Upgrade Guide
Leica Leica M EV1→Leica SL2
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The SL2 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most Leica M EV1 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the SL2
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
Burst rate20fps vs 4.5fps
-
Battery life370 shots (CIPA) vs 244 shots (CIPA, LCD)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution47MP (down from 60MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | Leica M EV1 | SL2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.1 | ||
| Street | -1.4 | ||
| Travel | -0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +3.4 | ||
| Documentary | +4.1 | ||
| Sports & Action | +3.4 | ||
| Landscape | +0.8 | ||
| Wildlife | +3.8 | ||
| Casual | +1.2 | ||
| Food | +0.6 | ||
| Macro | +1.4 | ||
| Architecture | +0.4 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.2 | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Leica M EV1 | SL2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,799 | £4,200 | |
| Released | 2025 | 2019 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (triple-resolution) | Full-frame CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 60MP | 47MP | ↓ |
| Video | None (stills-only) | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps | |
| Autofocus | Manual focus only (no AF motor, M-mount lenses) | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 4.5fps | 20fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | 244 shots (CIPA, LCD) | 370 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 499g (with battery) | 835g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.76x magnification | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | |
| Screen | Fixed touchscreen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot | |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Leica L-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD (UHS-II) + 64GB internal | 2× SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See Leica M EV1 and SL2 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the SL2 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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