Leica M10 vs S2

The Leica M10 (Typ 3656) and the Leica S2 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in January 2017 and September 2008. The M10 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera, while the S2 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a full frame (M10) and a medium format (S2) sensor. The M10 has a resolution of 23.8 megapixels, whereas the S2 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

Leica M10		Leica S2
Rangefinder camera		Digital single lens reflex
Leica M mount lenses		Leica S mount lenses
23.8 MP – Full Frame sensor		37.5 MP – Medium Format sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 80-1,250
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		1.5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
139 x 80 x 39 mm, 660 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 Leica M10 (Typ 3656) 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 Leica M10 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the S2 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 S2 is considerably larger (73 percent) than the Leica M10. Moreover, the S2 is substantially heavier (114 percent) than the M10. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 M10 gets 210 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL5 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. 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.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
2.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	US$ 5 195	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	US$ 8 999	amazon.com
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
11.		Leica S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
12.		Leica S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
13.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
14.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
15.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
16.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	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 M10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 71 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica M10 features a full frame sensor and the Leica S2 a medium format sensor. The sensor area in the S2 is 58 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 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 M10 (23.8MP), but the S2 nevertheless has the same individual pixel size (pixel pitch of 6.00μm) as the M10 due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the M10 is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 3 months) than the S2, and its sensor will 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 neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the 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 Leica M10 are 29.8 x 20 inches or 75.6 x 50.7 cm for good quality, 23.8 x 16 inches or 60.5 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 19.8 x 13.3 inches or 50.4 x 33.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica M10 (Typ 3656) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica S2 are ISO 80 to ISO 1250 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the M10 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
2.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
7.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
8.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
9.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
11.		Leica S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
12.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
13.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
14.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
15.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
16.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
17.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
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 range of features. The M10 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 M10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the S2 (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the S2 has a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.73x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica M10 and Leica S2 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 M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
5.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Leica S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
12.		Leica S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
13.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
14.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
15.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
16.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
17.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the S2, but is missing on the M10 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 M10 writes its imaging data to SDXC 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 M10 only has one slot. The M10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the S2 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Leica M10 (Typ 3656) 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.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
2.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Leica S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
12.		Leica S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
13.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
16.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
17.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the M10 offers wifi support, while the S2 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica S2 (unlike the M10) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the M10 and the S2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The S2 was replaced by the Leica S Typ 006, while the M10 was followed by the Leica M11. Further information on the features and operation of the M10 and S2 can be found, respectively, in the Leica M10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica S2 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Leica M10 better than the Leica S2 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Leica M10 (Typ 3656):

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 96%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 460k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 1.5 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 160x120mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 750g or 53 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (71 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 3 months of technical progress since the S2 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Leica S2:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (37.5 vs 23.8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 26%.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.73x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• 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 heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2008).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M10 is the clear winner of the match-up (10 : 6 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 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 M10 or the S2 perform in practice. 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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 M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
2.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	US$ 5 195	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	US$ 8 999	amazon.com
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 4 249	ebay.com
11.		Leica S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
12.		Leica S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
13.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
14.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
15.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
16.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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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