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Sony A7S vs Leica S2 Comparison

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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
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Leica S2

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

Leica S2
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Sony A7S vs Leica S2 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7S, which was introduced in April 2014 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 12.0MP Full frame 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 A7S. 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 Sony A7S and Leica S2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

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

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Leica S2

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7S and Leica S2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Leica S2
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
409.600 vs 1.250 32668% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 460k dots 167% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 96% More accurate viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 2.0fps 3 fps faster
Weight
489 g vs 1410 g 921 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Dynamic Range
13.2 vs 12.2 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3702 vs 824 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
71.24µm2 vs 36.00µm2 97% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone


Reasons to choose Leica S2 over Sony Alpha A7S
Viewfinder Magnification
0.86x vs 0.71x Larger Viewfinder
Max Sensor Resolution
38 MP vs 12 MP 216% more pixels
Battery Life
1000 shots vs 360 shots 640 more frames with a single charge
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S and Leica S2
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S and Leica S2
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7S 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 Sony A7S and Leica S2 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7S has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 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 Sony A7S and Leica S2. Sony A7S is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 33mm narrower, 26mm shorter and 33mm thinner than Leica S2.

Sony A7S vs Leica S2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Leica S2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7S and Leica S2.

Sony A7S vs Leica S2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7S 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. Sony A7S is significantly lighter (921g ) 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 Sony A7S has a smaller Full frame sensor, Sony A7S's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Leica S2 lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A7S
S2
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A7S
S2
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that A7S has a big advantage over S2 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7S and Leica S2's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

On the other hand, Sony A7S features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Leica S2 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7S.
Sony A7S vs Leica S2: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7S has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X 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 26MP more than Sony A7S'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 A7S and S2 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S vs Leica S2 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7S and Leica S2 Cameras


As seen above, Leica S2 has a 1.6x Larger sensor area than Sony A7S. 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.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A7S and Leica S2 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, A7S has scored 87, 11 points higher than S2.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7S 87 23.9 bits 13.2 Evs 3702 ISO
Leica S2 76 23.9 bits 12.2 Evs 824 ISO
Sony A7S 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 Sony A7S has an advantage over Leica S2. There are 128 lenses for Sony A7S's Sony E mount, on the other hand there are only 36 lenses for Leica S2's Leica L 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 31 lenses for Sony E mount and 5 lenses for Leica L mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Sony A7S Lenses # of Leica S2 Lenses
Standard Zoom 12 (9 Full Frame) 5
Standard Prime 18 (9 Full Frame) 8
Wideangle Zoom 7 (6 Full Frame) 3
Wideangle Prime 42 (26 Full Frame) 9
Telephoto Zoom 9 (7 Full Frame) 3
Telephoto Prime 18 (14 Full Frame) 6
SuperZoom 8 (1 Full Frame) n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) n/a
Macro Prime 8 (7 Full Frame) 1
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 128 (81 Full Frame) 36

What types of Photography are Sony A7S and Leica S2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S 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.

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Leica S2 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
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

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica S2 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
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

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica S2 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
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

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica S2 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
Large Medium format (45 x 30 mm) sensor
Large Body
1410g
Body Thickness 81mm
Read the details

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica S2 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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

Sony A7S 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 Sony A7S 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 Sony A7S and Leica S2 scores compare:

Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #39 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #71 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Leica S2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #15 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #309 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony A7S has a higher Overall Score than the Leica S2. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that A7S trails behind the S2: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Leica S2. If not, we recommend the Sony A7S.

Sony A7S
Sony A7S
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Leica S2
Leica S2
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Leica S2 vs Sony A7S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S Leica S2
Brand Sony Leica
Announced 2014-04-06 2008-09-23
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Large SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CCD
Size Full frame Medium format
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 45 x 30 mm
Area 855.62mm2 1350.00mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 38 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 7500 x 5000
Max Native Light sensitivity 409,600 ISO 1,250 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 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 25 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Leica L
Number of Available Lenses 128 36
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3 3"
Resolution 1,230k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 96%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.86x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 489g 1410g
Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48mm 160 x 120 x 81mm
Battery Life 360 shots 1000 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 87 76
DxO Color Depth 23.9 23.9
DxO Dynamic Range 13.2 12.2
DxO Low Light ISO 3702 824
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