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Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1 Comparison

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Nikon D3400

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3400
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Leica X1

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

Leica X1
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Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D3400, which was introduced in August 2016 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Leica X1, which was introduced in December 2009 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, X1 is 7 years older than D3400. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D3400 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-08-17
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 395g. 124 x 98 x 76 mm
  • Replaced Nikon D3300 Compare

Leica X1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-12-18
  • 12MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 35 mm f2.80 Prime Lens
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • 3.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 306g. 124 x 60 x 32 mm

Nikon D3400 was replaced by Nikon D3500. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D3400
Nikon D3500 vs Leica X1

Leica X1 was replaced by Leica X2. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica X2 vs Leica X1
Leica X2 vs Nikon D3400

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon D3400 over Leica X1
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 3.200 700% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.7 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 3.0fps 2 fps faster
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK D3400 PRICE


Reasons to choose Leica X1 over Nikon D3400
Weight
306 g vs 395 g 89 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
30.56µm2 vs 15.28µm2 100% larger pixel area
CHECK X1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon D3400 and Leica X1
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D3400 and Leica X1
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
LCD Screen Size
2.70" vs 2.70" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D3400 has external dimensions of 124 x 98 x 76 mm (4.88 x 3.86 x 2.99″) and weighs 395 g (0.87 lb / 13.93 oz) (including batteries). Leica X1 has external dimensions of 124 x 60 x 32 mm (4.88 x 2.36 x 1.26″) and weighs 306 g (0.67 lb / 10.79 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon D3400 and the Leica X1. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Leica X1 has a built-in lens but Nikon D3400 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D3400, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Nikon D3400 and the Leica X1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D3400 and Leica X1.
Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Nikon D3400 and the the Leica X1 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica X1 is significantly lighter (89g ) than the Nikon D3400 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 D3400, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Nikon D3400 nor Leica X1 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, 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 DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D3400's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Leica X1's 2.7 screen.

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


Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D3400 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Leica X1 has a 12.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Nikon D3400's sensor provides 12MP more than Leica X1'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.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Nikon D3400's sensor lacks 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 moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the D3400 and X1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 Cameras


Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D3400 and Leica X1 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 D3400 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Leica X1 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
External Flash Shoe
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica X1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica X1 for Sports Photography

POOR
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
External Flash Shoe
11 Focus Points
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica X1 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
395g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Compact Body
306g
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica X1 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Nikon D3400 vs Leica X1: 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 D3400 and Leica X1, 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 D3400 and Leica X1 scores compare:

Nikon D3400
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #267 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Leica X1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #51 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #567 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon D3400 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica X1 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Nikon D3400.

Nikon D3400
Nikon D3400
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Leica X1
Leica X1
CHECK PRICE

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Leica X1 vs Nikon D3400 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D3400 Leica X1
Brand Nikon Leica
Announced 2016-08-17 2009-12-18
Body Type Compact SLR Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.5 x 15.6 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 366.60mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4272 x 2856
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 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 11 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 35 mm (1�)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8
Macro Focus Range no lens 30cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 2.70"
Resolution 921k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder Coverage 95% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.56x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.00 m (at ISO 100) n/a
Max Flash Sync 1/200s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 3.0 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 1920 x 1080 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Optional None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 395g 306g
Dimensions 124 x 98 x 76mm 124 x 60 x 32mm
Battery Life 1200 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 86 not tested
DxO Color Depth 24.8 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 13.9 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 1192 not tested
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