Leica TL2 vs Nikon D610

The Leica TL2 and the Nikon D610 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2017 and October 2013. The TL2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D610 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on an APS-C (TL2) and a full frame (D610) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica TL2		Nikon D610
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Leica T mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 100-6,400 (50 - 25,600)
Viewfinder optional		Optical viewfinder
3.7" LCD – 1230k dots		3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
250 shots per battery charge		900 shots per battery charge
134 x 69 x 33 mm, 399 g		141 x 113 x 82 mm, 850 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica TL2 and the Nikon D610? 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 TL2 and the Nikon D610 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The TL2 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D610 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 D610 is considerably larger (72 percent) than the Leica TL2. Moreover, the D610 is substantially heavier (113 percent) than the TL2. It is noteworthy in this context that the D610 is splash and dust-proof, while the TL2 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 TL2 gets 250 shots out of its Leica BP-DC13 battery, while the D610 can take 900 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack. The power pack in the TL2 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 TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
8.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
9.		Leica T	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Apr 2014	US$ 1 849	ebay.com
10.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D600	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	415 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 TL2 was somewhat cheaper (by 3 percent) than the D610 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica TL2 features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon D610 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D610 is 132 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 24.2MP, the D610 offers a higher resolution than the TL2 (24.1MP), but the D610 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.97μm versus 3.92μm for the TL2) due to its larger sensor. However, the TL2 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 9 months) than the D610, and its sensor will 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 the TL2 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Leica TL2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D610 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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 TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
2.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
6.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
7.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
8.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
9.		Leica T	APS-C	16.2	4944	3278	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	1082	75
10.		Leica TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1690	81
11.		Nikon D600	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.2	2980	94
12.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
13.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
14.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
15.		Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.4	1851	83
16.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
17.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the TL2 provides a higher video resolution than the D610. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon 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 D610 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the TL2 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the TL2 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 TL2, the Nikon D610, 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 TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
2.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica T	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D600	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The TL2 has a touchscreen, while the D610 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Nikon D610 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 TL2 and the D610 write their files to SDXC cards. The D610 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the TL2 only has one slot. The TL2 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D610 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 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 TL2 and Nikon D610 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 TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Leica TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D600	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Nikon D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
14.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
15.		Nikon D3500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
16.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the TL2 offers wifi support, while the D610 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D610 (unlike the TL2) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the TL2 and the D610 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Leica and Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the TL2 and D610 can be found, respectively, in the Leica TL2 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D610 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Leica TL2 or the Nikon D610 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Leica TL2:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.7" vs 3.2") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (134x69mm vs 141x113mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 451g or 53 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.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• 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 price.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 9 months of technical progress since the D610 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D610:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• 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 optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (900 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• 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 around for much longer (launched in October 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D610 comes out slightly ahead of the TL2 (16 : 15 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 TL2 and the Nikon D610 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 TL2 or the D610 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 why expert reviews 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], 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 TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
8.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
9.		Leica T	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2014	US$ 1 849	ebay.com
10.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D600	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3500	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 429	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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

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