Leica TL vs Nikon D500

The Leica TL and the Nikon D500 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2016 and January 2016. The TL is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D500 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica TL		Nikon D500
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Leica T mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,500		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 1,640,000)
Viewfinder optional		Optical viewfinder
3.7" LCD – 1230k dots		3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		1240 shots per battery charge
134 x 69 x 33 mm, 384 g		147 x 115 x 81 mm, 860 g

Check TL offers at
ebay.com
Check D500 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica TL and the Nikon D500? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Leica TL and the Nikon D500. 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 D500 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 Nikon D500 is considerably larger (83 percent) than the Leica TL. Moreover, the D500 is substantially heavier (124 percent) than the TL. It is noteworthy in this context that the D500 is splash and dust-proof, 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.

Concerning battery life, the TL gets 400 shots out of its Leica BP-DC13 battery, while the D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack. The power pack in the TL can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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	Street Price
1.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	US$ 399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-E2S	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	140 mm	82 mm	43 mm	450 g	300	n	Jan 2012	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	US$ 799	ebay.com
9.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
10.		Leica T	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Apr 2014	US$ 1 849	ebay.com
11.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
12.		Leica X2	124 mm	69 mm	52 mm	345 g	450	n	May 2012	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
Note: 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 TL was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 15 percent) than the D500, 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 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D500 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the D500 offers a higher resolution of 20.7 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the 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 4.22μm versus 4.80μm for the TL). Moreover, it should be noted that the TL is a somewhat more recent model (by 10 months) than the D500, 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 resolution advantage of the Nikon D500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 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 Leica TL has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12500. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1640000.

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.

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"). 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 TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1690	81
2.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
3.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1515	79
4.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1691	81
5.		Fujifilm X-E2S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	23.1	12.3	1238	74
7.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
8.		Fujifilm X70	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
9.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
10.		Leica T	APS-C	16.2	4944	3278	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	1082	75
11.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
12.		Leica X2	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	none	23.2	12.4	1275	74
13.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
14.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
15.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
16.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
17.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the D500 provides a better video resolution than the TL. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, 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 D500 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 Leica TL, the Nikon D500, 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)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
3.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-E2S	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	1440	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
7.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X70	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica T	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
12.		Leica X2	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The TL has one, while the D500 does not. While the built-in flash of the TL is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D500 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 TL writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the TL only has one slot. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 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 Leica TL and Nikon D500 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 TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-E2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
10.		Leica T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
12.		Leica X2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
15.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the D500 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The TL lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the TL) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the TL and the D500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The TL was replaced by the Leica TL2, while the D500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the TL and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Leica TL Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Leica TL or the Nikon D500 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Leica TL:

• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.7" vs 3.2") for image review and settings control.
• More compact: Is smaller (134x69mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 476g or 55 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• 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 10 months after the D500).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D500:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• 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 a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• 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: Gets more shots (1240 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D500 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 9 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 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 TL and the Nikon D500 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the TL or the D500 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 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	Street Price
1.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-E2S	4.5/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X70	4.5/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 799	ebay.com
9.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
10.		Leica T	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2014	US$ 1 849	ebay.com
11.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
12.		Leica X2	3/5	..	..	..	3/5	4/5	May 2012	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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