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Leica S1 Comparison Review

The Leica S1 Pro is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was announced in August 1996 and is equipped with a medium format sensor. It offers a resolution of 26.4 megapixel.

camera

Is the Leica S1 a good camera? The S1 has a Camera Elo of 741. This rating puts the S1 below average of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (medium format cameras), the S1 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Leica S1 is more than 28 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 1996.

Headline Specifications
Leica S1
Mirrorless system camera
Leica R mount lenses
26.4 MP, Medium Format Sensor
no Video
ISO 50 - 1 600
Optical viewfinder
no LCD
0.01 shutter flaps per second
339 x 214 x 119 mm, 2 500 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Leica S1 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Leica S1 vs credit card front
S1 versus credit card top view
S1 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Leica S1 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Leica S1 339 mm 214 mm 119 mm 2500 g .. n Aug 1996 US$ 21 499ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 250D 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 449 g 1070 n Apr 2019 US$ 599 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon RP 133 mm 85 mm 70 mm 485 g 250 n Feb 2019 US$ 1 299 amazon.com
4.
 
Fujifilm X-T30 118 mm 83 mm 47 mm 383 g 380 n Feb 2019 US$ 899ebay.com
5.
 
Leica CL 131 mm 78 mm 45 mm 403 g 220 n Nov 2017 US$ 2 795ebay.com
6.
 
Leica M-E Typ 240 139 mm 80 mm 42 mm 680 g 500 Y Jun 2019 US$ 3 999ebay.com
7.
 
Leica Q Typ 116 130 mm 80 mm 93 mm 640 g 300 n Jun 2015 US$ 4 249ebay.com
8.
 
Leica S2 160 mm 120 mm 80 mm 1410 g .. Y Sep 2008 US$ 22 999ebay.com
9.
 
Leica TL2 134 mm 69 mm 33 mm 399 g 250 n Jul 2017 US$ 1 949ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A6100 120 mm 67 mm 59 mm 396 g 420 n Aug 2019 US$ 749ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A6400 120 mm 67 mm 50 mm 403 g 410 Y Jan 2019 US$ 899 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Leica S1 was launched in the US market at a price of $21,499. 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.

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Check S1 offers at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Leica S1 features a medium format sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 0.85. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Leica S1 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Leica S1 sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Leica S1 Medium Format 26.4 5140 5140none........
2.
 
Canon 250D APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/25p23.913.4179182
3.
 
Canon RP Full Frame 26.0 6240 41604K/30p24.311.9297785
4.
 
Fujifilm X-T30 APS-C 26.0 6240 41604K/30p24.113.5189583
5.
 
Leica CL APS-C 24.1 6014 40144K/30p24.013.3178882
6.
 
Leica M-E Typ 240 Full Frame 23.7 5952 39761080/25p25.214.2282194
7.
 
Leica Q Typ 116 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.312.7222185
8.
 
Leica S2 Medium Format 37.5 7500 5000none23.912.5222482
9.
 
Leica TL2 APS-C 24.1 6014 40144K/30p23.913.3175382
10.
 
Sony A6100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.113.6194784
11.
 
Sony A6400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.013.6143183
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the S1 does not provide the possibility to capture videos.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Leica S1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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 S1optical nnone / none none n .. 0.01/s n n
2.
 
Canon 250Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon RP2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s n n
4.
 
Fujifilm X-T302360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y n
5.
 
Leica CL2360 Y3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
6.
 
Leica M-E Typ 240optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n n
7.
 
Leica Q Typ 1163680 n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
Leica S2optical Y3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 1.5/s n n
9.
 
Leica TL2optional n3.7 / 1230 fixed Y 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
10.
 
Sony A61001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
11.
 
Sony A64002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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Connection 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 S1 Pro and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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 S1-- / --------
2.
 
Canon 250DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Canon RPYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Fujifilm X-T30Ystereo / monoY-micro3.1Y-Y
5.
 
Leica CLYstereo / mono----Y--
6.
 
Leica M-E Typ 240Ymono / ----2.0---
7.
 
Leica Q Typ 116Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
8.
 
Leica S2Y- / ---mini2.0---
9.
 
Leica TL2Ystereo / mono--micro3.0Y--
10.
 
Sony A6100Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YYY
11.
 
Sony A6400Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YYY
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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the S1. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent 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]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Leica S1............ Aug 1996 US$ 21 499ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 250D4/5o4.5/579/1004/54/5 Apr 2019 US$ 599 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon RP4/5+4/5..4.5/54/5 Feb 2019 US$ 1 299 amazon.com
4.
 
Fujifilm X-T305/5+ +5/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2019 US$ 899ebay.com
5.
 
Leica CL....4.2/5....4/5 Nov 2017 US$ 2 795ebay.com
6.
 
Leica M-E Typ 240............ Jun 2019 US$ 3 999ebay.com
7.
 
Leica Q Typ 1165/5....80/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2015 US$ 4 249ebay.com
8.
 
Leica S2............ Sep 2008 US$ 22 999ebay.com
9.
 
Leica TL23.5/5..3/5..4/54/5 Jul 2017 US$ 1 949ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A6100....4/582/1004/55/5 Aug 2019 US$ 749ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A64004/5+4/585/1004.5/54/5 Jan 2019 US$ 899 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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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Check S1 offers at
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Leica S1 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the S1.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Leica S1?

The camera has a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensor at its core.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Leica S1?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 1600.

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. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Leica S1
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Leica R mount lenses
    Launch Date August 1996
    Launch Price USD 21 499
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CCD
    Sensor Format Medium Format Sensor
    Sensor Size 36.0 x 36.0 mm
    Sensor Area 1 296 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 50.9 mm
    Crop Factor 0.85x
    Sensor Resolution 26.4 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5 140 x 5 140 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 7.01 μm
    Pixel Density 2.04 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability no Video
    ISO Setting 50 - 1 600 ISO
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    LCD Size no LCD
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 0.01 shutter flaps/s
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium External storage
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash no Hotshoe
    USB Connector no USB
    HDMI Port no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type external power pack
    Body Dimensions 339 x 214 x 119 mm
    (13.3 x 8.4 x 4.7 in)
    Camera Weight 2 500 g (88.2 oz)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

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