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Leica TL vs Sony FX3 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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Sony FX3

12 MP | Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony FX3
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Leica TL vs Sony FX3 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing TL and FX3, two Mirrorless cameras from Leica and Sony. Leica TL is a Advanced Mirrorless class camera and Sony FX3 is a Pro Mirrorless class camera.

Leica TL was introduced to the market in November 2016 and Sony FX3 was launched in February 2021. As you can see, TL is 5 years older than FX3. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Leica TL and Sony FX3 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

Sony FX3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2021-02-23
  • 12MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 102400 ( expands to 50 - 409600)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully articulated Screen
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 716g. 130 x 78 x 85 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 Sony FX3

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Leica TL and Sony FX3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Leica TL over Sony FX3
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
LCD Screen Size
3.7 vs 3″ 0.7 inches larger display
Weight
384 g vs 716 g 332 g lighter
CHECK TL PRICE


Reasons to choose Sony FX3 over Leica TL
Gyroscopic Stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilize video in post process
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
Fully articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Max ISO
102.400 vs 12.500 719% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution
1.440k dots vs 1.230k dots 17% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 5.0fps 5 fps faster
Battery Life
600 shots vs 400 shots 200 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
Sensor Pixel Area
70.55µm2 vs 23.04µm2 206% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
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
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CFexpress Card Support
Yes (Type A) vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
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 FX3 PRICE

Common Strengths of Leica TL and Sony FX3
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 Resolution
1.230k dots vs 1.440k 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 Sony FX3
Leica TL vs Sony FX3: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Leica TL and Sony FX3 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). Sony FX3 has external dimensions of 130 x 78 x 85 mm (3.07 x 5.12 x 3.35″) and weighs 716 g (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Leica TL and the Sony FX3. Leica TL is 9mm shorter and 52mm thinner than Sony FX3 but it is also 4mm wider.

Leica TL vs Sony FX3 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Leica TL and Sony FX3 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Leica TL and Sony FX3.

Leica TL vs Sony FX3 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Leica TL and Sony FX3 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Leica TL and Sony FX3.
Leica TL vs Sony FX3 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Leica TL and Sony FX3 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 (332g ) than the Sony FX3 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 also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Sony FX3 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 Sony FX3 lenses.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

TL
FX3
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

TL
FX3
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of the FX3, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the TL.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Leica TL's 3.70" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony FX3's 3″ screen.



Leica TL vs Sony FX3: Sensor Comparison

Leica TL has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Sony FX3 has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz XR processor.

Below you can see the TL and FX3 sensor size comparison.

Leica TL vs Sony FX3 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Leica TL and Sony FX3 Cameras


As seen above, Sony FX3 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 Sony FX3 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Sony FX3 has an advantage over the Leica TL There are 191 lenses for the Sony FX3's Sony E mount, but on the other hand, there are only 62 lenses for the Leica TL's Leica TL lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony FX3 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. FX3's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 5.5-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 10 lenses for Leica TL mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Leica TL Lenses # of Sony FX3 Lenses
Standard Zoom 8 19 (14 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 14 34 (21 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 5 14 (11 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 18 57 (39 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 8 17 (15 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 7 26 (20 Full Frame)
SuperZoom n/a 10 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a 2 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 2 9 (8 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime n/a 2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 62 191 (132 Full Frame)

What types of Photography are Leica TL and Sony FX3 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Leica TL and Sony FX3 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

Sony FX3 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 (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Leica TL for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony FX3 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 (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Leica TL for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony FX3 for Sports Photography

GOOD
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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
759 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 600 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Leica TL for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony FX3 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
384g
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
716g
Body Thickness 85mm
Read the details

Leica TL for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony FX3 for Landscape Photography

POOR
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 (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details

Leica TL vs Sony FX3: 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 Sony FX3, 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 Sony FX3 scores compare:

Leica TL
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #54 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #298 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Sony FX3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #8 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #62 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Sony FX3 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, Sony FX3 is the better camera overall.

Leica TL
Leica TL
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Sony FX3
Sony FX3
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Sony FX3 vs Leica TL Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Leica TL Sony FX3
Brand Leica Sony
Announced 2016-11-08 2021-02-23
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.7 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
Area 370.52mm2 847.28mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4928 x 3264 4240 x 2832
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,500 ISO 102,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 409600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 80 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 50 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 759
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Leica TL Sony E
Number of Available Lenses 62 191
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully articulated
Size 3.70" 3.00"
Resolution 1,230k dots 1,440k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
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
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 10.0 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 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4 MPEG-4, XAVC S, XAVC HS, XAVC S-1, H.264, H.265
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 384g 716g
Dimensions 134 x 69 x 33mm 130 x 78 x 85mm
Battery Life 400 shots 600 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 85
DxO Color Depth not tested 24.2
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.4
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 3900
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