Leica M Typ 240 vs Leica SL

The Leica M (Typ 240) and the Leica SL (Typ 601) are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2012 and October 2015. The M Typ 240 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless, while the Leica SL is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The M Typ 240 has a resolution of 23.7 megapixels, whereas the Leica SL provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica M Typ 240		Leica SL
Rangefinder camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica M mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
23.7 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/25p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-6,400		ISO 50-50,000
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (4400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
139 x 80 x 42 mm, 680 g		147 x 104 x 39 mm, 847 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica M (Typ 240) and the Leica SL (Typ 601)? 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 M Typ 240 and the Leica SL. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M Typ 240 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Leica SL 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 Leica SL is notably larger (37 percent) than the Leica M Typ 240. Moreover, the Leica SL is markedly heavier (25 percent) than the M Typ 240. 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 M Typ 240 gets 500 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL2 battery, while the Leica SL can take 400 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL4 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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	Street Price
1.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 6 199	ebay.com
2.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	EUR 6 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	EUR 3 949	ebay.com
6.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	EUR 5 499	ebay.com
7.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	EUR 5 499	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	EUR 6 499	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 7 499	ebay.com
10.		Leica M10-R	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 7 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 6 989	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 2 399	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	EUR 1 179	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	EUR 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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M Typ 240 was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the Leica SL 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the 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 a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Leica SL is 1 percent bigger. 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 24MP, the Leica SL offers a higher resolution than the M Typ 240 (23.7MP), but the Leica SL has marginally smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 6.01μm for the M Typ 240). Yet, the Leica SL is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 1 month) than the M Typ 240, 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 Leica SL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Leica M (Typ 240) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica SL (Typ 601) are ISO 50 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica SL has a markedly higher DXO score than the M Typ 240 (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, 0.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
2.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
6.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
7.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
8.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
9.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
10.		Leica M10-R	Full Frame	40.9	7864	5200	none	25.3	14.3	2924	95
11.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
12.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
13.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
14.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
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 Leica SL provides a better video resolution than the M Typ 240. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the M Typ 240 is limited to 1080/25p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Leica SL has an electronic viewfinder (4400k dots), while the M Typ 240 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 Leica SL has a higher magnification than the one of the M Typ 240 (0.80x vs 0.68x), 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 Leica M Typ 240, the Leica SL, 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 M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica M10-R	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
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 Leica SL has a touchscreen, while the M Typ 240 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 Leica SL 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 Leica SL 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 M Typ 240 and the Leica SL write their files to SDXC cards. The Leica SL features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M Typ 240 only has one slot. The Leica SL supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the M Typ 240 can use UHS-I 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 M (Typ 240) and Leica SL (Typ 601) 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 M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
10.		Leica M10-R	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Leica SL offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the M Typ 240 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica SL (unlike the M Typ 240) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

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

Both the M Typ 240 and the Leica SL have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M Typ 240 was replaced by the Leica M Typ 262, while the Leica SL was followed by the Leica SL2. Further information on the features and operation of the M Typ 240 and Leica SL can be found, respectively, in the Leica M Typ 240 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica SL Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica M Typ 240 and the Leica SL? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Leica M (Typ 240):

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x80mm vs 147x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 167g or 20 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

Reasons to prefer the Leica SL (Typ 601):

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/25p).
• 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.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.68x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• 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.
• 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: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 1 month of technical progress since the M Typ 240 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Leica SL is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 6 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.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M Typ 240 or the Leica SL perform in practice. 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	Street Price
1.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	EUR 6 199	ebay.com
2.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	EUR 6 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	EUR 3 949	ebay.com
6.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	EUR 5 499	ebay.com
7.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	EUR 5 499	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 6 499	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	EUR 7 499	ebay.com
10.		Leica M10-R	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	..	4/5	Jul 2020	EUR 7 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 6 989	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 2 399	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	EUR 1 179	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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. 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 are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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