Leica S1 vs Panasonic L1

The Leica S1 Pro and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 1996 and February 2006. The S1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the L1 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a medium format (S1) and a Four Thirds (L1) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 26.4 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 7.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica S1		Panasonic L1
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Leica R mount lenses		Four Thirds lenses
26.4 MP – Medium Format sensor		7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 50-1,600		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
no LCD		2.5" LCD – 207k dots
no rear screen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.01 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
339 x 214 x 119 mm, 2500 g		146 x 87 x 64 mm, 606 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica S1 Pro and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1? 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 physical size and weight of the Leica S1 and the Panasonic L1 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 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 Panasonic L1 is considerably smaller (82 percent) than the Leica S1. Moreover, the L1 is substantially lighter (76 percent) than the S1. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the S1 nor the L1 are weather-sealed.

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 Leica R Lens Catalog (S1) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (L1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Leica S1, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

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 S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
4.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
5.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
7.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
8.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
9.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.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 S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
12.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
17.		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.
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 L1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 95 percent) than the S1, 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 S1 features a medium format sensor and the Panasonic L1 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the L1 is 83 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 0.85 and 2.0. The sensor in the S1 has a native 1:1 aspect ratio, while the one in the L1 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 26.4MP, the S1 offers a higher resolution than the L1 (7.4MP), but the S1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 7.01μm versus 5.51μm for the L1) due to its larger sensor. However, the L1 is a much more recent model (by 9 years and 5 months) than the S1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica S1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.7 x 25.7 inches or 65.3 x 65.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.6 x 20.6 inches or 52.2 x 52.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.1 x 17.1 inches or 43.5 x 43.5 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic L1 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica S1 Pro has a native sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the S1 is build around a CCD sensor, while the L1 uses a CMOS 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
2.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
3.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
4.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
6.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
7.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
8.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
9.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
11.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
12.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
13.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
14.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
15.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
16.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
17.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The S1 and the L1 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica S1, the Panasonic L1, and comparable 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 S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
2.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
12.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
13.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 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.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The L1 has one, while the S1 does not. While the built-in flash of the L1 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The S1 writes its imaging data to external storage, while the L1 uses SDHC 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 S1 Pro and Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 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 S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the L1 has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The S1 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Both the S1 and the L1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The S1 was replaced by the Leica S2, while the L1 was followed by the Panasonic L10. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Leica and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica S1 and the Panasonic L1? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Leica S1 Pro:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (26.4 vs 7.4MP) with a 85% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 1996).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Rear screen: Has a backside LCD (2.5") for image review and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 0.01 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (146x87mm vs 339x214mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 1894g or 76 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (95 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 5 months of technical progress since the S1 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the L1 is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Leica S1 and the Panasonic L1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the S1 or the L1 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 S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
4.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
5.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
7.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	US$ 2 795	ebay.com
8.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
9.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.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 S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
12.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	US$ 1 949	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.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. 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As 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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