Leica SL2 vs Nikon Z9

The Leica SL2 and the Nikon Z9 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2019 and October 2021. Both the Leica SL2 and the Z9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 46.7 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 SL2		Nikon Z9
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
46.7 MP – Full Frame sensor		45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 2089k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		740 shots per battery charge
146 x 107 x 42 mm, 953 g		149 x 150 x 91 mm, 1340 g

Check Leica SL2 price at
amazon.com
Check Z9 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica SL2 and the Nikon Z9? 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 SL2 and the Nikon Z9 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z9 is considerably larger (43 percent) than the Leica SL2. Moreover, the Z9 is substantially heavier (41 percent) than the Leica SL2. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 SL2 gets 370 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL4 battery, while the Z9 can take 740 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL18d power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the Z9 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the Leica SL2, Leica provides the HG-SCL6 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z9	149 mm	150 mm	91 mm	1340 g	740	Y	Oct 2021	5,499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	6,499	amazon.com
4.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	769 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	6,999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	3,399	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	2,999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	3,999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	2,499	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	3,999	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
15.		Pentax K-1 II	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	670	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	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 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 Z9 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the Leica SL2 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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. 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 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. 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 a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Z9 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 46.7MP, the Leica SL2 offers a slightly higher resolution than the Z9 (45.4MP), but the Leica SL2 has marginally smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.30μm versus 4.35μm for the Z9). Moreover, the Z9 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the Leica SL2, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 Z9 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the Z9, the Leica SL2 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (187MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Leica SL2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000, which can be extended to ISO 50-50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z9 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the Leica SL2 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Z9 uses a Stacked 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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"). 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.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
2.		Nikon Z9	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.4	2451	98
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
4.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
5.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
6.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
7.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
8.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
9.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
10.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
11.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
12.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
13.		Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.2	14.2	2805	94
14.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
15.		Pentax K-1 II	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.1	14.0	2698	93
16.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Z9 provides a better video resolution than the Leica SL2. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Leica is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Leica SL2 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the Z9 (5760k vs 3690k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica SL2 and Nikon Z9 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 SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
2.		Nikon Z9	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
4.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
7.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2 / 2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
15.		Pentax K-1 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) 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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 SL2 and the Nikon Z9 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 Leica SL2 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Z9 uses CFexpress (type B) or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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 SL2 and Nikon Z9 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 SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
6.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Pentax K-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the Z9 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Leica SL2 and the Z9 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Leica SL2 replaced the earlier Leica SL (Typ 601), while the Z9 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the Leica SL2 and Z9 can be found, respectively, in the Leica SL2 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon Z9 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Leica SL2 better than the Nikon Z9 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Leica SL2:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (146x107mm vs 149x150mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 387g or 29 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• 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 November 2019).

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z9:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.78x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/32000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (740 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 11 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z9 is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 6 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 SL2 and the Nikon Z9 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 SL2 and the Z9 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 where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z9	5/5	..	4.5/5	94/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2021	5,499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	6,499	amazon.com
4.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	6,999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	3,399	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	2,999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	3,999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	2,499	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1H	..	..	4/5	90/100	..	..	May 2019	3,999	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
15.		Pentax K-1 II	..	..	4.5/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check Leica SL2 price at
amazon.com
Check Z9 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Check Leica SL2 price at
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Check Z9 price at
amazon.com

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