Leica CL: 24 megapixel and integrated viewfinder
New chapter for Leica in the mirrorless area with the new Leica CL, a very interesting product that crosses the demands of many of Leica’s on-line collections that demanded a small machine, with interchangeable lenses and electronic viewfinder, but with the typical quality of the Wetzlar manufacturer.
It had been in the air for days, and the rumors had now virtually unveiled it in its entirety: this afternoon, the official arrived. Let’s talk about the new Leica CL, a name that recalls the past to represent a small new milestone for the Wetzlar brand.
We are facing the camera that many Leica enthusiasts were waiting for, able to bring together a Leica Q and a TL. It is a mirrorless with TL bayonet (shared with the full-frame Leica SL) with the shapes of a Leica Q. Compared to Leica TL, we are facing a smaller but also more classic body, which incorporates the classic forms of recent production Leica. Back and cap in aluminum and body without frills.
Few keys, but some goodies that make it a very usable product from the beginning. The two anonymous dials with an inch range are separated by a small display to view the shooting parameters without having to switch on the rear display; in addition, the two ring nuts have a button in the center that allows you to switch the use, allowing you to adjust with them all the shooting parameters, even when you have the eye resting on the viewfinder.
Viewfinder that uses a 2.36 million dot panel and offers 0.74x magnification with a very good user experience for an electronic viewfinder. The sensor is a 24 megapixel CMOS, the image processor is the Maestro II already seen on S and SL, and the phase detection autofocus system can work on 49 zones.
The rear joypad next to the display allows you to move the focus point or start tracking very comfortably. A Leica born for photography (travel, reportage, street photography given the compact size), but also allows you to record 4K video at 30 frames per second.
Sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to ISO 50000 and shutter speeds from 30s to 1/25000 s (up to 1/8000 s with mechanical shutter, plus electronic shutter). There is also Wi-Fi connectivity and the possibility of pairing with the app on the phone, to download photos and use remote control. The machine with installed battery weighs about 4 pounds.
Initially, it will also be available in two kits, one of which sees it together with the new ” pancake ” Elmarit-TL 1: 2.8/18 ASPH. Which with its 20.5mm of length and its 80g of weight is – as stated by Leica – the smallest and lightest APS-C lens on the market today. The other kit includes the zoom Vario-Elmar-TL 1: 3.5-5.6 / 18-56 ASPH.
- Comes with the TL 18mm Lens
- 24MP APS-C sized sensor
- ISO range of 100-50,000
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