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Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Typ 116 Comparison

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Leica C-Lux

20 MP | 1 CMOS Sensor

Leica C-Lux
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Leica Q

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

Leica Q
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Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing C-Lux and Q Typ 116, two Compact cameras by Leica. Leica C-Lux is a Large sensor compact class camera and Leica Q is a Large Sensor Compact class camera.

Leica C-Lux was introduced to market in June 2018 and Leica Q was launched in June 2015. As you can see, Q Typ 116 is 3 years older than C-Lux. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Leica C-Lux Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-06-10
  • 20MP - CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80 - 25600)
  • 24-360 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2330k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 340g. 113 x 67 x 46 mm

Leica Q Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-06-10
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 50000
  • 28 mm f1.70 Prime Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 3680k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 640g. 130 x 80 x 93 mm
  • Also known as Typ 116

Leica Q was replaced by Leica Q2. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica Q2 vs Leica Q (Typ 116)
Leica Q2 vs Leica C-Lux

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Leica C-Lux and Leica Q compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Leica C-Lux over Leica Q
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
LCD Screen Resolution
1.240k dots vs 1.040k dots 19% higher resolution screen
Weight
340 g vs 640 g 300 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 28mm 4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
360mm vs 28mm 332 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
15x vs 1x more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
CHECK C-Lux PRICE


Reasons to choose Leica Q over Leica C-Lux
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP 19% more pixels
Max ISO
50.000 vs 12.800 290% higher Max ISO
Max Aperture - Wide
1.70 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
1.70 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
Viewfinder Resolution
3680k dot vs 2330k dot 57% higher resolution
Sensor Pixel Area
36.00µm2 vs 5.82µm2 518% larger pixel area
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK Q Typ 116 PRICE

Common Strengths of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
20 MP vs 24 MP Bigger prints and more details
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Leica C-Lux and Leica Q side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Leica C-Lux has external dimensions of 113 x 67 x 46 mm (4.45 x 2.64 x 1.81″) and weighs 340 g (0.75 lb / 11.99 oz) (including batteries). Leica Q has external dimensions of 130 x 80 x 93 mm (5.12 x 3.15 x 3.66″) and weighs 640 g (1.41 lb / 22.58 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q. Leica C-Lux is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 17mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 47mm thinner than Leica Q.

Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q.

Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q.
Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica C-Lux is significantly lighter (300g ) than the Leica Q which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

C-Lux
Q Typ 116
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

C-Lux
Q Typ 116
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Leica C-Lux nor Leica Q (Typ 116) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Leica C-Lux and Leica Q's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q: Sensor Comparison

Leica C-Lux has a 20.0MP (1 ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Leica Q has a 24.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Maestro II processor.

Below you can see the C-Lux and Q Typ 116 sensor size comparison.

Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Leica C-Lux and Leica Q Cameras


As seen above, Leica Q has a 0.0x Larger sensor area than Leica C-Lux. 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.

Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q Lens Specs Comparison

Leica C-Lux features a 24-360 mm F3.3-6.4 15x zoom lens whereas Leica Q features a 28 mm F1.7 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Leica C-Lux's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Leica Q's 28mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, Q Typ 116's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Leica C-Lux has 332mm longer reach than the Leica Q. However, with a max aperture of f1.70, Leica Q is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

C-Lux
Q Typ 116
Widest - Canon G1 X II
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

C-Lux
Q Typ 116
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

C-Lux
Q Typ 116
Fastest - Leica X (Typ 113)
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

C-Lux
Q Typ 116
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Leica C-Lux and Leica Q Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Leica C-Lux and Leica Q 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.

Leica C-Lux for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Leica Q for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Leica C-Lux for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica Q for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1 sensor
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.70
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Leica C-Lux for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Leica Q for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
360 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
28 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Leica C-Lux for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica Q for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
15.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1 sensor
340g
Body Thickness 46mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
640g
Body Thickness 93mm
Read the details

Leica C-Lux for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica Q for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Leica C-Lux vs Leica Q: 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 Leica C-Lux and Leica Q, 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 Leica C-Lux and Leica Q scores compare:

Leica C-Lux
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #22 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #225 out of 1244 in all Cameras
Leica Q
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #116 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Leica Q has a higher Overall Score than the Leica C-Lux mainly because of its huge advantage in Image quality. In all other areas, Leica C-Lux excels. It is a tough choice!
If image quality is your priority, get the Leica Q.
If you are ready to compromise image quality for extra features, compactness and value, choose Leica C-Lux

Leica C-Lux
Leica C-Lux
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Leica Q
Leica Q
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Leica Q vs Leica C-Lux Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Leica C-Lux Leica Q
Brand Leica Leica
Announced 2018-06-10 2015-06-10
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame
Dimensions 1 36 x 24 mm
Area 0.00mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 5472 x 3648 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 50,000 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 80 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 49 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-360 mm (15x) 28 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F3.3-6.4 F1.7
Macro Focus Range 5cm 17cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,240k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,330k dots 3,680k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.76x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s 1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.80 m (at Auto ISO) no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 10.0 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 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 340g 640g
Dimensions 113 x 67 x 46mm 130 x 80 x 93mm
Battery Life 370 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 85
DxO Color Depth not tested 24.3
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2221
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