How many Megapixels does the Leica S-E Typ 006 have?

The Leica S-E (Typ 006) is equipped with a a medium format sensor that offers an image resolution of 37.5 megapixels (MP), or 37.5 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 7 500 horizontal pixels and 5 000 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Leica S-E Typ 006 can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 37.5 MP?

The maximum print size of the Leica S-E Typ 006 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. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Leica S-E Typ 006 to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
2.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
3.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
4.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
5.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
6.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
7.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
8.		Nikon D4S	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/60p	24.4	13.3	3074	89
9.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
10.		Pentax 645D	Medium Format	39.5	7264	5440	none	24.6	12.6	1262	82
11.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the S-E Typ 006 was initially launched in September 2014 at a price of $16,900.

Check S-E Typ 006 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

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