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Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 Comparison

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Leica TL

16 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica TL
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Nikon Z9

46 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) Stacked CMOS Sensor

Nikon Z9
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Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing TL and Z9, two Mirrorless cameras from Leica and Nikon. Leica TL is a Advanced Mirrorless class camera and Nikon Z9 is a Pro Mirrorless class camera.

Leica TL was introduced to market in November 2016 and Nikon Z9 was launched in October 2021. As you can see, TL is 5 years older than Z9. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Leica TL and Nikon Z9 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Leica TL Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-11-08
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12500
  • Leica TL Mount
  • 3.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 384g. 134 x 69 x 33 mm

Nikon Z9 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2021-10-29
  • 46MP - Full frame Stacked CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 64 - 25600 ( expands to 32 - 102400)
  • Nikon Z Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.20" Tilting Screen
  • 3686k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 30.0fps continuous shooting
  • 8K - 7680 x 4320 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 1340g. 149 x 150 x 91 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Leica TL was replaced by Leica TL2. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica TL2 vs Leica TL
Leica TL2 vs Nikon Z9

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Leica TL and Nikon Z9 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Leica TL over Nikon Z9
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
LCD Screen Size
3.7 vs 3.2″ 0.5 inches larger display
Weight
384 g vs 1340 g 956 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
23.04µm2 vs 18.88µm2 22% larger pixel area
CHECK TL PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon Z9 over Leica TL
Zero Blackout Viewfinder
Yes vs No No Blackout during continuous shooting
Video Record Limit
Unlimited vs Limited Record clips longer than 30 minutes
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
46 MP vs 16 MP 187% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.500 104% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
2.089k dots vs 1.230k dots 69% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
30.0fps vs 5.0fps 25 fps faster
Battery Life
740 shots vs 400 shots 340 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
7680 x 4320 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Full-size HDMI Port
Yes vs No Use standard HDMI cables without adapters
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Illuminated Buttons
Yes vs No Find the buttons easily in dark
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
CFexpress Card Support
Yes (Type B) vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Vehicle Tracking AF
Yes vs No Easily lock and track racing cars and bikes
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject
CHECK Z9 PRICE

Common Strengths of Leica TL and Nikon Z9
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3.20" vs 3.20" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 2.089k dots High resolution screens
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Leica TL and Nikon Z9
Leica TL vs Nikon Z9: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Leica TL and Nikon Z9 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Leica TL has external dimensions of 134 x 69 x 33 mm (5.28 x 2.72 x 1.3″) and weighs 384 g (0.85 lb / 13.55 oz) (including batteries). Nikon Z9 has external dimensions of 149 x 150 x 91 mm (5.87 x 5.91 x 3.58″) and weighs 1340 g (2.95 lb / 47.27 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leica TL and Nikon Z9. Leica TL is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 15mm narrower, 81mm shorter and 58mm thinner than Nikon Z9.

Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Leica TL and Nikon Z9 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Leica TL and Nikon Z9.

Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Leica TL and Nikon Z9 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Leica TL and Nikon Z9.
Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Leica TL and Nikon Z9 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica TL is significantly lighter (956g ) than the Nikon Z9 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

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 Nikon Z9 has a Full frame sensor and Leica TL has a smaller APS-C sensor, Leica TL's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Nikon Z9 lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

TL
Z9
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

TL
Z9
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of Z9, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to TL.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Leica TL's 3.70" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon Z9's 3.2″ screen.

Leica TL vs Nikon Z9: Sensor Comparison

Leica TL has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon Z9 has a 46.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm ) sized Stacked CMOS sensor .

Nikon Z9's sensor provides 30MP more than Leica TL'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.

Below you can see the TL and Z9 sensor size comparison.

Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Leica TL and Nikon Z9 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon Z9 has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Leica TL. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Leica TL vs Nikon Z9 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 Leica TL has an advantage over Nikon Z9. There are 53 lenses for Leica TL's Leica TL mount, on the other hand there are only 32 lenses for Nikon Z9's Nikon Z lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Nikon Z9 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. Z9's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 6.0-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Leica TL doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 8 lenses for Leica TL mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Leica TL Lenses # of Nikon Z9 Lenses
Standard Zoom 8 6 (5 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 11 5 (4 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 4 2 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 15 7 (7 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 6 3 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 7 4 (4 Full Frame)
SuperZoom n/a 2 (1 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a n/a
Macro Prime 2 3 (3 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 53 32 (28 Full Frame)

What types of Photography are Leica TL and Nikon Z9 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Leica TL and Nikon Z9 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.

Leica TL for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon Z9 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 46.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Leica TL for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon Z9 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Leica TL for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon Z9 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 30.0fps
Environmental Sealings
493 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 740 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Read the details

Leica TL for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon Z9 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
384g
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
1340g
Body Thickness 91mm
Read the details

Leica TL for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon Z9 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 46.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details

Leica TL vs Nikon Z9: 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 Leica TL and Nikon Z9, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Leica TL and Nikon Z9 scores compare:

Leica TL
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #50 out of 130 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #286 out of 1244 in all Cameras
Nikon Z9
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 102 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #7 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Nikon Z9 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica TL in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Leica TL. Otherwise, Nikon Z9 is the better camera overall.

Leica TL
Leica TL
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Nikon Z9
Nikon Z9
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Nikon Z9 vs Leica TL Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Leica TL Nikon Z9
Brand Leica Nikon
Announced 2016-11-08 2021-10-29
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS Stacked CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.7 mm 35.9 x 23.9 mm
Area 370.52mm2 858.01mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 46 megapixels
Max Resolution 4928 x 3264 8256 x 5504
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,500 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 64 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 n/a 493
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Leica TL Nikon Z
Number of Available Lenses 53 32
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3.70" 3.20"
Resolution 1,230k dots 2,089k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 3,686k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.8x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s n/a
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/32000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.50 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 30.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 7680 x 4320
Video Formats MPEG-4 H.264, H.265
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 384g 1340g
Dimensions 134 x 69 x 33mm 149 x 150 x 91mm
Battery Life 400 shots 740 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 98
DxO Color Depth not tested 26.3
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.8
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2451
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