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Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2 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 V-Lux 2

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica V-Lux 2
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Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2 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 V-Lux 2, which was introduced in September 2010 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. As you can see, V-Lux 2 is 4 years older than 1 J4. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 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 V-Lux 2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-09-21
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 11 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 520g. 124 x 80 x 95 mm

Leica V-Lux 2 was replaced by Leica V-Lux 3. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica V-Lux 3 vs Leica V-Lux 2
Leica V-Lux 3 vs Nikon 1 J4

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon 1 J4 over Leica V-Lux 2
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
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 14 MP 28% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 460k dots 125% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 11.0fps 49 fps faster
Weight
232 g vs 520 g 288 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
6.36µm2 vs 1.98µm2 221% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video


Reasons to choose Leica V-Lux 2 over Nikon 1 J4
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Flash Coverage
9.5m vs 5.0m 4.5m longer range
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 11.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2
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 V-Lux 2: 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 V-Lux 2 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 V-Lux 2 has external dimensions of 124 x 80 x 95 mm (4.88 x 3.15 x 3.74″) and weighs 520 g (1.15 lb / 18.34 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2. Nikon 1 J4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 24mm narrower, 20mm shorter and 66mm thinner than Leica V-Lux 2. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Leica V-Lux 2 has a built-in lens but Nikon 1 J4 doesn't. Once you put a lens on 1 J4, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 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 (288g ) than the Leica V-Lux 2 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on 1 J4, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon 1 J4 nor Leica V-Lux 2 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 Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Leica V-Lux 2 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Nikon 1 J4's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to V-Lux 2.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2: 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 V-Lux 2 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the 1 J4 and V-Lux 2 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon 1 J4 has a 4.2x Larger sensor area than Leica V-Lux 2. 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.

What types of Photography are Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 J4 and Leica V-Lux 2 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 V-Lux 2 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
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica V-Lux 2 for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica V-Lux 2 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
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
600 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Leica V-Lux 2 for Daily Photography

GOOD
232g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
Read the details
24.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
520g
Body Thickness 95mm
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 2 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 vs Leica V-Lux 2: 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 V-Lux 2, 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 V-Lux 2 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 V-Lux 2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #40 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #483 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Nikon 1 J4 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica V-Lux 2 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon 1 J4
Nikon 1 J4
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Leica V-Lux 2
Leica V-Lux 2
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Leica V-Lux 2 vs Nikon 1 J4 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 J4 Leica V-Lux 2
Brand Nikon Leica
Announced 2014-04-10 2010-09-21
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1" 1/2.3"
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area 116.16mm2 27.72mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 14 megapixels
Max Resolution 5232 x 3488 4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 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 171 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 25-600 mm (24×)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8-5.2
Macro Focus Range no lens 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 1,037k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (ISO 100) 9.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps 11.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 AVCHD Lite
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 232g 520g
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 29mm 124 x 80 x 95mm
Battery Life 300 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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