Leica SL vs YI M1

The Leica SL (Typ 601) and the YI M1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2015 and September 2016. Both the Leica SL and the M1 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a full frame (Leica SL) and a Four Thirds (M1) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the YI provides 20.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica SL		YI M1
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 50-50,000		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (4400k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
400 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
147 x 104 x 39 mm, 847 g		114 x 64 x 34 mm, 281 g

Check Leica SL offers at
ebay.com
Check M1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica SL (Typ 601) and the YI M1? 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 Leica SL and the YI M1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Leica 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 YI M1 is considerably smaller (52 percent) than the Leica SL. Moreover, the M1 is substantially lighter (67 percent) than the Leica SL. It is worth mentioning in this context that the Leica SL is splash and dust resistant, while the M1 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 Leica SL gets 400 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL4 battery, while the M1 can take 450 images on a single charge of its YI BXM-10 power pack. The power pack in the M1 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 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 SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
2.		YI M1	114 mm	64 mm	34 mm	281 g	450	n	Sep 2016	349	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
8.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
9.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
10.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
11.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon 1 J5	98 mm	60 mm	32 mm	231 g	250	n	Apr 2015	399	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX850	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	269 g	210	n	Jan 2017	549	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic GF7	107 mm	65 mm	33 mm	266 g	230	n	Jan 2015	499	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 obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The M1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 95 percent) than the Leica SL, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 SL features a full frame sensor and the YI M1 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the M1 is 74 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 2.0. The sensor in the Leica SL has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the M1 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the Leica SL offers a higher resolution than the M1 (20.2MP), but the Leica SL nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 3.34μm for the M1) due to its larger sensor. However, the M1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the Leica SL, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Leica SL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica SL implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. 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. The corresponding values for the YI M1 are 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica SL (Typ 601) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the YI M1 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
2.		YI M1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
3.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
5.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
6.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
7.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
8.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
9.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
10.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
11.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
12.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
13.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
14.		Nikon 1 J5	1-inch	20.7	5568	3712	4K/15p	21.1	12.0	479	65
15.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
16.		Panasonic GX850	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	23.2	13.3	586	73
17.		Panasonic GF7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.7	12.3	874	70
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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Leica SL has an electronic viewfinder (4400k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica SL and YI M1 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 SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
2.		YI M1	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
14.		Nikon 1 J5	none	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic GX850	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	10.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic GF7	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Leica SL, but is missing on the M1 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 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 Leica 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 and the YI M1 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Leica SL and the M1 write their files to SDXC cards. The Leica SL features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M1 only has one slot. The Leica SL supports UHS-II cards on its first slot and UHS-I on its second one, while the M1 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 Leica SL (Typ 601) and YI M1 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 SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
2.		YI M1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
11.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Nikon 1 J5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic GX850	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Panasonic GF7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Leica SL has a microphone port, which is missing on the M1. 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 Leica SL (unlike the M1) 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 Leica SL has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Leica SL and the M1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Leica SL was replaced by the Leica SL2, while the M1 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Leica SL and M1 can be found, respectively, in the Leica SL Manual (free pdf) or the online YI M1 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Leica SL better than the YI M1 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Leica SL (Typ 601):

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20.2MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• 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.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic 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 (11 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• 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).
• 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 Ultra High Speed (UHS-II and UHS-I) SDXC cards.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2015).

Advantages of the YI M1:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (114x64mm vs 147x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 566g or 67 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (450 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (95 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (11 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Leica SL is the clear winner of the match-up (22 : 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 SL and the YI M1 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Leica SL and the M1 in practical situations. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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 SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
2.		YI M1	..	..	..	69/100	..	..	Sep 2016	349	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
8.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
9.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
10.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
11.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon 1 J5	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	399	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX850	..	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	549	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic GF7	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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