Sony A6000 vs Leica TL2

The Sony Alpha A6000 and the Leica TL2 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2014 and July 2017. Both the A6000 and the TL2 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 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

Sony A6000		Leica TL2
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Leica T mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-50,000
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.7" LCD – 1230k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
360 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
120 x 67 x 45 mm, 344 g		134 x 69 x 33 mm, 399 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6000 and the Leica TL2? 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 Sony A6000 and the Leica TL2. 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A6000 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the TL2 is available in two color-versions (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica TL2 is notably larger (15 percent) than the Sony A6000. Moreover, the TL2 is markedly heavier (16 percent) than the A6000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the A6000 nor the TL2 are weather-sealed.

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 A6000 gets 360 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the TL2 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-DC13 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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 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.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	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 CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
8.		Leica T	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Apr 2014	US$ 1 849	ebay.com
9.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
10.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
11.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-5T	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	US$ 999	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 A6000 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 69 percent) than the TL2, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 TL2 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 TL2 offers a higher resolution than the A6000 (24MP), but the TL2 nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 3.91μm for the A6000) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the TL2 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 4 months) than the A6000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further 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 A6000 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Alpha A6000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica TL2 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.

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 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.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
2.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
5.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
6.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
7.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
8.		Leica T	APS-C	16.2	4944	3278	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	1082	75
9.		Leica TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1690	81
10.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
11.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
12.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
13.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
14.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
15.		Sony NEX-5T	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60p	23.6	13.0	1015	78
16.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	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 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 TL2 provides a better video resolution than the A6000. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6000 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), which can be very helpful 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A6000 and Leica TL2 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica T	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
11.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony NEX-5T	optional	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
16.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
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 A6000 has one, while the TL2 does not. While the built-in flash of the A6000 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A6000 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the TL2 uses SDXC cards. The TL2 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A6000 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 Sony Alpha A6000 and Leica TL2 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.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Leica TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony NEX-5T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the A6000 and the TL2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A6000 was replaced by the Sony A6300, while the TL2 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A6000 and TL2 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica TL2 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A6000 or the Leica TL2 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A6000:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 134x69mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 55g or 14 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (360 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (69 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2014).

Advantages 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 1080/60p).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.7" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 922k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• 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: Reflects 3 years and 4 months of technical progress since the A6000 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6000 emerges as the winner of the contest (12 : 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Sony A6000 and the Leica TL2 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 A6000 and the TL2 in practical situations. 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 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.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
7.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
8.		Leica T	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2014	US$ 1 849	ebay.com
9.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 1 695	ebay.com
10.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
11.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
13.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-5T	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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 make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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