Rumors have swirled about a digital version of the Leica CL for years, but most have pointed to a compact, full-frame M-mount camera with an EVF rather than an optical one. That's not what we got.

Compact body with integrated EVF; Touch LCD; 24MP APS-C image sensor; 4K video; Mechanical and electronic shutter options; 9.8fps burst shooting; Wi-Fi

Some interface quirks; Locked video frame rates; No in-body flash; Expensive

Fans of Leica rangefinder cameras, and you know who you are, will welcome the CL as a harkening back to the original small format cameras designed by Oskar Barnack in the first part of the 20th century, including the requisite red dot.

The Leica CL digital is a camera I've been waiting a while for; almost 10 years now. But if you rewinded back to the technology world 10 years ago, you saw that mirrorless cameras weren't even a thing yet, and the Leica M9 hadn't even launched.

Awesome image quality, and while my Leica D-Lux 109 is closer in comparison to feel of the M4's I used in the 1970's, the organization of controls on this camera, once learned, make sense. Haptics are good, feel is good...and did I say the images are fantastic

First let me say I'd rather give this camera 4.5 stars but I've settled on 4-stars based on my two big negatives.. I'll get the negatives out of the way first. The biggest single negative I have is the rear LCD screen is fixed.

I have owned my CL for about 3 weeks. I have found the controls easy to use. The only disappointment is the App that goes with the CL. It is not intuitive and difficult to use. As the camera does not have any ports for external cables or ways of using a remote release, they need to fix the app where...

Back in 1973, Leica introduced the CL, a stripped-back, compact-bodied, relatively low-priced camera designed to attract a new generation of photographers to its rangefinder M system (despite actually being manufactured by Minolta).

Superb; rock-solid build quality; Large; clear electronic viewfinder; Cleverly conceived control setup; Excellent RAW image quality

No image stabilisation; No live view during continuous shooting; Touch-focus conflicts with viewfinder use; Limited exposure control during video

The Leica CL is a new compact system camera, which fits in the same line-up as the Leica TL2, which was announced in the summer of 2017. It uses the same lens mount as the TL2, which also accepts lenses from the SL range. The components of the CL are very similar to those found in the TL2.

We much preferred the Leica CL to the TL2 we reviewed in November, partly because of its more conventional styling and controls but mostly because it has an excellent built-in EVF. It would have felt better in the hands if Leica had added a grip moulding to the front and a thumb rest to the rear and...

Buying a Leica has always, and probably always will be, more about just taking nice pictures. That red dot is a status symbol and a connection to a strong heritage of photographers going back 100 years. For that reason, photographers don’t seem to mind paying what might generously be described as ‘over the odds’ for cameras from the iconic brand. Whether or not the CL deserves it’s very high asking price is questionable, but it’s certainly a more affordable route into Leica ownership than plumping for the M10. One of the best things about the CL is its ease of use. It’s an intuitive handling system, with simple buttons and dials readily on hand to choose your key settings, without having to faff about with menus (quick or otherwise). While image quality is excellent, there are plenty of other cameras out there which also provide great shots - but how you produce them is much more convoluted. For this reason, the CL is a camera you want to get out there with and use - for some, that’ll make it worth the extra investment alone. That’s not to say that the CL is without its drawbacks. A tilting screen would have been useful for composing street type shots even more discreetly, while being able to switch more easily between using the screen to set AF points and using the buttons is a problem that could potentially be fixed with a firmware issue. You’ll still be a reasonably early adopter if you go for a camera like this. As it stands, there are just seven L mount lenses, but they give you a coverage of 11-135mm and you can also use plenty of other Leica lenses (including M, R and SL) with various mount adapters. Still, the fact that Leica is continuing to invest in the system suggests it’s definitely one that’s sticking around. Where to buy Leica CL

Small size and weight; Simple handling; Excellent image quality;

Painful price tag; Screen is fixed; Touchscreen handling niggles;