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Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario Comparison

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Nikon L31

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon L31
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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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Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing L31 and X Vario, two Compact cameras from Nikon and Leica. Nikon Coolpix L31 is a Ultracompact class camera and Leica X Vario is a Large Sensor Compact class camera.

Nikon L31 was introduced to market in January 2015 and Leica X Vario was launched in June 2013. There is 19 months difference between L31 and X Vario so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger L31, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon L31 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-14
  • 16MP - 1/2.3' CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 Zoom Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 160g. 96 x 59 x 29 mm

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
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm
  • Replaced Leica X2 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix L31 over Leica X Vario
Internal Storage
17MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Weight
160 g vs 680 g 520 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
26mm vs 28mm 2 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
130mm vs 70mm 60 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
5× vs 2.5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.20 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
CHECK L31 PRICE


Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Nikon Coolpix L31
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
12.500 vs 1.600 681% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
920k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
450 shots vs 200 shots 250 more frames with a single charge
Max Aperture - Tele
6.40 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
23.13µm2 vs 1.76µm2 1214% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
CHECK X Vario PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Leica X Vario
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix L31 and Leica X Vario
In-body Image Stabilization
Digital only vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
6.50 vs 6.40 Slow lenses at tele
Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario: 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 L31 and Leica X Vario side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon L31 has external dimensions of 96 x 59 x 29 mm (3.78 x 2.32 x 1.14″) and weighs 160 g (0.35 lb / 5.64 oz) (including batteries). 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).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario. Nikon L31 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 37mm narrower, 14mm shorter and 66mm thinner than Leica X Vario.

Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario.

Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario.
Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon L31 is significantly lighter (520g ) than the Leica X Vario which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31
X Vario
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

L31
X Vario
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix L31 nor Leica X Vario 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's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon L31's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.


Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario: Sensor Comparison

Both Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario have 16.0 MP resolution sensors but Nikon L31's sensor is 1/2.3' (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Leica X Vario's sensor is APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ).

Since Leica X Vario's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Nikon L31.

Below you can see the L31 and X Vario sensor size comparison.

Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario Cameras


As seen above, Leica X Vario has a 13.3x Larger sensor area than Nikon L31. 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 L31 vs Leica X Vario Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon L31 features a 26-130 mm F3.2-6.5 5× zoom lens whereas Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens.

Nikon L31 has 2mm wider coverage than the Leica X Vario. At f3.20, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon L31 has 60mm longer reach than the Leica X Vario. However, with a max aperture of f6.40, Leica X Vario is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

L31
X Vario
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L31
X Vario
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L31
X Vario
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

L31
X Vario
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon L31 and Leica X Vario 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 L31 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
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

Nikon L31 for Street Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Street Photography

GOOD
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
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

Nikon L31 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details
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

Nikon L31 for Daily Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
160g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
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

Nikon L31 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

POOR
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
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

Nikon L31 vs Leica X Vario: 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 L31 and Leica X Vario, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 L31 and Leica X Vario scores compare:

Nikon L31
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #105 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1132 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Leica X Vario
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #42 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #400 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Leica X Vario is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon L31 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon L31. Otherwise, Leica X Vario is the better camera overall.

Nikon L31
Nikon L31
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Leica X Vario
Leica X Vario
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Leica X Vario vs Nikon L31 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix L31 Leica X Vario
Brand Nikon Leica
Announced 2015-01-14 2013-06-11
Body Type Ultracompact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3' APS-C
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 28.07mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4928 x 3272
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 12,500 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 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 n/a 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 26-130 mm (5×) 28-70 mm (2.5×)
Max Aperture F3.2-6.5 F3.5-6.4
Macro Focus Range 10cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Digital only No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 3.60 m n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 160g 680g
Dimensions 96 x 59 x 29mm 133 x 73 x 95mm
Battery Life 200 shots 450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 78
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.4
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1320
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