Leica TL

The Leica TL is a compact mirrorless camera from 2016 with a 16-megapixel APS-C sensor and the Leica L mount. At 384 grams and just 33mm deep, it fits a jacket pocket or small bag.

You compose on the 3.7-inch touchscreen because the camera has no viewfinder. The touch interface also handles camera settings, so composition and control share one display.

That suits travel and everyday photographers who prefer considered, deliberate shooting. The 5fps maximum burst and single autofocus point are modest, but Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in, so wireless connection is available.

The 16-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor works alongside the Maestro II processor. That pixel count gives files enough resolution for typical print sizes and everyday use. The ISO range runs from 100 to 12500, spanning bright daylight values and high sensitivities for dim conditions.

Autofocus is the main constraint. With a single AF point, off-centre subjects call for a focus-and-recompose approach. The maximum burst rate is 5fps, a ceiling figure that does not promise sustained shooting.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so camera shake has to be managed with shutter speed, steady technique or solid support. That matters most with longer lenses, where faster shutter speeds or a tripod help.

The Leica L mount gives you a choice of lenses to build around. The top shutter speed of 1/4000 sets the ceiling for exposure time, which can limit wide apertures in strong daylight at the base ISO of 100.

The maximum recording resolution is Full HD, and the fastest frame rate the camera offers is 30fps. Those two figures are separate limits rather than a combined recording mode. Footage is saved as MPEG-4 or MOV files.

You frame video on the 3.7-inch touchscreen, since the camera has no viewfinder. Its 1.23 million dots give the monitor image plenty of detail. The screen is fixed, so for high or low filming angles you adjust your position rather than the display.

There is no built-in timelapse mode, so interval projects need an external trigger or assembly from stills. Nor does the camera offer slow-motion rates above its 30fps ceiling or recording beyond Full HD.

The 3.7-inch TFT LCD carries 1.23 million dots, so reviewing images and checking fine detail is comfortable. Live view shows the scene on the screen before you release the shutter.

There is no built-in flash, but the camera accepts an external flash unit, which gives you a proper lighting option for dim interiors and evening scenes.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both built in, so wireless connection is available for compatible equipment without extra accessories.

There is no weather sealing, so it pays to keep the TL dry in rain or dust, and no built-in GPS, so location tags must come from elsewhere.

The TL takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards and also carries internal memory. That built-in storage means you can keep shooting if a card is left behind.

There is only one card slot, so files are written to a single destination and there is no option to duplicate them in camera.

The BC-DC13 battery is rated for 400 shots per charge, though ratings of this kind depend on how the camera is used.

The battery does not charge over USB, so you cannot top it up from a power bank or laptop while out. A charged spare is the practical answer for longer days away from a socket.