Leica X Vario Review

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Main Features

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

680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm

Replaced Leica X2

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Leica X Vario Overview

First introduced in June 2013 , Leica X Vario is a 16.0MP Large Sensor Compact camera with a APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Leica replaced the older X2 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Leica X Vario vs Leica X2

Leica X Vario Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Leica X Vario has an Overall Score of 56/100 and ranked #42 out of 60 in Large Sensor Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #368 out of 1212 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Leica X Vario Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Leica X Vario Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Leica X Vario review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

External Flash Shoe

Full HD Video

Electronic (Optional) Optional Viewfinder

RAW Shooting

Face Detection Focusing

11 Focus Points

920k dots LCD Resolution

Long Battery Life (450 shots)

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

Good Low Light ISO - 1320

AE Bracketing

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Buy Leica X Vario from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

Electronic (Optional) No External Viewfinder Option

Heavy Body: 680

No Environmental Sealing

70 mm - Poor Telezoom Coverage

Optical Zoom only 2.5X

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.50

Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40

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Leica X Vario Sensor and Photography Features

Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4928 x 3272 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. X Vario has a native ISO range of 100 - 12500 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Leica X Vario is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Canon M6 MII with its 33.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Leica X Vario vs Canon M6 MII or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Leica X Vario DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Leica X Vario sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 78 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Leica X Vario here.

Let's look at how the size of the Leica X Vario's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Leica X Vario Physical Specs

Leica X Vario weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) and has external dimensions of 133 x 73 x 95 mm (5.24 x 2.87 x 3.74″). Considering that the average weight of Large Sensor Compact type cameras is 395g, Leica X Vario is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 95mm, it is not small either, 39mm thicker than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Leica X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Leica X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Leica X Vario with the dimensions:

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Leica X Vario with its main competitors:

Leica X Vario Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs X Vario	Thickness	vs X Vario
Leica X2 Compare	345g	335g lighter	52mm	43mm thinner
Leica X (Typ 113) Compare	486g	194g lighter	78mm	17mm thinner
Leica D-Lux 7 Compare	403g	277g lighter	64mm	31mm thinner
Leica D-Lux Typ 109 Compare	405g	275g lighter	55mm	40mm thinner
Leica Q Compare	640g	40g lighter	93mm	2mm thinner
Leica X1 Compare	306g	374g lighter	32mm	63mm thinner
Fujifilm X100F Compare	469g	211g lighter	52mm	43mm thinner
Fujifilm X100V Compare	478g	202g lighter	53mm	42mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Leica X Vario doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Leica X Vario Lens

Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm, However 70mm on the tele side is only good for classic portrait shots at best, but doesn't provide a real telephoto reach.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

Widest - Sony ZV-1

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

Longest - Panasonic ZS200

Average

With a max aperture of f3.50 at 28mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f6.40.

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

X Vario

Fastest - Leica Q

Average

Leica X Vario's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Leica X Vario LCD

Leica X Vario has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 920k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

X Vario doesn't have a built-in viewfinder but an optional external viewfinder is available. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Large Sensor Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II (Compare) or Fujifilm X100V (Compare).
If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

Leica X Vario Connectivity, Storage and Battery

You can connect X Vario to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Leica X Vario is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 450 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Large Sensor Compact type cameras is 302 shots, Leica X Vario has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Leica X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Leica X Vario is the longest battery life Large Sensor Compact camera in our database. The closest competitor in this class is Leica X-U with its 450 shots battery life. Check the comparison of Leica X Vario vs Leica X-U or take a look at Longest battery life Compact cameras list.

Leica X Vario Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Leica X2 Compare	None	450shots	No	No	No
Leica X (Typ 113) Compare	1920 x 1080	350shots	No	No	No
Leica D-Lux 7 Compare	3840 x 2160	340shots	Yes	Yes	No
Leica D-Lux Typ 109 Compare	3840 x 2160	300shots	Yes	No	Yes
Leica Q Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	Yes	No	No
Leica X1 Compare	None	shots	No	No	No
Fujifilm X100F Compare	1920 x 1080	390shots	Yes	No	No
Fujifilm X100V Compare	4096 x 2160	420shots	Yes	Yes	No

Leica X Vario Video Features

With Leica X Vario, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30p fps and save in and MPEG-4 formats. Full HD resolution of Leica X Vario will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

X Vario has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Leica X Vario doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Large Sensor Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II or Fujifilm X100V in a similar price range.

Leica X Vario Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Leica X Vario can shoot continuously at max speed of 5 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

Flash

X Vario has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing

Leica X Vario features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 11 points to choose from.

Leica X Vario also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Leica X Vario Good for?

In this section, we review and score Leica X Vario in 5 different photography areas.

Leica X Vario for Portrait Photography

Leica X Vario has a score of 50 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

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
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Leica X Vario for Portrait Photography

Leica X Vario for Street Photography

Leica X Vario has a score of 61 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

RAW shooting capability
Small Body
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Leica X Vario for Street Photography

Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

Leica X Vario has a score of 40 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list.

11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
External Flash Shoe
RAW shooting capability

Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
70 mm Tele Lens

Read the details of how we scored Leica X Vario for Sports Photography

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

Leica X Vario has a score of 67 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability

680g
Body Thickness 95mm
2.5X Optical Zoom

Read the details of how we scored Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

Leica X Vario has a score of 40 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

Leica X Vario Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Leica X Vario compares with other Large Sensor Compact cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of X Vario and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Leica X Vario alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Leica X Vario

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Leica X Vario amongst Camera Decision readers.

Leica X2

Compare

Leica X (Typ 113)

Compare

Leica D-Lux 7

Compare

Leica D-Lux Typ 109

Compare

Leica Q

Compare

Leica X1

Compare

Fujifilm X100F

Compare

Fujifilm X100V

Compare

Leica X Vario Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Leica X Vario with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Leica X Vario's price range.

Frequently Asked Questions about Leica X Vario

Does the Leica X Vario have Image Stabilization?
Does the Leica X Vario have RAW support?
Does the Leica X Vario have Weather Sealing?
Does the Leica X Vario have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Leica X Vario?
What is the Sensor Size of Leica X Vario?
is the Leica X Vario a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Leica X Vario have Touch Screen?
Does the Leica X Vario have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Leica X Vario?

Leica X Vario Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Leica
Model	Leica X Vario
Announced	2013-06-11
Body Type	Large sensor compact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-70 mm (2.5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-6.4
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3"
Screen Resolution	920k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Continuous Shooting	5.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain, Slow sync, Studio
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	78
DxO Color Depth	23.4
DxO Dynamic Range	12.7
DxO Low Light ISO	1320
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	23.6 x 15.8 mm
Sensor Area	372.88mm²
Sensor Resolution	16 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4928 x 3272
Max Native ISO	12,500
Min Native ISO	100
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
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	680g
Physical Dimensions	133 x 73 x 95mm
Battery Life	450 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	BP-DC8
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1