German photography and imaging company Leica on Tuesday announced the launch of its new TL2 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera in the US. The new Leica TL2 mirrorless camera is the successor to the company’s previous TL model, which was launched in November last year. Priced at $1,950 (approximately Rs. 1,25,800) (body only), the Leica TL2 camera will be made available for purchase starting today via Leica boutiques and other authorised retail stores in Black and Silver colour options. The brand new TL2 comes with an all-new APS-C format sensor, premium built quality, improved specs, smart features and redesigned control elements.
In terms of design, the Leica TL2 sports a sleek, stylish all-metal design, machined from a single block of aluminium. “The particular hallmark of the Leica TL2 is the unusual design of its compact body. Each camera body is precisely machined from a single block of aluminium in the Leica factory. The use of premium materials and their engineering in an elaborate manufacturing process are unique in the history of camera construction and lend the Leica TL2 an unmistakeable look, feel and solidity,” the company said in its press release.
The new Leica TL2 camera features a 24-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor with a high-speed 49-point autofocus system, that responds in just 165 milliseconds. The APS-C format sensor comes combined with Maestro II series high-performance image processor for high-speed response and improved continuous shooting performance. The Leica TL2 mirrorless camera is said to deliver outstanding picture quality with impressive dynamic range, excellent contrast, exceptional sharpness and colour reproduction. The new Leica has a maximum sensitivity range of ISO 50,000, while the shutter has a maximum speed of shooting at 1/40,000 seconds. Using the electronic shutter, the new TL2 can able to capture up to 29 images at a maximum burst shooting of 20 frames per second. The burst shooting range drops at 7fps when using the mechanical shutter.
In addition to its higher still resolution, the Leica TL2 is also capable of shooting videos in 4K UHD (3840 × 2160) resolution at 30fps, full HD (1920 x 1080) at 60 frames per second, and semi-HD (1280 x 720) resolution videos at up to 120fps in slow-motion. On the back, the new mirrorless camera sports a 3.7-inch LCD touchscreen display that offers a clear, real-time preview with 100% field coverage for focusing, framing, and reviewing shots. The new camera has a redesigned control interface that is customizable on the 3.7-inch LCD screen, which the company claims the redesigned interface on the TL2 is up to eight times faster than the previous version. The redesigned control elements offer a faster, more intuitive user experience. Connectivity options offered by the camera include an integrated Wi-Fi module, HDMI, and a USB 3.0 Type-C port for data transfer and charging the camera’s battery. Transferring images and video to a smartphone is possible using the TL app which is available for both Android and iOS platforms. Dimensionally, the Leica TL2 measures 134 x 69 x 33 mm and weighs around 399 grams (including battery).
The Leica TL-System has currently a total of six lenses — three prime lenses (Leica Summicron-TL 23 mm f/2 ASPH, Summilux-TL 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH, and APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60 mm f/2.8 ASPH) and three zoom lenses (Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-TL 11–23 mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH, Vario-Elmar-TL 18–56 mm f/3.5–5.6 ASPH, and APO-Vario-Elmar-TL 55–135 mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH).
