Leica TL: The $3,200 “Entry-Level” Mirrorless Camera

Make no mistake. That little red circle still holds considerable prestige in the photography world. It’s just that getting into that exclusive club is now just a little more affordable… if you consider spending thousands of dollars to start to be more affordable. Leica has just unveiled a new mirrorless camera that they’re calling the Leica TL.

As its name implies, the Leica TL is a follow-up to the Leica T that came before it, only more “L,” whatever that means. The interchangeable lens camera gets the same APS-C sized sensor as its predecessor, along with the same big 3.7″ touchscreen, but the user experience has been improved with much faster autofocus. Unfortunately, it’s still contrast-detection and not phase detection.

To align with current trends, the Leica TL also boasts Wi-Fi connectivity for transferring photos to your smartphone. While you had to connect the Leica T and your iPhone to the same external Wi-Fi network before, the TL will make its own access point for your phone to connect to. That’s pretty well how every other WiFi-enabled camera does it these days.

Other features include 32GB of built-in memory (plus the usual SD card slot), USB charging, and HD video shooting, plus a mobile app for Android and iOS for image sharing and to use your phone as a wireless viewfinder. The TL uses the same L bayonet mount as the Leica SL, so you can use TL and SL lenses. Nab an adapter if you want to use Leica M or Leica R lenses too.

For the body alone, you can expect to spend $1,695. Pair it up with a starter lens and you can expect to cough up at least $3,200, about the same as how much you’d pay for the company’s waterproof camera. That’s better than the original $3,600 starter price for the Leica T with a kit lens, but not by much.

Find more information on the Leica website and hope that Santa will have a special red circled camera to put under your tree next month. The Leica TL goes on sale today through Leica stores and its registered dealers.