1,229k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 4,400k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.7 0.8
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 12.00 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/250s no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 11.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 4096 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Optional Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 980g 847g
Dimensions 146 x 123 x 82mm 147 x 104 x 39mm
Battery Life 1200 shots 400 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional BuiltIn
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 97 88
DxO Color Depth 25.7 25.0
DxO Dynamic Range 14.8 13.4
DxO Low Light ISO 2853 1821
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