Canon 7D II vs Leica TL

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Leica TL are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2014 and November 2016. The 7D Mark II is a DSLR, while the TL is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 16.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 7D II		Leica TL
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica T mount lenses
20 MP, APS-C Sensor		16.1 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,500
Optical viewfinder		Viewfinder optional
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots		3.7 LCD, 1230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
670 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
149 x 112 x 78 mm, 910 g		134 x 69 x 33 mm, 384 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Leica TL? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 7D II and the Leica TL is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TL can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, titanium), while the 7D Mark II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica TL is considerably smaller (45 percent) than the Canon 7D II. Moreover, the TL is substantially lighter (58 percent) than the 7D Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 7D Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the TL does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the TL can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799
2.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	1,695
3.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749
4.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449
5.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199
6.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549
7.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649
8.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099
9.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399
10.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699
11.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299
12.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499
13.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	399
14.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	399
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	140 mm	82 mm	43 mm	450 g	300	n	Jan 2012	1,699
16.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	1,950
17.		Leica T	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Apr 2014	1,850
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The TL was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the 7D Mark II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the TL is 10 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (7D Mark II) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon 7D II offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the Leica TL. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.10μm versus 4.80μm for the TL). Moreover, it should be noted that the TL is much more recent (by 2 years and 1 month) than the 7D Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the TL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 7D II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 7D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica TL are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 7D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica TL are ISO 100 to ISO 12500 (no boost).

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
2.		Leica TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
3.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
4.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
5.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
6.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
7.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
8.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
9.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
10.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
11.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
12.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
13.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
14.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	..	..	..	..
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	..	..	..	..
16.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
17.		Leica T	APS-C	16.2	4944	3278	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	1082	75

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 7D Mark II provides a higher frame rate than the TL. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Leica is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 7D Mark II has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the TL relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the TL can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the Visoflex (Typ 020). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 7D II, the Leica TL, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0	Y	n
2.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
3.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
4.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	Y	n
5.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0	Y	n
6.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9	Y	n
7.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
8.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5	n	n
9.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3	Y	n
10.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0	Y	n
11.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3	Y	n
12.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0	Y	n
14.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	1440	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0	n	n
16.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0	n	n
17.		Leica T	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n

One feature that is present on the 7D Mark II, but is missing on the TL is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Canon 7D II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 7D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the TL uses SDXC cards. The 7D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the TL only has one slot. The 7D Mark II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the TL cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Leica TL and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
13.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
17.		Leica T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the 7D Mark II has a microphone port, which is missing on the TL. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 7D II (unlike the TL) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 7D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The 7D Mark II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the TL has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the TL was succeeded by the Leica TL2. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Leica websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 7D II and the Leica TL? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 7D Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 16.1MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (670 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2014).

Arguments in favor of the Leica TL:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.7" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 1040k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More compact: Is smaller (134x69mm vs 149x112mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 526g or 58 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 7D Mark II launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 7D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (19 : 11 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 7D II and the Leica TL place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 7D Mark II or the TL perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799
2.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	1,695
3.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749
4.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449
5.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199
6.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549
7.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649
8.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099
9.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399
10.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699
11.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299
12.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499
13.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	399
14.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	399
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	1,699
16.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	1,950
17.		Leica T	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2014	1,850
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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Specifications: Canon 7D II vs Leica TL

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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