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Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2 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 S2

38 MP | Medium format (45 x 30 mm) CCD Sensor

Leica S2
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Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon 1 J4, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 18.0MP 1" sensor whereas Leica S2, which was introduced in September 2008 is a Pro DSLR camera with a 38.0MP Medium format sensor. As you can see, S2 is 6 years older than 1 J4. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 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 S2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2008-09-23
  • 38MP - Medium format CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1250
  • Leica L Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 2 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 1410g. 160 x 120 x 81 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon 1 J4 over Leica S2
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 ISO
12.800 vs 1.250 924% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 460k dots 125% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 2.0fps 58 fps faster
Weight
232 g vs 1410 g 1178 g lighter
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video


Reasons to choose Leica S2 over Nikon 1 J4
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
38 MP vs 18 MP 111% more pixels
Battery Life
1000 shots vs 300 shots 700 more frames with a single charge
Sensor Pixel Area
36.00µm2 vs 6.36µm2 466% larger pixel area
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily

Common Strengths of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Max Resolution
18 MP vs 38 MP Bigger prints and more details
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
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 S2: 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 S2 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 S2 has external dimensions of 160 x 120 x 81 mm (6.3 x 4.72 x 3.19″) and weighs 1410 g (3.11 lb / 49.74 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2. Nikon 1 J4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 60mm narrower, 60mm shorter and 52mm thinner than Leica S2.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 Size and Weight - Back View

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 (1178g ) than the Leica S2 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. Since Leica S2 has a Medium format sensor and Nikon 1 J4 has a smaller 1" sensor, Nikon 1 J4's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Leica S2 lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1 J4
S2
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

1 J4
S2
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon 1 J4 nor Leica S2 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
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2'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.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2: 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 S2 has a 38.0MP Medium format (45 x 30 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Leica S2's sensor provides 20MP more than Nikon 1 J4'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 1 J4 and S2 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 Cameras


As seen above, Leica S2 has a 11.6x 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 S2 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 S2 has an advantage over Nikon 1 J4 There are 36 lenses for Leica S2's Leica L 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 5 lenses for Leica L mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Nikon 1 J4 Lenses # of Leica S2 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 5
Standard Prime 2 8
Wideangle Zoom 1 3
Wideangle Prime 2 9
Telephoto Zoom 2 3
Telephoto Prime n/a 6
SuperZoom 2 n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a n/a
Macro Prime n/a 1
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 13 36

What types of Photography are Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 J4 and Leica S2 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 S2 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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 Medium format (45 x 30 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 38.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica S2 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 Medium format (45 x 30 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica S2 for Sports Photography

GOOD
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
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Battery Life: 1000 shots
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Leica S2 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
232g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
Read the details
Large Medium format (45 x 30 mm) sensor
Large Body
1410g
Body Thickness 81mm
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica S2 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
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 Medium format (45 x 30 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 38.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica S2: 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 S2, 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 S2 scores compare:

Nikon 1 J4
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #70 out of 126 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #327 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Leica S2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #15 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #309 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Nikon 1 J4
Nikon 1 J4
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Leica S2
Leica S2
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Leica S2 vs Nikon 1 J4 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 J4 Leica S2
Brand Nikon Leica
Announced 2014-04-10 2008-09-23
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Large SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size 1" Medium format
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 45 x 30 mm
Area 116.16mm2 1350.00mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 38 megapixels
Max Resolution 5232 x 3488 7500 x 5000
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 1,250 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 ISO 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 171 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 Leica L
Number of Available Lenses 13 36
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 1,037k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 96%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.86x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
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
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps 2.0 fps
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 1410g
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 29mm 160 x 120 x 81mm
Battery Life 300 shots 1000 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 76
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.9
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.2
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 824
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