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Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Comparison

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Leica X Vario

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

Leica X Vario
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Sony RX1R II

42 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1R II
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Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing X Vario and RX1R II, two Large Sensor Compact cameras from Leica and Sony. Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Sony RX1R II has a 42.0MP Full frame sensor. Leica X Vario was introduced to market in June 2013 and Sony RX1R II was launched in October 2015. As you can see, X Vario is 2 years older than RX1R II. 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 Sony RX1R II 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

Sony RX1R II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-10-13
  • 42MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 50 - 25600 ( expands to 102400)
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5.0 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 507g. 113 x 65 x 72 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Battery Life
450 shots vs 220 shots 230 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Wide
28mm vs 35mm 7 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
70mm vs 35mm 35 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
2.5× vs 1x more flexible focal coverage
Sensor Pixel Area
23.13µm2 vs 20.43µm2 13% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II over Leica X Vario
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 16 MP 162% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.500 104% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 11 14 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 920k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
507 g vs 680 g 173 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
Color Depth
25.8 vs 23.4 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.9 vs 12.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3204 vs 1320 better High ISO performance
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Anti Alias Filter Simulator
Yes vs No Turn on Anti Alias filter effect to minimise Moire
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam

Common Strengths of Leica X Vario and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
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 1.229k 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II: 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 Sony RX1R II 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). Sony RX1R II has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 72 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.83″) and weighs 507 g (1.12 lb / 17.88 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II. Sony RX1R II is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 20mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 23mm thinner than Leica X Vario.

Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II.

Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II.
Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX1R II is significantly lighter (173g ) than the Leica X Vario which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

X Vario
RX1R II
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

X Vario
RX1R II
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Leica X Vario nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II 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 Sony RX1R II's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Sony RX1R II 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 RX1R II.
Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II: Sensor Comparison

Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Sony RX1R II has a 42.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ X processor.

Sony RX1R II's sensor provides 26MP 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.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Sony RX1R II's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the X Vario and RX1R II sensor size comparison.

Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II Cameras


As seen above, Sony RX1R II 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 Sony RX1R II sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that RX1R II has a better overall score of 97, 19 points higher compared to X Vario's score of 78.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Leica X Vario 78 23.4 bits 12.7 Evs 1320 ISO
Sony RX1R II 97 25.8 bits 13.9 Evs 3204 ISO
Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II Lens Specs Comparison

Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens whereas Sony RX1R II features a 35 mm F2.0 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 Sony RX1R II's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1R II'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 35mm longer reach than the Sony RX1R II. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1R II is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario
RX1R II
Widest - Canon G1 X II
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario
RX1R II
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario
RX1R II
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario
RX1R II
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Leica X Vario and Sony RX1R II 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

Sony RX1R II 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 (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R II for Street Photography

GOOD
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 (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R II 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R II 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 (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
507g
Body Thickness 72mm
Read the details

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R II for Landscape Photography

GOOD
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 (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Leica X Vario vs Sony RX1R II: 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 Sony RX1R II, 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 Sony RX1R II scores compare:

Leica X Vario
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #41 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #379 out of 1226 in all Cameras
Sony RX1R II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #2 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #64 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Sony RX1R II 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
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Sony RX1R II
Sony RX1R II
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Sony RX1R II vs Leica X Vario Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Leica X Vario Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
Brand Leica Sony
Announced 2013-06-11 2015-10-13
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 372.88mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 42 megapixels
Max Resolution 4928 x 3272 7952 x 5304
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,500 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 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 11 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 28-70 mm (2.5×) 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F3.5-6.4 F2.0
Macro Focus Range n/a 14cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3" 3
Resolution 920k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.74x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 5.0 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, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 680g 507g
Dimensions 133 x 73 x 95mm 113 x 65 x 72mm
Battery Life 450 shots 220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 78 97
DxO Color Depth 23.4 25.8
DxO Dynamic Range 12.7 13.9
DxO Low Light ISO 1320 3204
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