Nikon S9100 vs Leica X Vario Comparison

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Nikon S9100

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Leica X Vario

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

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Nikon S9100 vs Leica X Vario Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Nikon and Leica. Nikon S9100 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Leica X Vario was launched in June 2013. There is 23 months difference between S9100 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 X Vario, especially in sensor tech.

Nikon S9100 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S9100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-19

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 160 - 3200

25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

214g. 105 x 62 x 35 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" 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

Nikon S9100 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix S9300. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Nikon Coolpix S9100
Nikon Coolpix S9300 vs Leica X Vario

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S9100 over Leica X Vario

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 5.0fps	5 fps faster
Weight	214 g vs 680 g	466 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	450mm vs 70mm	380 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 2.5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Nikon Coolpix S9100

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max ISO	12.500 vs 3.200	290% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
Battery Life	450 shots vs 270 shots	180 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Sensor Pixel Area	23.13µm² vs 2.34µm²	888% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Leica X Vario

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 920k dots	High resolution screens
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S9100 and Leica X Vario

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele	5.90 vs 6.40	Slow lenses at tele

Nikon S9100 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 S9100 and Leica X Vario side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S9100 has external dimensions of 105 x 62 x 35 mm (4.13 x 2.44 x 1.38″) and weighs 214 g (0.47 lb / 7.55 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 S9100 and Leica X Vario. Nikon S9100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 28mm narrower, 11mm shorter and 60mm thinner than Leica X Vario.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario.

Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon S9100 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 S9100 is significantly lighter (466g ) than the Leica X Vario which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

S9100

X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix S9100 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

Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario'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 S9100 vs Leica X Vario: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S9100 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the S9100 and X Vario sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario Cameras

As seen above, Leica X Vario has a 13.3x Larger sensor area than Nikon S9100. 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 S9100 vs Leica X Vario Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon S9100 features a 25-450 mm F3.5-5.9 18× zoom lens whereas Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens.

Nikon S9100 has 3mm wider coverage than the Leica X Vario. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.50 at the wide end. On the tele end, Nikon S9100 has 380mm longer reach than the Leica X Vario. At f5.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

S9100

X Vario

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

S9100

X Vario

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

S9100

X Vario

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

S9100

X Vario

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon S9100 and Leica X Vario Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S9100 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 S9100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
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 S9100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
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 S9100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
450 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
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 S9100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
214g
18.0X 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 S9100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Manual Focus Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon S9100 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 S9100 and Leica X Vario, 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 S9100 and Leica X Vario scores compare:

Nikon S9100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #174 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #727 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica X Vario

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #41 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #378 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica X Vario is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S9100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S9100. Otherwise, Leica X Vario is the better camera overall.

Leica X Vario vs Nikon S9100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix S9100	Leica X Vario
Brand	Nikon	Leica
Announced	2011-07-19	2013-06-11
Body Type	Compact	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	APS-C
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area	28.07mm²	372.88mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4928 x 3272
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	12,500 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	9	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-450 mm (18×)	28-70 mm (2.5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.9	F3.5-6.4
Macro Focus Range	4cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	921k 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
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 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, H.264	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	214g	680g
Dimensions	105 x 62 x 35mm	133 x 73 x 95mm
Battery Life	270 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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