Canon D60 vs Leica M10

The Canon EOS-D60 and the Leica M10 (Typ 3656) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2002 and January 2017. The D60 is a DSLR, while the M10 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D60) and a full frame (M10) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 6.3 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 23.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon D60		Leica M10
Digital single lens reflex		Rangefinder camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica M mount lenses
6.3 MP – APS-C sensor		23.8 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,000		ISO 100-50,000
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 114k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
620 shots per battery charge		210 shots per battery charge
150 x 107 x 75 mm, 855 g		139 x 80 x 39 mm, 660 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-D60 and the Leica M10 (Typ 3656)? 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 D60 and the Leica M10. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D60 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica M10 is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Canon D60. Moreover, the M10 is markedly lighter (23 percent) than the D60. It is noteworthy in this context that the M10 is splash and dust-proof, while the D60 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (D60) and the Leica M Lens Catalog (M10).

Concerning battery life, the D60 gets 620 shots out of its Canon BP-511 battery, while the M10 can take 210 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL5 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
2.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	EUR 6 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	EUR 4 065	amazon.com
4.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	EUR 1 599	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
9.		Canon 300D	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	EUR 1 095	ebay.com
10.		Canon D30	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	750 g	540	n	May 2000	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
11.		Canon XC10	125 mm	102 mm	122 mm	1040 g	370	n	Apr 2015	EUR 2 199	ebay.com
12.		Contax N Digital	152 mm	138 mm	80 mm	990 g	100	n	Feb 2002	EUR 7 499	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 6 199	ebay.com
14.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	EUR 5 499	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 7 499	ebay.com
16.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	EUR 8 349	amazon.com
17.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	EUR 2 499	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The D60 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the M10, 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon D60 features an APS-C sensor and the Leica M10 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the M10 is 150 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 23.8MP, the M10 offers a higher resolution than the D60 (6.3MP), but the M10 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 7.38μm for the D60). Yet, the M10 is a much more recent model (by 14 years and 10 months) than the D60, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the M10 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica M10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M10 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 29.8 x 20 inches or 75.6 x 50.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 23.8 x 16 inches or 60.5 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 19.8 x 13.3 inches or 50.4 x 33.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon D60 are 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for good quality, 12.3 x 8.2 inches or 31.2 x 20.8 cm for very good quality, and 10.2 x 6.8 inches or 26 x 17.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-D60 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica M10 (Typ 3656) are ISO 100 to ISO 50000 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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 D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
2.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
4.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
5.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
6.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
7.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
8.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
9.		Canon 300D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
10.		Canon D30	APS-C	3.1	2160	1440	none	..	..	..	..
11.		Canon XC10	1-inch	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	21.7	11.8	197	61
12.		Contax N Digital	Full Frame	6.1	3040	2008	none	21.5	10.5	1283	59
13.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
14.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
15.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
16.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
17.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
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 D60 and the M10 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 M10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D60 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the M10 has a higher magnification (0.73x 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 D60 and Leica M10 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 D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 300D	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
10.		Canon D30	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon XC10	none	n	3.0 / 1030	tilting	Y	1/2000s	3.8/s	n	Y
12.		Contax N Digital	optical	Y	2.0 / 200	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
13.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
15.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
16.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
17.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/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 D60 has one, while the M10 does not. While the built-in flash of the D60 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Leica M10 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The D60 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the M10 uses SDXC cards.

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-D60 and Leica M10 (Typ 3656) 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 D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 300D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
10.		Canon D30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon XC10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Contax N Digital	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
13.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
16.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-

It is notable that the M10 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D60 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon D60 (unlike the M10) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D60 and the M10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D60 was replaced by the Canon 10D, while the M10 was followed by the Leica M11. Further information on the features and operation of the D60 and M10 can be found, respectively, in the Canon D60 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica M10 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon D60 better than the Leica M10 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-D60:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (620 versus 210) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (55 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2002).

Arguments in favor of the Leica M10 (Typ 3656):

• More detail: Has more megapixels (23.8 vs 6.3MP), which boosts linear resolution by 94%.
• 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 (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.73x vs 0.54x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 114k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x80mm vs 150x107mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 195g or 23 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 14 years and 10 months of technical progress since the D60 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the M10 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D60 and the M10 in practical situations. 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 expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
2.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 6 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	EUR 4 065	amazon.com
4.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	EUR 1 599	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
9.		Canon 300D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	EUR 1 095	ebay.com
10.		Canon D30	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	May 2000	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
11.		Canon XC10	..	..	..	80/100	..	..	Apr 2015	EUR 2 199	ebay.com
12.		Contax N Digital	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2002	EUR 7 499	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	EUR 6 199	ebay.com
14.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	EUR 5 499	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	EUR 7 499	ebay.com
16.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	EUR 8 349	amazon.com
17.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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