Leica CL vs Nikon D850

The Leica CL (Typ 7323) and the Nikon D850 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2017 and July 2017. The CL is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D850 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on an APS-C (CL) and a full frame (D850) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 45.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica CL		Nikon D850
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Leica T mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
220 shots per battery charge		1840 shots per battery charge
131 x 78 x 45 mm, 403 g		146 x 124 x 79 mm, 1005 g

Check CL offers at
ebay.com
Check D850 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica CL (Typ 7323) and the Nikon D850? 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

The physical size and weight of the Leica CL and the Nikon D850 are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D850 is considerably larger (77 percent) than the Leica CL. Moreover, the D850 is substantially heavier (149 percent) than the CL. It is noteworthy in this context that the D850 is splash and dust-proof, while the CL 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.

Concerning battery life, the CL gets 220 shots out of its BP-DC12 battery, while the D850 can take 1840 images on a single charge of its EN-EL15a power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	2,795	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
4.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
8.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-E3	121 mm	74 mm	43 mm	337 g	350	n	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
12.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
13.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	1,950	ebay.com
14.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	1,695	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	3,299	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D800	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	1000 g	900	Y	Feb 2012	2,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D800E	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	1000 g	900	Y	Feb 2012	3,299	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The CL was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 15 percent) than the D850, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica CL features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon D850 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D850 is 131 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 45.4MP, the D850 offers a higher resolution than the CL (24.1MP), but the D850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 3.92μm for the CL) due to its larger sensor. However, the CL is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 months) than the D850, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D850 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D850 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41.3 x 27.5 inches or 104.9 x 69.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 33 x 22 inches or 83.9 x 55.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.5 x 18.3 inches or 69.9 x 46.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica CL are 30.1 x 20.1 inches or 76.4 x 51 cm for good quality, 24.1 x 16.1 inches or 61.1 x 40.8 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.4 inches or 50.9 x 34 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica CL (Typ 7323) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D850 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the CL is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D850 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
2.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
3.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
4.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
5.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
6.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
7.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
8.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
10.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
11.		Fujifilm X-E3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1764	82
12.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
13.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
14.		Leica TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1690	81
15.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
16.		Nikon D800	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/30p	25.3	14.4	2853	95
17.		Nikon D800E	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/30p	25.6	14.3	2979	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the CL has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the D850 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the D850 has a higher magnification than the one of the CL (0.75x vs 0.49x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica CL and Nikon D850 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
2.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-E3	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
12.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D800	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D800E	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 CL 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 CL and the Nikon D850 both have 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 CL writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D850 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D850 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the CL only has one slot. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

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 Leica CL (Typ 7323) and Nikon D850 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.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Fujifilm X-E3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
14.		Leica TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
16.		Nikon D800	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D800E	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the D850 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The CL lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D850 (unlike the CL) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The D850 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the CL has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the CL from Leica. Further information on the features and operation of the CL and D850 can be found, respectively, in the Leica CL Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D850 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica CL and the Nikon D850? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Leica CL (Typ 7323):

• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (131x78mm vs 146x124mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 602g or 60 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (15 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 3 months after the D850).

Advantages of the Nikon D850:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (45.4 vs 24.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 37%.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• 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.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.75x vs 0.49x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1840 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• 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.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in July 2017).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D850 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 8 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 Leica CL and the Nikon D850 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the CL or the D850. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	2,795	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
4.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
8.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-E3	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
12.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
13.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	1,950	ebay.com
14.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	1,695	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	3,299	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D800	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	2,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D800E	..	..	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	3,299	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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