Leica CL Review

Select a Camera to Compare

Add a Camera for comparison

Main Features

24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 50000

3" Fixed Type Screen

2360k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video

Built-in Wireless

403g. 131 x 78 x 45 mm

CHECK PRICE

Leica CL Overview

First introduced in November 2017 , Leica CL is a 24.0MP Advanced Mirrorless camera with a APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor.

Leica CL Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Leica CL has an Overall Score of 59/100 and ranked #142 out of 204 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 10 Mirrorless), and ranked #310 out of 1212 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Leica CL Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Leica CL Compared to other Mirrorless Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Leica CL review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

4K (UHD) Video

Touch Screen

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

24.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

50.000 Max ISO

49 Focus Points

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

1/25000s Electronic Shutter Speed

10.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

403g Light Body

Timelapse Recording

2360kdot Viewfinder Resolution

0.74x magnification - Large Viewfinder

Flash Sync Port

Remote control with a smartphone

Compatible with fast UHS-II cards

Report a correction

Buy Leica CL from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

Low Battery Life: 220 shots

No Environmental Sealing

Report a correction

Leica CL Lens Mount and Lenses

Leica CL has a Leica L lens mount and currently there are 31 native lenses available for this mount.

Leica CL doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 4 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 23 lenses with weather sealing for CL but bear in mind that CL body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Leica CL Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Leica L Mount Lenses for Leica CL

Model	Focal Length on CL	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Leica Summilux-SL 50mm F1.4 ASPH	0mm	35mm FF	335gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM A	0mm	35mm FF	665gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280 mm F2.8-4	0-0mm	35mm FF	1710gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM A	0mm	35mm FF	815gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM A	0mm	35mm FF	950gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art	0mm	35mm FF	1170gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm F2.8-4 ASPH	0-0mm	35mm FF	1140gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art	0mm	35mm FF	515gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Leica CL Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Leica CL Sensor and Photography Features

Leica CL has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Maestro II processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 6014 x 4014 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. CL has a native ISO range of 100 - 50000 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Leica CL is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Canon M6 MII with its 33.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Leica CL vs Canon M6 MII or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Leica CL's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Leica CL Physical Specs

Leica CL weighs 403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz) and has external dimensions of 131 x 78 x 45 mm (5.16 x 3.07 x 1.77″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 435g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 45mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Leica CL

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Leica CL

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Leica CL with the dimensions:

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Leica CL with its main competitors:

Leica CL Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs CL	Thickness	vs CL
Leica Q2 Compare	718g	315g heavier	92mm	47mm thicker
Fujifilm X-Pro3 Compare	497g	94g heavier	46mm	1mm thicker
Fujifilm X100V Compare	478g	75g heavier	53mm	8mm thicker
Leica TL2 Compare	399g	4g lighter	33mm	12mm thinner
Leica Q Compare	640g	237g heavier	93mm	48mm thicker
Leica D-Lux 7 Compare	403g	equal weight	64mm	19mm thicker
Fujifilm X-T4 Compare	607g	204g heavier	64mm	19mm thicker
Panasonic LX100 Compare	393g	10g lighter	55mm	10mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Leica CL doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Leica CL LCD and Viewfinder

Leica CL has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

CL has a built-in Electronic viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a resolution of 2,360kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later. The magnification ratio of the viewfinder is 0.74x (35mm equivalent).

Leica CL Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Leica CL features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection.One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our CL. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

Leica CL has a Yes port to connect your camera to other devices.

Battery

Leica CL is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 220 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 366 shots, Leica CL has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend CL owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Advanced Mirrorless Cameras

Leica CL

Min

Average

Max

Sony A6600 with its 810shots is the model with longest battery life among Advanced Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Leica CL vs Sony A6600 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

Leica CL Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Leica Q2 Compare	3840 x 2160	370shots	Yes	Yes	No
Fujifilm X-Pro3 Compare	4096 x 2160	shots	Yes	Yes	No
Fujifilm X100V Compare	4096 x 2160	420shots	Yes	Yes	No
Leica TL2 Compare	3840 x 2160	250shots	Yes	No	No
Leica Q Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	Yes	No	No
Leica D-Lux 7 Compare	3840 x 2160	340shots	Yes	Yes	No
Fujifilm X-T4 Compare	4096 x 2160	500shots	Yes	Yes	No
Panasonic LX100 Compare	3840 x 2160	300shots	Yes	No	Yes

Leica CL Video Features

With Leica CL, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30p fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. This means that Leica CL provides 4K (Ultra-HD) video. Except some exotic 6K and 8K video recording cameras, 4K is the new standard in consumer video world.

CL has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Leica CL doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Mirrorless camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Sony Alpha A7R IV or Sony Alpha A7R III in a similar price range.

Leica CL Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Leica CL can shoot continuously at max speed of 10.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec. CL also has an electronic shutter which can shoot silently at max speed of 1/25000s. One thing to keep in mind is that electronic shutter may cause rolling shutter / jello effects, and also banding issues under artificial light on your images.

Flash

Unfortunately CL doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

Leica CL features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 49 points to choose from.

Leica CL also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Leica CL Good for?

In this section, we review and score Leica CL in 5 different photography areas.

Leica CL for Portrait Photography

Leica CL has a score of 51 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Leica CL for Portrait Photography

Leica CL for Street Photography

Leica CL has a score of 54 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Street Photography list.

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Leica CL for Street Photography

Leica CL for Sports Photography

Leica CL has a score of 62 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Leica CL for Sports Photography

Leica CL for Daily Photography

Leica CL has a score of 55 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Medium size Body

403g
Body Thickness 45mm

Read the details of how we scored Leica CL for Daily Photography

Leica CL for Landscape Photography

Leica CL has a score of 40 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Leica CL for Landscape Photography

Leica CL Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Leica CL compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of CL and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Leica CL alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Leica CL

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Leica CL amongst Camera Decision readers.

Leica Q2

Compare

Fujifilm X-Pro3

Compare

Fujifilm X100V

Compare

Leica TL2

Compare

Leica Q

Compare

Leica D-Lux 7

Compare

Fujifilm X-T4

Compare

Panasonic LX100

Compare

Leica CL Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Leica CL with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Leica CL's price range.

Nikon D850

Compare

Sony A99 II

Compare

Pentax K-1

Compare

Nikon D780

Compare

Pentax K-1 II

Compare

Nikon D750

Compare

Canon 1D X III

Compare

Nikon D810

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Leica CL

Does the Leica CL have Image Stabilization?
Does the Leica CL have RAW support?
Does the Leica CL have Weather Sealing?
Does the Leica CL have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Leica CL?
What is the Sensor Size of Leica CL?
is the Leica CL a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Leica CL have Touch Screen?
Does the Leica CL have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Leica CL?

Leica CL Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Leica
Model	Leica CL
Announced	2017-11-21
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Leica L
Number of Lenses	31
Focal Length Multiplier	1.5x
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3"
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74x
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter Speed	1/25000s
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Flash Modes	no built-in flash
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	23.6 x 15.7 mm
Sensor Area	370.52mm²
Sensor Resolution	24 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	6014 x 4014
Max Native ISO	50,000
Min Native ISO	100
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	49
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	3840 x 2160 @ 30p, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	Yes
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	403g
Physical Dimensions	131 x 78 x 45mm
Battery Life	220 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	BP-DC12
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 12 secs)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-II supported)
Storage Slots	1