Canon 450D vs Leica S2

The Canon EOS 450D (called Canon XSi in some regions) and the Leica S2 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2008 and September 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (450D) and a medium format (S2) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 37.5 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 450D		Leica S2
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica S mount lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		37.5 MP – Medium Format sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 80-1,250
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.5 shutter flaps per second		1.5 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
129 x 98 x 62 mm, 524 g		160 x 120 x 80 mm, 1410 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 450D and the Leica S2? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 450D and the Leica S2. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica S2 is considerably larger (52 percent) than the Canon 450D. Moreover, the S2 is substantially heavier (169 percent) than the 450D. It is noteworthy in this context that the S2 is splash and dust-proof, while the 450D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 450D gets 500 shots out of its Canon LP-E5 battery, while the S2 can take .. images on a single charge of its Leica BP-PRO1 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 450D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	EUR 699	ebay.com
2.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	EUR 18 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 400D	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	EUR 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon 500D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1000D	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	EUR 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1100D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	EUR 749	ebay.com
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
12.		Leica S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	EUR 21 499	ebay.com
13.		Leica S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	EUR 18 599	ebay.com
14.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 19 499	ebay.com
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	EUR 16 899	ebay.com
16.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	EUR 24 999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 450D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 97 percent) than the S2, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 450D features an APS-C sensor and the Leica S2 a medium format sensor. The sensor area in the S2 is 310 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 0.8. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 37.5MP, the S2 offers a higher resolution than the 450D (12.2MP), but the S2 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 5.19μm for the 450D) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the S2 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the 450D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S2 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica S2 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S2 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 37.5 x 25 inches or 95.3 x 63.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 25 x 16.7 inches or 63.5 x 42.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 450D are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.3 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.1 x 11.4 inches or 43.4 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.2 x 9.5 inches or 36.2 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 450D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica S2 are ISO 80 to ISO 1250 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the 450D is build around a CMOS sensor, while the S2 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 450D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
2.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
3.		Canon 400D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
4.		Canon 500D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
5.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
6.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
7.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
8.		Canon 1000D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
9.		Canon 1100D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
10.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
12.		Leica S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
13.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
14.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
16.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
17.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 450D and the S2 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the S2 offers a wider field of view (96%) than the one in the 450D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the S2 has a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 450D and Leica S2 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 450D	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
2.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 400D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 500D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 1000D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 1100D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
12.		Leica S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
13.		Leica S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
16.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
17.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 450D has one, while the S2 does not. While the built-in flash of the 450D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 450D writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the S2 uses Compact Flash or SDHC cards. The S2 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 450D only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 450D and Leica S2 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 450D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 400D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 500D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 1000D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 1100D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Leica S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13.		Leica S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
14.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
17.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica S2 (unlike the 450D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 450D and the S2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 450D was replaced by the Canon 500D, while the S2 was followed by the Leica S Typ 006. Further information on the features and operation of the 450D and S2 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 450D Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica S2 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 450D better than the Leica S2 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 450D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.5 vs 1.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (129x98mm vs 160x120mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 886g or 63 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (97 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2008).

Advantages of the Leica S2:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (37.5 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 76%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (96% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.54x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (7 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the S2 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 450D and the Leica S2 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 450D or the S2 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 450D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	EUR 699	ebay.com
2.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	EUR 18 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 400D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	EUR 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon 500D	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1000D	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	EUR 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1100D	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	EUR 749	ebay.com
11.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
12.		Leica S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	EUR 21 499	ebay.com
13.		Leica S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	EUR 18 599	ebay.com
14.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	EUR 19 499	ebay.com
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	EUR 16 899	ebay.com
16.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	EUR 24 999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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