Nikon D7500 vs Leica CL

The Nikon D7500 and the Leica CL (Typ 7323) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2017 and November 2017. The D7500 is a DSLR, while the CL is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 24.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D7500		Leica CL
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses		Leica T mount lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor		24.1 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 164,000)		ISO 100-50,000
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.2" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
950 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
136 x 104 x 73 mm, 720 g		131 x 78 x 45 mm, 403 g

Check D7500 price at
amazon.com
Check CL offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D7500 and the Leica CL (Typ 7323)? 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 Nikon D7500 and the Leica CL 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica CL is notably smaller (28 percent) than the Nikon D7500. Moreover, the CL is substantially lighter (44 percent) than the D7500. It is worth mentioning in this context that the D7500 is splash and dust resistant, 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 D7500 gets 950 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15a battery, while the CL can take 220 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-DC12 power pack.

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.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
2.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
3.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
7.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
8.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	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

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 D7500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 54 percent) than the CL, 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 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the CL is 1 percent bigger. 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.

With 24.1MP, the CL offers a higher resolution than the D7500 (20.7MP), but the CL has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 4.22μm for the D7500). Yet, the CL is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the D7500, 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 Leica CL implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the CL for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.1 x 20.1 inches or 76.4 x 51 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.1 x 16.1 inches or 61.1 x 40.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.4 inches or 50.9 x 34 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D7500 are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D7500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-164000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica CL (Typ 7323) are ISO 100 to ISO 50000 (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.

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.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
2.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
4.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
5.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
6.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
7.		Leica TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1690	81
8.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
9.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
10.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
11.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
12.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
13.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
14.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
15.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
16.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
17.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
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, 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 CL has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the D7500 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 D7500 has a higher magnification than the one of the CL (0.61x vs 0.49x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D7500, the Leica CL, 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.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/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 D7500 has one, while the CL does not. While the built-in flash of the D7500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 Nikon D7500 and the Leica CL 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 D7500 and the CL write their files to SDXC cards. The CL supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D7500 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 Nikon D7500 and Leica CL (Typ 7323) 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.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Leica TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
14.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the D7500 has a microphone port, which is missing on the CL. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The D7500 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 D7500 and CL can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D7500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica CL Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D7500 or the Leica CL – 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 Nikon D7500:

• 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 (0.61x vs 0.49x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (950 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (54 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2017).

Reasons to prefer the Leica CL (Typ 7323):

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24.1 vs 20.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 8%.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (131x78mm vs 136x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 317g or 44 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• 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 value.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (7 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D7500 comes out slightly ahead of the CL (12 : 11 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 Nikon D7500 and the Leica CL place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 D7500 or the CL 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.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
2.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
3.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
7.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
8.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	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 D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	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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