Leica X Vario vs Panasonic LX10 Comparison

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Leica X Vario

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

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Panasonic LX10

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Leica X Vario vs Panasonic LX10 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing X Vario and LX10, two Large Sensor Compact cameras from Leica and Panasonic. Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Panasonic LX10 has a 20.0MP 1-inch sensor. Leica X Vario was introduced to market in June 2013 and Panasonic LX10 was launched in September 2016. As you can see, X Vario is 3 years older than LX10. 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 X Vario and Panasonic LX10 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

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm

Replaced Leica X2 Compare

Panasonic LX10 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-09-19

20MP - 1-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80-25600)

24-72 mm F1.4-2.8 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

10.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

310g. 106 x 60 x 42 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-LX15

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Battery Life	450 shots vs 260 shots	190 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth	23.4 vs 22.8	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	12.7 vs 12.5	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	1320 vs 581	better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area	23.13µm² vs 5.82µm²	297% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 over Leica X Vario

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 16 MP	25% more pixels
Max ISO	12.800 vs 12.500	2% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	49 vs 11	38 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 920k dots	13% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 5.0fps	5 fps faster
Weight	310 g vs 680 g	370 g lighter
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	72mm vs 70mm	2 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	3x vs 2.5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.40 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.80 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
4K Photo Mode	Yes vs No	Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs No	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking	Yes vs No	Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Post Focus Mode	Yes vs No	Change focus point after taking a shot
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Leica X Vario and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
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	High 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10

Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Leica X Vario vs Panasonic LX10: 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 Panasonic LX10 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Leica X Vario has external dimensions of 133 x 73 x 95 mm (5.24 x 2.87 x 3.74″) and weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic LX10 has external dimensions of 106 x 60 x 42 mm (4.17 x 2.36 x 1.65″) and weighs 310 g (0.68 lb / 10.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10. Panasonic LX10 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 27mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 53mm thinner than Leica X Vario.

Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10.

Top View Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic LX10 is significantly lighter (370g ) than the Leica X Vario which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

X Vario

LX10

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

X Vario

LX10

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Leica X Vario nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 (Lumix DMC-LX15) 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 Panasonic LX10's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Panasonic LX10 features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Leica X Vario has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to LX10.

Leica X Vario vs Panasonic LX10: Sensor Comparison

Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic LX10 has a 20.0MP 1-inch (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the X Vario and LX10 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 Cameras

As seen above, Leica X Vario has a 3.2x Larger sensor area than Panasonic LX10. 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

Both Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark 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. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, X Vario has scored 78, 8 points higher than LX10.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Leica X Vario	78	23.4 bits	12.7 Evs	1320 ISO
Panasonic LX10	70	22.8 bits	12.5 Evs	581 ISO

Leica X Vario vs Panasonic LX10 Lens Specs Comparison

Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens whereas Panasonic LX10 features a 24-72 mm F1.4-2.8 3x zoom lens.

Panasonic LX10 has 4mm wider coverage than the Leica X Vario. At f1.40, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic LX10 has 2mm longer reach than the Leica X Vario. At f2.80, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

LX10

Widest - Canon G1 X II

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

LX10

Longest - Panasonic ZS200

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

LX10

Fastest - Leica Q

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

LX10

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

What types of Photography are Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Leica X Vario and Panasonic LX10 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

Panasonic LX10 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

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

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic LX10 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

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.40
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic LX10 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
72 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic LX10 for Daily Photography

GOOD

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

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
310g
Body Thickness 42mm
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic LX10 for Landscape Photography

POOR

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

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Leica X Vario vs Panasonic LX10: 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 Panasonic LX10, 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 Panasonic LX10 scores compare:

Leica X Vario

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #41 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #379 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Panasonic LX10

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #15 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #196 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Panasonic LX10 has a higher Overall Score than the Leica X Vario. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that LX10 trails behind the X Vario: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Leica X Vario. If not, we recommend the Panasonic LX10.

Panasonic LX10 vs Leica X Vario Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Leica X Vario	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10
Brand	Leica	Panasonic
Announced	2013-06-11	2016-09-19
Body Type	Large sensor compact	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type	CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	APS-C	1-inch
Dimensions	23.6 x 15.8 mm	13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area	372.88mm²	116.16mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	4928 x 3272	5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity	12,500 ISO	12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	125 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	11	49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-70 mm (2.5×)	24-72 mm (3x)
Max Aperture	F3.5-6.4	F1.4-2.8
Macro Focus Range	n/a	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	920k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic (optional)	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter	n/a	1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a	12.10 m (at Auto ISO)
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	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4	MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	680g	310g
Dimensions	133 x 73 x 95mm	106 x 60 x 42mm
Battery Life	450 shots	260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	78	70
DxO Color Depth	23.4	22.8
DxO Dynamic Range	12.7	12.5
DxO Low Light ISO	1320	581
	Report a correction	Report a correction