Leica D-LUX 7 vs Panasonic G7

The Leica D-LUX 7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2018 and May 2015. The D-LUX 7 is a fixed lens compact, while the G7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 16.8 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 15.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica D-LUX 7		Panasonic G7
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-75mm f/1.7-2.8		Micro Four Thirds lenses
16.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor		15.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600		ISO 160-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2764k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1240k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
300 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
115 x 66 x 65 mm, 392 g		125 x 86 x 77 mm, 410 g

Check D-LUX 7 offers at
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Check G7 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica D-LUX 7 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7? 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 Leica D-LUX 7 and the Panasonic G7. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The G7 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D-LUX 7 is only available in silver.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic G7 is notably larger (42 percent) than the Leica D-LUX 7. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D-LUX 7 nor the G7 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the D-LUX 7 has a lens built in, whereas the G7 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the G7 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D-LUX 7 gets 300 shots out of its Leica BP-DC15 battery, while the G7 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 power pack. The power pack in the D-LUX 7 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	US$ 1 195	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic G7	125 mm	86 mm	77 mm	410 g	350	n	May 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-E2S	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X100S	127 mm	74 mm	54 mm	445 g	330	n	Jan 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X100T	127 mm	74 mm	52 mm	440 g	330	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
8.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	118 mm	66 mm	55 mm	405 g	300	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 195	ebay.com
9.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	830 g	360	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
10.		Leica V-LUX 5	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	812 g	350	n	Jul 2019	US$ 1 249	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic G5	120 mm	83 mm	71 mm	396 g	320	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GM5	99 mm	60 mm	36 mm	211 g	220	n	Sep 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	US$ 1 199	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the G7 is 22 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 2.2 (D-LUX 7) and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3. The D-LUX 7 has the particularity of featuring a switch that allows to toggle between multiple aspect ratios, while maintaining the same field of view and full image resolution.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Leica D-LUX 7 offers a higher resolution of 16.8 megapixels, compared with 15.8 MP of the Panasonic G7. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.32μm versus 3.77μm for the G7). However, it should be noted that the D-LUX 7 is much more recent (by 3 years and 6 months) than the G7, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D-LUX 7 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Leica D-LUX 7 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 are ISO 160 to ISO 25600 (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 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.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
2.		Panasonic G7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	904	71
3.		Fujifilm X-E2S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
4.		Fujifilm X100S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.3	12.5	1329	75
5.		Fujifilm X100T	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.6	12.8	1483	78
6.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
7.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
8.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.4	12.1	607	67
9.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.6	11.7	127	60
10.		Leica V-LUX 5	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	584	65
11.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
12.		Panasonic G5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.4	11.6	618	61
13.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
14.		Panasonic GM5	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.1	11.7	721	66
15.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
16.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
17.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the D-LUX 7 offers a higher resolution than the one in the G7 (2764k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica D-LUX 7 and Panasonic G7 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic G7	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
3.		Fujifilm X-E2S	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X100S	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X100T	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Leica V-LUX 5	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic G5	1440	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GM5	1166	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	n	n
15.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
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 G7 has one, while the D-LUX 7 does not. While the built-in flash of the G7 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Leica D-LUX 7 and the Panasonic G7 both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D-LUX 7 and the G7 write their files to SDXC cards. The G7 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D-LUX 7 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 Leica D-LUX 7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 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.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic G7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X-E2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X100S	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X100T	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Leica V-LUX 5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic G5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic GM5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the G7 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The D-LUX 7 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the D-LUX 7 and the G7 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G7 was replaced by the Panasonic G85, while the D-LUX 7 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D-LUX 7 and G7 can be found, respectively, in the Leica D-LUX 7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic G7 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Leica D-LUX 7 or the Panasonic G7 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Leica D-LUX 7:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Flexible image proportions: Has a multi-aspect sensor that allows for alternative image shapes.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2764k vs 2360k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1240k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the G7 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (115x66mm vs 125x86mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the G7).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 6 months of technical progress since the G7 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in May 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (13 points each). 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Leica D-LUX 7 and the Panasonic G7 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D-LUX 7 or the G7. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	US$ 1 195	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic G7	4/5	+ +	3.5/5	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-E2S	4.5/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X100S	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X100T	5/5	+	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 049	ebay.com
8.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 195	ebay.com
9.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
10.		Leica V-LUX 5	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 1 249	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic G5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GM5	3.5/5	+	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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. 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? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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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