Chris always keeps it 100. Why I love this channel. Well, one of the reasons. He and Jordan also come across as likable fellas.

This is the second review of the camera that I ever see, and all the photos are amazing!

Hi Chris & Jordan, Even though I'm not the slightest bit interested in this camera, or many you have shop windowed.. I must say I find Chris' presentation, enthusiasm, and personality totally infectious; and as such, I really look forward to your content.. As usual Jordan's filming makes all your stuff so slick and professional it's a pleasure to watch... really hat's off here... This is only my second comment on your page.. first was on the Nikon F4, and I agreed with your Canadian buddy a POS.. , but felt here I needed to say I look forward to your posts.. cheers Gareth

I come from Nikon World. Here are some of my comments from someone who actually uses/owns a CL: SETTINGS: it's initially confusing and not intuitive but once you get used to it, it works fine. I think I could say the same for most other camera makes out there. EVF: I'm coming from a Nikon D700 so having an EVF like this is a nice upgrade. I guess there are better EVFs but this works fine for me: bright and clear which is the most important thing. RED DOT OFF: Initially I got confused as well but once you know, it's not a problem unless you regularly use multiple cameras - lol. IMAGE STABILIZATION: not an issue for me; just use higher ISO. Adding this to the CL would have increased the cost and size, ie., Leica SL/SL2. GRIP: yes, it sucks having to pay Leica prices for a grip and thumb holder so I got both from Lim's: Metal Grip Case and Thumb Holder for a lot less. HIGH PRICE: yes, it sucks but this is a Leica. Get it used. This is the perfect entry to LEICA image quality in a smaller body. Although this reviewer raises good points, the Leica CL is a really really good APC camera that allows use of Leica lenses. I think it's better than the TL2 but that's my opinion. If you want to get into Leica glass, want a compact body, and prefer more dials than touch screens, this is a good entry point. The reviewer is somewhat entertaining but keep in mind, these are his OPINIONS and priorities on what he considers important; he's obviously a milennial with little patience and high expectations. Most of his issues are not deal-breakers, especially after having used the camera for some time. I would recommend you try out this camera from your dealer. It's going for around $3K with the 18mm pancake lens which is a pretty good deal for a NEW Leica; start saving up!

I love it when Jordan does the quick tl;dr sections for video.

"Hate greyed out without feedback" yeah same here Fuji does that too. Drives me nuts at times.

I agree that the handling for the CL is a bit off, without the grip or thumb tab. HOWEVER, with those items, the camera is an absolute pleasure to use. The thumb rest provides space that effectively eliminates accidental turning of the wheels on the top, but they are still accesible. The grip is awesome, and the two in combination make it all the better. I shoot full manual with adapted M-mount lenses, plus the kit 18mm in manual focus mode. I don't use or care about autofocus. This review should specify the reviewer's personal preferences/use, for context. I find it funny him complaining about things that are actually reasons I love this camera. "it makes me have to slow down before taking a photo". EXACTLY. For people (like me) who are not needing hyper fast, fully automated modern functionality (which I understand for sports photography or working pros), the CL offers a great tactile shooting experience, especially when partnered with adapted M glass. For me, this camera is pure bliss. I'm coming from a FujiFilm xPro2 (with grip) and GFX50r, and the Leica is hands down more enjoyable in all aspects. I can turn the rear screen off, there is a delightfully minimal presence of buttons (I hate rear screens and tons of buttons). So, it goes to show you that not all people will find all cameras to fit their needs.

I quite like the Leica X series. Quirky, indeed, but the image quality is exquisite. I also believe that the X2 is one of the most beautiful cameras ever made.

Great work as usual! I was recently doing a lot of research on this camera and your channel is the only one that talked about the real issues in great details. Hope I wasnt too late to leave a comment.

"The image quality is great and all, but" LOL! Best images I've seen on this channel so far to be honest. You sold me on this camera.

And yet, I still want one

Great vid as always. Enjoyed the 10 sec cameo by Jordan!

Wow, the footage looks awesome. Bravo Jordan!

Always love the honesty in your videos.

