How much dynamic range does the Leica S3 offer?

The sensor in the Leica S3 is estimated to provide 14.4 EV of dynamic range (DR). While no actual measurement of DR is available for the S3, an estimate can be derived based on assessments of other cameras that have sensors of similar size and age. A DR-value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.

High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Leica S3 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
2.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
3.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
4.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
5.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
6.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
7.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
8.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
9.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
10.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
11.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the S3 was initially launched in September 2018 at a price of $18,999.

Check S3 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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