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Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2 Comparison

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Canon 5D MIV

30 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon 5D MIV
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Leica X2

16 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica X2
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Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon 5D MIV, which was introduced in August 2016 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 30.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Leica X2, which was introduced in May 2012 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, X2 is 4 years older than 5D MIV. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 5D MIV Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-08-25
  • 30MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 32000 ( expands to 50 - 102400)
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 3.20" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 7.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (DCI) - 4096 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 890g. 151 x 116 x 76 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS 5D Mark III Compare

Leica X2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-05-10
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12500
  • 36 mm f2.80 Prime Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 345g. 124 x 69 x 52 mm
  • Replaced Leica X1 Compare

Leica X2 was replaced by Leica X Vario. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica X Vario vs Leica X2
Leica X Vario vs Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D Mark IV over Leica X2
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Optical vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
30 MP vs 16 MP 87% more pixels
Max ISO
32.000 vs 12.500 156% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
61 vs 11 50 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 2.7 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.620k dots vs 230k dots 604% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 5.0fps 2 fps faster
Battery Life
900 shots vs 450 shots 450 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Sensor Pixel Area
28.69µm2 vs 23.19µm2 23% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
4096 x 2160 vs None Higher Resolution Video
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
CHECK 5D MIV PRICE


Reasons to choose Leica X2 over Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
110 MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
345 g vs 890 g 545 g lighter
CHECK X2 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Leica X2
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Leica X2
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
LCD Screen Size
2.70" vs 2.70" Small display
Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 5D MIV has external dimensions of 151 x 116 x 76 mm (5.94 x 4.57 x 2.99″) and weighs 890 g (1.96 lb / 31.39 oz) (including batteries). Leica X2 has external dimensions of 124 x 69 x 52 mm (4.88 x 2.72 x 2.05″) and weighs 345 g (0.76 lb / 12.17 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon 5D MIV and the Leica X2. Leica X2 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 27mm narrower, 47mm shorter and 24mm thinner than Canon 5D MIV. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Leica X2 has a built-in lens but Canon 5D MIV doesn't. Once you put a lens on 5D MIV, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Canon 5D MIV and the Leica X2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2.

Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Canon 5D MIV and the Leica X2 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2.
Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Canon 5D MIV and the the Leica X2 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica X2 is significantly lighter (545g ) than the Canon 5D MIV which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on 5D MIV, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather-sealed body, we believe that the 5D MIV has a big advantage over the X2 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 5D MIV's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Leica X2's 2.7 screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.


Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2: Sensor Comparison

Canon 5D MIV has a 30.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 6+ processor. On the other hand, Leica X2 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Canon 5D MIV's sensor provides 14MP more than Leica X2's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the 5D MIV and X2 sensor size comparison.

Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 Cameras


As seen above, Canon 5D MIV has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Leica X2. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 5D MIV for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Leica X2 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 30.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
External Flash Shoe
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica X2 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
36 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica X2 for Sports Photography

POOR
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
41 Cross Type Focus sensors
61 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 900 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
External Flash Shoe
11 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
36 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica X2 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
890g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Compact Body
345g
Body Thickness 52mm
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica X2 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 30.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
36 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV vs Leica X2: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 5D MIV and Leica X2 scores compare:

Canon 5D MIV
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #57 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Leica X2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #50 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #527 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon 5D MIV is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica X2 in all criteria except one: Portability. Leica X2 is significantly smaller than Canon 5D MIV. If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Leica X2. Otherwise, Canon 5D MIV is the better camera overall.

Canon 5D MIV
Canon 5D MIV
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Leica X2
Leica X2
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Leica X2 vs Canon 5D MIV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Leica X2
Brand Canon Leica
Announced 2016-08-25 2012-05-10
Body Type Mid-size SLR Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame APS-C
Dimensions 36 x 24 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 864.00mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 30 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 6720 x 4480 4928 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 12,500 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 61 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 36 mm (1×)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8
Macro Focus Range no lens 30cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.20" 2.70"
Resolution 1,620k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync 1/200s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, Motion JPEG n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 890g 345g
Dimensions 151 x 116 x 76mm 124 x 69 x 52mm
Battery Life 900 shots 450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 91 not tested
DxO Color Depth 24.8 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 13.6 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 2995 not tested
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