A year ago I started shooting film. In August my Mom gave me a full auto Minolta Hi-Matic CS without a working shutter and a rangefinder. I’m a video guy who likes to manuell focus and do street photography and the instant I put my eye through the viewfinder, I fell utterly in love. It was like a calling when I turned the focusing ring. I started to inform myself on rangefinders and of course came across Leica. I pretty much have no patriotic sentiments whatsoever but I have to admit that I am a tiny bit proud that I come from the same country the cameras out of Wetzlar come from. I never was a big fan of Zeiss lenses, they’ve always looked a bit sterile to my eye, but I really stated to like the Leica look. Technically almost perfect lenses but still with lots of character. I started to look for a range finder camera tried one like the Minolta for €20 and after I got the images back immediately started looking for an M. I didn’t even bother long with digital and decided on an M5 very quickly. I got one with some scratches but otherwise fully functional and CLAed and a 35mm pre war Elmar and a Jupiter 8 all for around €1100. And it’s been the best thing ever. Now that I have some training I can take a picture with all exposer values and focus in around 15-20 seconds (granted with negativ film). The camera has been an absolute tank, never let me down. My Jupiter did though so I just ordered a Leitz 50mm Summarit f1.5 from the 50’s and I cant wait to test that myself. Yes I sometimes dream of an M10 or the special editions like the M-D or the Monochrome but there is no way I could or would be willing to pay this much money when I can simply pop in a roll of Portra or Tri-X or Acros and get colors that even a little bit nicer than the maestro engine. I still think that Leica has a place in today’s world. But it makes me sad to think that they decided to become a luxury brand instead of the innovative tool makers they once were. My M5 cost around $7.000(adjusted for inflation) as well when it first came out. But it was tool made for artist and journalists, the first rangefinder with TTL metering and pretty much the only thing that will be able to fight the Nokia 3310. I wish they’d still make and price cameras for people who actually need them for their work and not for people to feel prestigious. I fully stand behind the current Leica M glass, in that I know the correlation between cost and the last 5% of image quality that they are trying to achieve but a Summarit f2.4 cost one and a half grand. How about a camera that aspiring photographers can save their money for? I couldn’t be happier with my M5. Sure film isn’t free but I need to shoot more than another year to get to the point where a Sony A7 III or even longer for the Leica CL (both with lens) would have cost the same as my M5 two and one broken lens and a whole bunch of film and development and scanning.... The Leica M5 would be an awesome camera for unsung cameras of yesteryears.

At least it's expensive

The EVA1 image looks great! Those colours👌🏻

Great review and slick video as always. Actually I could say that you, David Thorpe and Darren Miles are the best reviewers on the tubesphere. It is refreshing to see an honest review slicing and dicing the equipment from the point of view of the actual user regardless of the adoration piece you might be assessing.

Dear Camera Store team. Always good videos what i love to watch. helpfull and informative about new and old products. keep going :D

A good honest camera review, like it & keep it up.

Beautiful footage with the EVA1 :o

Well... did not expect that, but yeah... love and miss you too ^^'' Great video guys, a pleasure to watch :)

Chris, you are the best talking head of the photo KZfaq channels. You could easily be top anchor on any major tv news corp. Love the channel, loath the camera!

Wonderful little camera. Light and compact. It’s APS-C sensor matches my FF M10 in quality. It’s a perfect street shooter with the 18mm Elmarit 2.8 lens. Takes M lenses wonderfully too. The EVF makes shooting a fast lens like the 0.95 Noctilux easy. If you like the simply, slow shooting style of the M series then this CL will be a great camera for you.

Cool video ... keep up the good work.

I have a CL and this review is out of date because of new firmware and many more lenses available, including many with OIS. There was no L Mount Alliance with Panasonic and Sigma when this review was done.

Footage from the Panasonic EVA1 looks really good

I tried it at Leica store and I loved it. Can’t wait to get it and go out for a test.

1:52 kai reference lul

2 of my favorite things : TCSTV & Leica gear ! Truly I was in a bad mood... but not anymore ! :D

I am just not a mirrorless shooter...just can’t...but I do enjoy your reviews, keep up the great work!

Enjoyed your video Chris. Many Thanks. Leica is like the Morgan in the car world; you can get a far better car for the money you pay but still people love Morgan despite (or rather because of) its old technology. I use Sony A7 family for my work but still have Leica as a TOY (only those old second hand ones due to budgetary constraint). Keep up your good work, Chris; entertaining and educational.

Great review. Thanks. Looking forward to the Leica TL2 review. LOL.

o i love this review!

There should be an option to subscribe twice - refreshing honesty and great charisma, combined with articulacy, makes for one THE best review channels - my only issue with it is... there should be more...;)

Chris - you seem to effortlessly and endlessly get great photos no matter what camera you’re reviewing 9even one you don’t like!). Maybe you could do a video and talk about how you compose shots? Jordan - the colour on the Eva looks really nice. Would it be possible to emulate it on a GH5?

I don't think you guys have done a video on the nikon 16-80 2.8-4, if I'm wrong I'm sorry, but I would love to see that vid happen. Great work all around guys, love these videos.

