Leica S2 vs Olympus E-M10

The Leica S2 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2008 and January 2014. The S2 is a DSLR, while the E-M10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a medium format (S2) and a Four Thirds (E-M10) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 37.5 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica S2		Olympus E-M10
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Leica S mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
37.5 MP – Medium Format sensor		15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 80-1,250		ISO 200-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
1.5 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
160 x 120 x 80 mm, 1410 g		119 x 82 x 46 mm, 396 g

Check S2 offers at
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Check E-M10 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica S2 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10? 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 S2 and the Olympus E-M10 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-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 Olympus E-M10 is considerably smaller (49 percent) than the Leica S2. Moreover, the E-M10 is substantially lighter (72 percent) than the S2. It is worth mentioning in this context that the S2 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-M10 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. 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 S2 gets .. shots out of its Leica BP-PRO1 battery, while the E-M10 can take 320 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
4.		Leica S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
5.		Leica S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
6.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
7.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
8.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3S	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1240 g	4200	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3X	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1260 g	4400	Y	Dec 2008	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-P5	122 mm	69 mm	37 mm	420 g	330	n	May 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Pentax 645D	156 mm	117 mm	119 mm	1480 g	800	Y	Mar 2010	US$ 9 995	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-M10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 97 percent) than the S2, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica S2 features a medium format sensor and the Olympus E-M10 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M10 is 83 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 0.8 and 2.0. The sensor in the S2 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M10 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 37.5MP, the S2 offers a higher resolution than the E-M10 (15.9MP), but the S2 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 3.76μm for the E-M10) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-M10 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 4 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 pixels. 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 Olympus E-M10 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica S2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 1250. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M10 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the S2 is build around a CCD sensor, while the E-M10 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.

For many 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 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 S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
2.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
4.		Leica S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
5.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
6.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
7.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
8.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
9.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
10.		Nikon D3S	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	720/24p	23.5	12.0	3253	82
11.		Nikon D3X	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	24.7	13.7	1992	88
12.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
13.		Olympus E-P5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.4	895	72
14.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
15.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
16.		Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
17.		Pentax 645D	Medium Format	39.5	7264	5440	none	24.6	12.6	1262	82
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 can also record movies. The E-M10 indeed provides for movie recording, while the S2 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-M10 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M10 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the S2 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-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 0.58x), 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 S2 and Olympus E-M10 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 S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
2.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Leica S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
5.		Leica S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
7.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
8.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D3S	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D3X	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-P5	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax 645D	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.1/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 E-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 Olympus E-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 S2 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDHC cards, while the E-M10 uses SDXC cards. The S2 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-M10 only has one slot. The E-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 S2 and Olympus OM-D E-M10 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 S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Leica S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5.		Leica S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
6.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D3S	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D3X	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Olympus E-P5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Pentax 645D	Y	stereo / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the E-M10 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the S2 does not provide wifi capability.

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

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

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Leica S2 or the Olympus E-M10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Leica S2:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (37.5 vs 15.9MP) with a 56% higher linear resolution.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.58x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• 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 prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M10:

• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• 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).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 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 (119x82mm vs 160x120mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 1014g or 72 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• 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 (97 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 4 months of technical progress since the S2 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 9 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Leica S2 and the Olympus E-M10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR 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 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 S2 and the E-M10 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-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]). 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 S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
4.		Leica S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
5.		Leica S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
6.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
7.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
8.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3S	5/5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D3X	..	..	..	86/100	4/5	5/5	Dec 2008	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-P5	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX7	4/5	+	..	79/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Pentax 645D	5/5	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2010	US$ 9 995	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 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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