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Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Typ 116

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Leica X Vario

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

Leica X Vario
$2950.00

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Leica Q

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

Leica Q
$4300.00

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing X Vario and Q Typ 116, two Large Sensor Compact cameras by Leica. Leica X Vario was introduced to market in June 2013 and Leica Q was launched in June 2015. As you can see, X Vario is 2 years older than Q Typ 116. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Leica Q has a 24.0MP Full frame sensor.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Leica X Vario and Leica Q before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Leica X Vario Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-11
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12500
  • 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm
  • Replaced Leica X2 Compare

Leica Q Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-06-10
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 50000
  • 28 mm f1.70 Prime Lens
  • Yes Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 3680k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 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 X Vario

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

Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Leica Q
Built-in Flash Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Focal Length - Tele 70mm vs 28mm 42 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom 2.5× vs 1x more flexible focal coverage
Reasons to choose Leica Q over Leica X Vario
Wireless Connection Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Built-in Image Stabilization Yes vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution 24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
Max ISO 50.000 vs 12.500 300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution 1.040k dots vs 920k dots 13% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting 10.0fps vs 5.0fps 5 fps faster
Weight 640 g vs 680 g 40 g lighter
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Aperture - Wide 1.70 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele 1.70 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
Color Depth 24.3 vs 23.4 higher color depth
Low Light ISO 2221 vs 1320 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area 36.00µm2 vs 23.13µm2 55% larger pixel area
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-I vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Strengths of Leica X Vario and Leica Q
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
LCD Screen Resolution 920k dots vs 1.040k dots Higher resolution screens
Manual Focusing Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure Yes vs Yes better exposure control
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Leica X Vario and Leica Q
Articulating Screen No vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
New
Leica X Vario 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 X Vario and Leica Q side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leica X Vario and Leica Q. Leica Q is 3mm narrower and 2mm thinner than Leica X Vario but it is also 7mm taller.

Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Leica X Vario and Leica Q.

Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica Q is 40g lighter than the Leica X Vario but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

X Vario
Q Typ 116
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

X Vario
Q Typ 116
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Leica X Vario 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 X Vario and Leica Q's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

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

Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) 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.

Leica Q's sensor provides 8MP more than Leica X Vario'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 X Vario and Q Typ 116 sensor size comparison.

Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Leica Q has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Leica X Vario. 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.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Leica X Vario and Leica Q sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that Q Typ 116 has a better overall score of 85, 7 points higher compared to X Vario's score of 78.

Leica X Vario vs Leica Q Lens Specs Comparison

Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× 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 X Vario'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 X Vario has 42mm 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

X Vario
Q Typ 116
Widest - Sony RX100 VII
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario
Q Typ 116
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario
Q Typ 116
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

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

AVERAGE

Leica Q for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
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 X Vario for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica Q for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
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 X Vario for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Leica Q for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
70 mm Tele Lens
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 X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica Q for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
680g
Body Thickness 95mm
2.5X Optical Zoom
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
640g
Body Thickness 93mm
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica Q for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details


Leica X Vario 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 X Vario and Leica Q, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 X Vario and Leica Q scores compare:

Leica X Vario
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #38 out of 58 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #346 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Leica Q
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #3 out of 58 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #46 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Leica Q is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica X Vario in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Leica X Vario
Leica X Vario
$2950.00

Leica Q
Leica Q
$4300.00

Leica Q vs Leica X Vario Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Leica X Vario Leica Q
Brand Leica Leica
Announced 2013-06-11 2015-06-10
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 372.88mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4928 x 3272 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,500 ISO 50,000 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 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 11 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 28-70 mm (2.5×) 28 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F3.5-6.4 F1.7
Macro Focus Range n/a 17cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 920k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 3,680k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Yes
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 680g 640g
Dimensions 133 x 73 x 95mm 130 x 80 x 93mm
Battery Life 450 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 78 85
DxO Color Depth 23.4 24.3
DxO Dynamic Range 12.7 12.7
DxO Low Light ISO 1320 2221
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