Leica SL Typ 601

The Leica SL Typ 601 arrived in 2015, built around a full-frame sensor and the Leica L mount. At 147 x 104 x 39 mm and 847 g, it is a large, heavy body that makes its presence felt in the hand.

The electronic viewfinder, with 4.4 million dots, suits photographers who like to work deliberately, checking framing and focus before releasing the shutter. The L mount ties lens choice to the Leica L system.

Weather sealing and GPS make it practical for outdoor and location work, protecting the body against dust and moisture while tagging where each shot was taken.

The 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor offers resolution suited to large prints and generous cropping. Our Optics score of 73 rates the overall package as good, placing it in the top 19% of cameras in our database for Optics.

For moving subjects, the maximum burst rate is 11 fps, and the 1/8000 s top shutter speed helps freeze fast motion. The autofocus system offers 49 points, though the raw count alone does not establish coverage or tracking performance.

Sensitivity spans ISO 50 to 50000. The 4.4-million-dot electronic viewfinder renders the frame in fine detail, which helps with precise focusing and shows the effect of your settings before you commit to the shot.

The main trade-off is the absence of in-body stabilisation. Handheld work in low light depends on shutter speed, careful bracing or a stabilised lens, since nothing in the body counters camera shake on its own.

Video is a strong point. The SL records up to 4K, its maximum resolution, and uses MPEG-4 as its file format. Our Video score of 91 is very good, driven here by the resolution, frame rate and time-lapse recording capabilities.

The maximum frame rate of 120 fps makes slow-motion footage possible. Resolution and frame rate are listed as separate specifications here, so treat 120 fps as the fastest mode on offer and check which combinations the recording menu provides.

A built-in timelapse function automates interval shooting, so motion sequences need no external remote or timer. Framing through the electronic viewfinder also helps in bright outdoor light, where rear screens can be hard to read.

Handling centres on a 3-inch TFT touchscreen with 1.04 million dots. Touch input eases menu navigation, and live view gives a clear feed for tripod work. The screen is fixed, though, so overhead and low-angle shots mean moving yourself rather than tilting the display. Our Features score of 70 calls this a good set with some gaps.

There is no built-in flash, but external flash units are supported. That suits anyone lighting scenes properly with a dedicated unit rather than relying on a small pop-up source.

WiFi is built in for wireless connectivity, while Bluetooth is absent, so no low-energy radio link of that kind is available.

Weather sealing protects the body against dust and moisture, and GPS records shooting locations automatically, useful for travel work. The sealing is not a waterproof guarantee, so keep a rain cover handy in sustained wet conditions.

Two card slots take SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, with UHS-II compatibility for the media you choose. The pair gives more recording space before you need to pause and swap cards.

The BP-SCL4 battery is rated at 400 shots per charge, though no test conditions are supplied with that figure, so treat it as a guide. This endurance is one reason our Storage & Battery score of 57 is modest.

There is no USB charging on this body, so the battery cannot top up from a cable. A second battery is the practical way to extend shooting sessions away from mains power.