A first look at Leica's first compact system camera
The Leica T is the company's first foray into the compact system market. It's the first in the new ‘T System’, debuting alongside a pair of lenses in the new Leica T mount. The new system is designed to compliment the existing Leica M system, while its arrival coincides with the year Leica marks its 100th anniversary.
However, in a competitive compact system camera (CSC) market the question will no doubt be raised as to what Leica plans to do to set the T system out from the crowd. We managed to get a closer look at a pre-production model ahead of today’s launch to try to get a handle on how the manufacturer plans to achieve this goal.
Leica T: Features
In terms of the nuts and bolts of the camera, the Leica T features a 16.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor that delivers an ISO range of 100-12,500 – a sensor used in preference to a full-frame version owing to the fact that Leica wanted to make the T as small as possible.
The Leica T is no slouch in the continuous shooting field either, as it’s capable of shooting continuously at 5fps for up to 12 shots.
Perhaps the most eye-catching feature in terms of the camera’s specification is the LCD screen found on the rear of the model. The screen measures in at 3.7-inches and as such is one of the largest on the market, and with an impressive 1.3-million-pixel resolution it’s also one of the best specified.
To make the most of this ample screen Leica has ensured that it features touchscreen technology, and as a result you can make all the usual adjustments to camera settings directly through the LCD.
Another feature worthy of note is the model’s connectivity. The Leica T is the first ever Leica camera to feature an integrated Wi-fi module which, in combination with the Leica T iOS app allows for wireless image transfer and camera control on the fly.
One feature that’s not included as standard somewhat unfortunately is the model’s optional EVF. The clip-on viewfinder is sold separately and could well be worth the extra cost, as it features a 2.4-million-dot resolution, features integrated GPS and tilts up to 90-degrees for shooting flexibility.
Leica T: First Impressions
As you might expect for a premium CSC for Leica, the Leica T certainly stands out from the crowd when it comes to design.
The Leica T was designed in collaboration with car giant Audi, gaining a distinctive look and feel by being crafted from a single block of aluminium – a process which Leica claims takes some 55 minutes of machining and then a further 45 minutes of polishing by hand for every model.
The result is a CSC which, in the hand, feels entirely different from any other to date. Furthermore, despite this aluminium body the Leica T still feels relatively light at 384g including the battery, and yet it certainly feels robust and as though it’ll last the test of time.
Thanks to the substantial touchscreen found on the rear of the camera, the rest of the body is relatively sparsely populated in terms of physical controls.
The model’s top plate features the shutter release and power switch, along with a dedicated video record button. Alongside these buttons sit the pair of control dials which are used to adjust most of the shooting variables (in conjunction with the rear screen).
Despite the camera being light in controls, when it comes to shooting with the camera it’s instantly apparent that a lot of thought has been put in to relationship between the menus, sub-menus and control layout, and as such the Leica T is a pleasure to use.
Although the model we had a chance to put through its paces was still at the pre-production stage, we did notice that the models AF performance was a touch more sluggish than that from competing models from Panasonic and Fujifilm.
That small reservation aside, it’s safe to say that the Leica T is a CSC that impresses and one we can’t wait to test out in full.
Leica T Release Date and Price
The Leica T is available from 26th May and will be priced at £1350 body only, £2,600 with the 18-56mm kit lens, and £2,700 with the 23mm f/2 prime lens.