Leica is a very traditional company that invests in its heritage. But recently they have been modernizing, encapsulated by the mirrorless T (now TL) line. Leica’s first APS-C interchangeable camera is sleek, an aluminum unibody, wireless connectivity & a very smartphone-like 3.7-inch touchscreen.

Leica are now announcing the true successor to the first T, the TL2. The TL2 shares the same design & main features as its predecessor, but it has an upgraded image sensor, a faster processor, better autofocus, a refined user interface, & a new electronic shutter. It’s available in Leica stores starting today for $1,950.

leica-camera.com/Leica-TL2

The primary upgrade in the TL2 is its new 24-megapixel sensor. It’s still APS-C-sized, but it has considerably more resolution than the 16-megapixel chip in the original. It also has a much broader ISO range, able to go up to 50,000 if you want. The autofocus system is greatly improved, with 49 focus points as opposed to just 9 and Leica says it is about three times faster than before. The new electronic shutter can shoot as quickly as 1/40,000 of a second and the TL2 can shoot 20 frames per second (up to 29 frames) at full resolution. (The mechanical shutter still maxes out at 1/4,000 of a second.)

In addition to its higher still resolution, the TL2 is capable of recording 4K video. It has HDMI output right next to the SD card slot, and there’s a new USB Type-C port for data transfer and charging of the camera’s battery.

Basically, the TL2’s spec sheet is exactly what you’d expect from an APS-C mirrorless camera in 2017 and is competitive with the cameras currently available from Sony and Fujifilm.

The TL2’s design is what separates it from the rest of the field, however, and it hasn’t greatly changed from the T. The edges of the unibody aluminum chassis are now chamfered for greater comfort while shooting, the command dials are easier to turn, and the pop-up flash has been removed entirely. (The hotshoe to support flashes and other accessories remains.)

The TL2’s back is dominated by the same 3.7-inch touchscreen as before, but the function button near the shutter can now be customized to a handful of different functions. Leica says the redesigned interface on the TL2 is up to eight times faster to use than the T’s original user interface.