Canon M100 vs Leica SL

The Canon EOS M100 and the Leica SL (Typ 601) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2017 and October 2015. Both the M100 and the SL are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M100) and a full frame (SL) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M100		Leica SL
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, Full Frame Sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 50-50,000
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (4400k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots		3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
6.1 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
295 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 302 g		147 x 104 x 39 mm, 847 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M100 and the Leica SL (Typ 601)? 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 M100 and the Leica SL is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the SL 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 SL is considerably larger (111 percent) than the Canon M100. Moreover, the SL is substantially heavier (180 percent) than the M100. It is noteworthy in this context that the SL is splash and dust-proof, while the M100 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499
2.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450
3.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549
4.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779
5.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779
8.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999
10.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199
11.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979
12.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699
13.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679
14.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499
15.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599
16.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999
17.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	6,950
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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 93 percent) than the SL, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M100 features an APS-C sensor and the Leica SL a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the SL is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

Even though the SL has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the SL has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 3.72μm for the M100), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the M100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 10 months) than the SL, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The M100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS M100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica SL (Typ 601) are ISO 50 to ISO 50000 (no boost).

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the SL has a markedly higher DXO score than the M100 (overall score 10 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.5 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272		78
2.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821		88
3.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	..	..	..		..
4.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	..	..	..		..
5.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	..	..	..		..
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522		65
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..		..
8.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041		79
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207		88
10.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135		79
11.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262		77
12.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381		87
13.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169		72
14.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753		65
15.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827		65
16.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	..	..	..		..
17.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860		84

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the SL provides a better video resolution than the M100. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SL has an electronic viewfinder (4400k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M100 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M100 and Leica SL along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (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 M100	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1	Y	n
2.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0	n	n
3.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1	Y	n
4.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0	Y	n
5.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0	920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	Y	n
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2	Y	Y
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0	Y	n
8.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2	1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0	n	n
10.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0	Y	n
11.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2	1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0	Y	n
12.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2	1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0	n	n
13.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2	Y	n
14.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6	Y	n
15.		Canon M	none	n	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3	n	n
16.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2	2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
17.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0	920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	n	n

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The M100 has one, while the SL does not. While the built-in flash of the M100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the SL is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Leica SL 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M100 and the SL write their files to SDXC cards. The SL features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M100 only has one slot. The SL supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the M100 can use UHS-I 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 M100 and Leica SL (Typ 601) 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M100	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Leica SL	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon M200	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M50	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon T7	Y	mono	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono	mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon M5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono	mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon M3	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon M10	-	stereo	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon M	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
17.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the SL has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The M100 lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica SL (unlike the M100) 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 SL has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the M100 and the SL have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The SL was replaced by the Leica SL2, while the M100 was followed by the Canon M200. 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 how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M100 and the Leica SL? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M100:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 147x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 545g or 64 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (93 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 10 months after the SL).

Arguments in favor of the Leica SL (Typ 601):

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (10 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.5 bits more color depth).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• 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 electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 6.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (400 versus 295) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• 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).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• 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: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2015).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SL is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 11 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 M100 and the Leica SL place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M100 and the SL in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], 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	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)			Street Price
1.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499
2.		Leica SL	4/5	..	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450
3.		Canon M200	..	+	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549
4.		Canon M50	..	+	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779
5.		Canon T7	..	o	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529
7.		Canon M6	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779
8.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549
9.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999
10.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199
11.		Canon M5	4/5	+	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979
12.		Canon 5DS	..	+	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699
13.		Canon M3	4/5	o	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679
14.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499
15.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599
16.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999
17.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Specifications: Canon M100 vs Leica SL

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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