Canon EOS M100 vs Leica CL — Which Is Better?

The Canon EOS M100 and the Leica CL are both mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors, released in 2017. The M100 is the more compact body at 108 x 67 x 35 mm, while the CL is larger at 131 x 78 x 45 mm yet lighter, at 403 g against 436 g.

The M100 uses the Canon EF-M mount and the CL uses the Leica L mount, so the native lens catalogs differ and lens choice deserves early attention.

The Leica CL is the stronger camera for fast-moving subjects, shooting at 10 frames per second against 6.1 on the M100. Its 1/8000 second top shutter speed, against 1/4000, keeps wide apertures usable in bright daylight, such as sunny portraits at f/1.4.

Neither camera has a meaningful cropping advantage: the M100 offers 24.2 megapixels and the CL 24. Both use APS-C CMOS sensors with 49 autofocus points and no in-body stabilisation. The CL adds a 2,360,000-dot electronic viewfinder for eye-level framing, while the M100 has no viewfinder and relies on its rear screen. The CL's native ISO ceiling is also higher, at 50000 against 25600.

The Leica CL is the clear choice if you want to film in 4K, since it records up to 4K while the M100 tops out at Full HD. That extra resolution gives editors room to crop or reframe footage, and lets footage match 4K deliverables without upscaling. Both cameras have a 60 fps maximum frame rate for smoother motion or light slow motion, and both offer built-in timelapse.

The Canon EOS M100 is better set up for casual everyday shooting, with a built-in flash for dim interiors and a flip-up screen for waist-level shots and selfies. The Leica CL instead supports external flash, which suits controlled lighting for portraits and events.

Both share a 3-inch touchscreen with 1,040,000 dots, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for transferring images to a phone. Neither camera has GPS for geotagging travel photos, and neither has weather sealing, so both deserve care in rain or dust.

The Canon EOS M100 has the longer rated battery life at 295 shots against 220 on the CL, a difference of 75 shots between the two ratings. Neither camera has dual card slots or USB charging, so a spare battery and an external charger are worth planning for on longer days out.

Both take SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, but the CL supports the faster UHS-II standard while the M100 is limited to UHS-I, so the CL can take advantage of faster cards when recording long 4K clips.