How many Megapixels does the Leica SL have?
The Leica SL (Typ 601) is equipped with a a full frame sensor that offers an image resolution of 24 megapixels (MP), or 24 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 6 000 horizontal pixels and 4 000 vertical pixels.
A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Leica SL can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.
A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.
How large can I print with 24 MP?
The maximum print size of the Leica SL for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.
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Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Leica SL to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Leica SL | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 13.4 | 1821 | 88 | |
| 2. | Canon 1D X Mark II | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4K/60p | 24.1 | 13.5 | 3207 | 88 | |
| 3. | Canon 5DS | Full Frame | 50.3 | 8688 | 5792 | 1080/30p | 24.7 | 12.4 | 2381 | 87 | |
| 4. | Canon 80D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.2 | 1135 | 79 | |
| 5. | Leica M Typ 240 | Full Frame | 23.7 | 5952 | 3976 | 1080/25p | 24.0 | 13.3 | 1860 | 84 | |
| 6. | Leica M10 | Full Frame | 23.8 | 5952 | 3992 |  | 24.4 | 13.2 | 2133 | 86 | |
| 7. | Leica SL2 | Full Frame | 46.7 | 8368 | 5584 | 4K/60p | 25.3 | 14.3 | 2866 | 95 | |
| 8. | Leica SL2-S | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.2 | 14.1 | 3504 | 95 | |
| 9. | Nikon D5 | Full Frame | 20.7 | 5588 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 25.1 | 12.3 | 2343 | 88 | |
| 10. | Nikon D500 | APS-C | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 14.0 | 1324 | 83 | |
| 11. | Nikon D750 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 14.5 | 2956 | 93 | |
| Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. | |||||||||||
| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
| Camera Model |
|||||||||||
In the United States, the Leica SL was initially launched in October 2015 at a price of $7,449.
Check Leica SL offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons
If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
| Camera Model | Leica SL | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
| Camera Lens | Leica L mount lenses | |
| Launch Date | October 2015 | |
| Launch Price | USD 7 449 | |
| Sensor Specs | ||
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
| Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
| Sensor Size | 36.0 x 24.0 mm | |
| Sensor Area | 864 mm2 | |
| Sensor Diagonal | 43.3 mm | |
| Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
| Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
| Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
| Pixel Pitch | 6.00 μm | |
| Pixel Density | 2.78 MP/cm2 | |
| Moiré control | no AA filter | |
| Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | |
| ISO Setting | 50 - 50 000 ISO | |
| Image Processor | Maestro II | |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 88 | |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 25.0 | |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.4 | |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1821 | |
| Screen Specs | ||
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.80x | |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 4400k dots | |
| Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | |
| LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
| LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | |
| LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
| Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
| Shooting Specs | ||
| Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | |
| Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
| Continuous Shooting | 11 shutter flaps/s | |
| Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
| Silent Shooting | Electronic Shutter | |
| Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
| Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
| UHS card support | Single UHS-II | |
| Connectivity Specs | ||
| External Flash | Hotshoe | |
| Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
| USB Connector | USB 3.0 | |
| HDMI Port | full HDMI | |
| Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
| Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
| Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
| Geotagging | GPS built-in | |
| Body Specs | ||
| Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
| Battery Type | Leica BP-SCL4 power pack | |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 400 shots per charge | |
| Body Dimensions |
147 x 104 x 39 mm (5.8 x 4.1 x 1.5 in) |
|
| Camera Weight | 847 g (29.9 oz) | |
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