We love you too guys :)

Sad that TCSTV no longer has Chris and Jordan. Watching this for the memories...

The Eva picture looks nice. What lens is on there?

Did you think to spend ten minutes learning the menu settings beforehand?

I have never cared about Leica, never stick around for any reviews on Leica. BUT, because it's you guys, I always enjoy seeing your reviews. Keep it up. And when are you coming to California! (just careful where you step, you might catch on fire)

Love your channel but we want more videos please... (maybe more types of cameras and lenses like the Sony RX0 & Nikkor 70-200 iii)

that "red dot for off" or "not ready for shooting" is quite common and logical ( think of the hasselblad A 12 film backs, and the film advance / camera cocked indicators)- it works exactly the same way!!, and the M 240 and M 9 / M 7 use this as their off switch too.

great video! really not sure if i should get a CL or a second hand M. every video just makes my decision process just harder :P

My first Leica was a CL, then after buying a TL2, I fell out of love with the CL due to its comparative ergonomics. I then bought an SL2 (which I refer to as ‘the brick’) but only take it out when I’m not travelling too far. When it becomes available, I’m now looking at getting a Q3 which looks a beauty!! Let’s see.

i love you and miss you too Chris!!!!

Are you already testing the New GH5? To Jordan, does this camera have CDAF? and hoe does it perform in CAF in video? - I wonder if there is any hope for a good CAF GH5s...

Oh man I agree so much. I love my M, but this thing just looks pure panasonic to me, same with the Q but at least that had a great lens

great video-Monochrome leica is about the only one I covet. Jordan EVA1 looks amazing, noticed no blow highlights. Where you shooting in Log? Let's see an EVA1 review.

It looks a lot like my Leica Q2 which I love using. Yeah the price does seems a little high.

I’m sure some business rationale underlies Leica’s decision to make this camera, but I really concur with Chris’ final thoughts. Cameras like this are almost a commodity that consumers choose based mainly on price-to-feature ratio, and Leica has seldom been known for building commodity products. I say stick to making unique products, and don’t try to slug it out with the likes of Sony, Panasonic, and Fuji for a share of the crowded market for mirrorless compacts.

There is a difference between a guy who is knowledgeable and a guy who appears to be knowledgeable. I watched the video a couple of time in the last 6 months, went to a camera store and the Photokina for a hands on with the Leica CL and the Z6/Z7. As a long time Nikon shooter I decided buying the Leica CL over the Z7 in spite of this video (Z7 only costs a little more than the CL kit). Watching the Chris Niccolls video again after used the CL for a while lets me wonder whether Niccolls got a different Leica model or did this video unprepared. Many issues mentioned in the video show that he did not take the time to read the manual, to consider the target of this camera, or reconsider his shooting habits. If you shoot a 24MP Leica in Fuji or Sony style, I agree, you end up with Fuji or Sony quality images since often their lenses are the limiting factor in particularly with today's high MP sensors. Then the Leica CL is indeed a waste of money for these people. If you rethink your way of taking images, or would used to use the factor settings for a while to learn more photography, you are rewarded with stellar breathtaking images CL that sadly reveals the limitation of my f2.8 Nikon lenses at a fraction of the weight. But your millage might vary: a Fuji/Sony might be a much better option for some people who have different expectation on the IQ, an are not willing to invest the necessary time for improving their craft. People prefer to blame the camera for their personal limitations (skills, money etc).

my biggest problem was also no image stabilization, i never ended up buying it, but just wondering, in reality, does it matter that much?

Savage review

Can you use the Touch AF while looking through the EVF?

What was the video filmed on? Cheers

A very honest video on a camera I liked the look and spec of (not that I can remotely afford!), but unfortunately seems to be a frustrating design. Surely Leica could have taken some tips from their partner, Panasonic, who have menus and ergonomics well sorted.

I have an X Vario!!! Yes it is a pig to use but the lens and the image files are incredible. In my opinion :-)

Thank you for making this nice video about the EVA1.

Nice music 🔥🎼

Nice video

Great review and realistic look at what Leica is producing. But that's not what caught my attention in the video. Rather it was how tight that jacket looked on Chris. What's up with that?

EVA1 great video quality.

Hi, Think wanna switch to Leica, any recommend between Leica CL or Q?

Have another subscriber!

You are awesome :)

When Chris said please click subscribe, they are so close to 300k, I don't know why I am so panic to find subscribe button but then found out I already subscribed...

When can we expect the Kodak Fiesta review?

You don't seem to understand Leica lens 'look' while going on about precision: Leica lenses aren't calculated on best possible sharpness and are oft crafted for a particular look rather than SLR workhorse industry standard sharpness and/or value.

