Leica V-LUX 4 Comparison Review

The Leica V-LUX 4 is a fixed lens compact camera that was announced in September 2012 and is equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 12 megapixel.

Is the Leica V-LUX 4 a good camera? The V-LUX 4 has a Camera Elo of 1630. This rating puts the V-LUX 4 below average of all superzoom compact cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (small sensor cameras), the V-LUX 4 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Leica V-LUX 4 is more than 12 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2012.

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.

Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Leica V-LUX 4 vis-à-vis a credit card. 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.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Leica V-LUX 4 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica V-LUX 4	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Sep 2012	US$ 949	ebay.com
2.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
5.		Leica D-LUX 6	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Sep 2012	US$ 699	ebay.com
6.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 3	124 mm	81 mm	95 mm	540 g	410	n	Dec 2011	US$ 949	ebay.com
8.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	830 g	360	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
9.		Leica X Vario	133 mm	73 mm	95 mm	680 g	450	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 849	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	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 listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Leica V-LUX 4 was launched in the US market at a price of $949. 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.

Check V-LUX 4 offers at
ebay.com

Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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.

The Leica V-LUX 4 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Leica V-LUX 4 among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design.

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 alternative 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 V-LUX 4	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.8	11.1	501	43
2.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
4.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
5.		Leica D-LUX 6	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	19.8	10.8	-303	43
6.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
7.		Leica V-LUX 3	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.7	11.0	430	42
8.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.6	11.7	127	60
9.		Leica X Vario	APS-C	16.1	4928	3272	1080/30p	23.4	12.7	1320	78
10.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
11.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
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. The V-LUX 4 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the V-LUX 4 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the V-LUX 4 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 1312k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.46x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica V-LUX 4 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 V-LUX 4	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Leica D-LUX 6	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica V-LUX 3	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Leica X Vario	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Leica V-LUX 4 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is hinged on the side and can be flipped out for odd-angle shots in both portrait and landscape orientation. Also, this fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment is often appreciated by videographers for its flexibility. Moreover, v-loggers like the design because the screen can be turned to be front-facing.

One convenient feature of the V-LUX 4 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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 V-LUX 4 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 V-LUX 4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica D-LUX 6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica V-LUX 3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Leica X Vario	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the V-LUX 4 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The V-LUX 4 has a zoom lens built in (4.5-108mm f/2.8-2.8), which, in full frame equivalent terms, provides a focal length range from 25 to 600mm. The camera is, hence, ready to shoot, while remaining more compact in size than an interchangeable lens camera with an optic that offers similar focal length and aperture specifications.

Further information on the features and operation of the V-LUX 4 can be found in the free online Leica V-LUX 4 Manual or on the Leica support site.

Expert reviews

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 V-LUX 4 handle or perform in practice. 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. 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]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica V-LUX 4	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	US$ 949	ebay.com
2.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
5.		Leica D-LUX 6	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2012	US$ 699	ebay.com
6.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Dec 2011	US$ 949	ebay.com
8.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
9.		Leica X Vario	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 849	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check V-LUX 4 offers at
ebay.com

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, 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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