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Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Comparison

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Nikon 1 J4

18 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon 1 J4
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Leica M8

10 MP | APS-H (27 x 18 mm) CCD Sensor

Leica M8
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Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Mirrorless cameras from Nikon and Leica. Nikon 1 J4 was introduced to market in April 2014 and Leica M8 was launched in July 2007. As you can see, M8 is 7 years older than 1 J4. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Nikon 1 J4 has a 18.0MP 1" sensor whereas Leica M8 has a 10.0MP APS-H sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-10
  • 18MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 60 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 1,200 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 232g. 100 x 60 x 29 mm
  • Replaced Nikon 1 J3 Compare

Leica M8 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2007-07-31
  • 10MP - APS-H CCD Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 160 - 2500
  • Leica M Mount
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (rangefinder) viewfinder
  • continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 591g. 139 x 80 x 37 mm

Leica M8 was replaced by Leica M8.2. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica M8.2 vs Leica M8
Leica M8.2 vs Nikon 1 J4

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon 1 J4 over Leica M8
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 10 MP 80% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 2.500 412% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 230k dots 350% higher resolution screen
Weight
232 g vs 591 g 359 g lighter
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video


Reasons to choose Leica M8 over Nikon 1 J4
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
550 shots vs 300 shots 250 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area
46.96µm2 vs 6.36µm2 638% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
New4
Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8: 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 Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon 1 J4 has external dimensions of 100 x 60 x 29 mm (3.92 x 2.36 x 1.12″) and weighs 232 g (0.51 lb / 8.18 oz) (including batteries). Leica M8 has external dimensions of 139 x 80 x 37 mm (5.47 x 3.15 x 1.46″) and weighs 591 g (1.30 lb / 20.85 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8. Nikon 1 J4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 39mm narrower, 20mm shorter and 8mm thinner than Leica M8.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon 1 J4 is significantly lighter (359g ) than the Leica M8 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 J4
M8
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 J4
M8
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon 1 J4 nor Leica M8 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 Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon 1 J4's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Leica M8's 2.5" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8: Sensor Comparison

Nikon 1 J4 has a 18.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Leica M8 has a 10.0MP APS-H (27 x 18 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Nikon 1 J4's sensor provides 8MP more than Leica M8'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 Leica M8'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 1 J4 and M8 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 Cameras


As seen above, Leica M8 has a 4.2x Larger sensor area than Nikon 1 J4. 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.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Leica M8 has an advantage over Nikon 1 J4 There are 59 lenses for Leica M8's Leica M mount, on the other hand there are only 13 lenses for Nikon 1 J4's Nikon 1 lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 7 lenses for Nikon 1 mount and 0 lenses for Leica M mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon 1 J4 Lenses # of Leica M8 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 n/a
Standard Prime 2 15
Wideangle Zoom 1 1
Wideangle Prime 2 31
Telephoto Zoom 2 n/a
Telephoto Prime n/a 10
SuperZoom 2 n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a n/a
Macro Prime n/a 1
Perspective Control Prime n/a 1
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 13 59

What types of Photography are Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 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.

Nikon 1 J4 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Leica M8 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Large APS-H (27 x 18 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica M8 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Large APS-H (27 x 18 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica M8 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Fast Continuous Shooting: 60.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
105 Cross Type Focus sensors
171 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Good Battery Life: 550 shots
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Leica M8 for Daily Photography

GOOD
232g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
Read the details
Large APS-H (27 x 18 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
591g
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica M8 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Live-view
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-H (27 x 18 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica M8: 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 Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8, 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 Nikon 1 J4 and Leica M8 scores compare:

Nikon 1 J4
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #70 out of 127 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #327 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Leica M8
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #122 out of 127 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #630 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon 1 J4 has a higher Overall Score than the Leica M8. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that 1 J4 trails behind the M8: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Leica M8. If not, we recommend the Nikon 1 J4.

Nikon 1 J4
Nikon 1 J4
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Leica M8
Leica M8
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Leica M8 vs Nikon 1 J4 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 J4 Leica M8
Brand Nikon Leica
Announced 2014-04-10 2007-07-31
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size 1" APS-H
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 27 x 18 mm
Area 116.16mm2 486.00mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 5232 x 3488 3936 x 2630
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 2,500 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 160 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 171 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 Leica M
Number of Available Lenses 13 59
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 2.5"
Resolution 1,037k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (rangefinder)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (ISO 100) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 232g 591g
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 29mm 139 x 80 x 37mm
Battery Life 300 shots 550 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 59
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 663
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