Great review as always. I like the idea of a leica for the experience and the fun factor....but won't pay for a badge, which in my opinion is what you buy when you buy a leica...I agree that there are cameras out there that do so much more for the money.

I disagree with the viewfinder comment, it does have a lag...I tried it and I had my Fujifilm X100F to compared it against and the Leica CL viewfinder does lag. I also removed the battery and it was made by Panasonic, so the made in Germany is not so!

Maybe you´re telling me, that I don´t get this distinct Leica-je-ne-sais-quoi, but you know what: there are fantastic Sony A6000 deals out there at the moment! This camera may not have a touch screen and 4k (both of which you´d get with an A6500), but apart from that it technically has everything the Leica CL has and much, much more! And honestly: I´ve had a great time using my Sony for quite a while now! So if it´s just about getting fantastic shots.....

"I love you, I miss you ..." And here we thought you didn't care! 🤗😘

You should have spent the time to really learn the menu system. If you had you would realize that it's very simple to use. You imply that the user is constantly changing the the function key. That's not it's purpose. It's to choose the one function that works best for you. In the menu you can pick up to the fifteen favorites that are most important to you as favorites. They come up first when you go to the menu. And of course you have to go to a different screen to change your choices. I also have a Sony. The Leica system is incredibly simple when compared to the Sony.

I so want a Leica, and of course secretly I want you to like this camera

has anyone tested the Sigma 16 33 and 56 L mount with the CL ?

Why would you always switch the dial modes?

I love how Chris could barely finish the statement comparing it to the a7R III :-P

I love you too!

Makes the XT-20 look like the deal of the Century. You can buy it with 18-55, 55-200, 23f2 & 60f2.4macro for the price of this body. Face/Palm/Slap

That thumb support is more expensive than a nifty fifty f/1.8 from Canon and Nikon. Let that sink in. A piece of metal with a slight curve at one end (that stops you being able to mount flashes, bubble levels or any other accoutrement) costs more than an entire lens.

I want to buy a Voigtlander lens on my Leica CL, what kind of adapter do I need?

as always great video. ps can you do the new sony fe lens 24-105 :-)

I have the tl2, got the cl recently and I have to say it’s way better than the tl2 except design and built quality. If you shoot an M and looking for a smaller and lighter second camera, cl is the closest thing you can get. The tl2 is beautiful, but it’s not like an M.

What bag is that?

Get a Fuji

I'm curious. Does Jordan insist that you lean on everything 1:18 3:22 9:41 (examples) or do you like to do that anyway? ;-) hehe

What bag does Chris have in this video ?

Why have you labelled the pics with taken on the TL? Is that a mistake ? Should it be the CL?

Chris I heard you say "Spared no expense" in Richard Attenboro's voice.

better than tl. also can be armored by lens of SL.

AF not as fast as Panasonic's DFD? I'm already worried lol 😋

Mercedes, Bentley, Rolex, etc, all luxury brands that started off as luxury brands and still at the forefront of technology in their respective fields. Leica today makes absolutely no sense to me with their business model. Who the hell would buy a Honda Accord with all the features removed "re-badged" as a Mercedes E class but at 5x the cost. Mercedes would be the laughing stock of Germany if they did such a thing. Leica is basically selling their name and "art" designswith these cameras. The Lotus Elise has the engine of a Toyota but that car is amazing because it was engineered *AND* designed by Lotus, they didnt strip a Camry to its frame and put new skin on it and called it a Lotus.

Great video. Shows the good / bad points of Leica. If I had the money, maybe I would buy the Leica SL. But I would need to re-mortgage my house if I bought the Leica SL with all of the lenses and accessories !!!

hahaha Jordan was just looking like...do I REALLY HAVE to be in this one???? hahaha

do a comparison between sony rx100 mark v and sony a6300 with kit lens and show daytime full resolution shared on any of you blog or any website you prefer and also night time shoot with best you can do with particular camera in a particular scene not setting matching... means if in night what an a6300 can do and what it can produce with its kit lens and in the same light what sony rx100 v can do with its own best possible setting and also potrait mode comparison..both priced same in my country and maybe in all other countries its similar story..

“against the Sony a7R, are you F@*$%^!+ kidding me?” hahahahahaha too funny.

its not a lumix, i love the panasonic menu the touch screen and a small touch of leica look. @snippephotography the panasonic gx80 or gx8 looks the better choice 16mp and m4/3 ony i think a lot better grip and menu

So, is it going to be TCSTV's Best Camera of the Year?