Canon XTi vs Leica D-LUX 7

The Canon EOS Rebel XTi (called Canon 400D in some regions) and the Leica D-LUX 7 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2006 and November 2018. The XTi is a DSLR, while the D-LUX 7 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (XTi) and a Four Thirds (D-LUX 7) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 16.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon XTi		Leica D-LUX 7
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF mount lenses		24-75mm f/1.7-2.8
10.1 MP – APS-C sensor		16.8 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 200-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2764k dots)
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1240k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
370 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
127 x 84 x 65 mm, 556 g		115 x 66 x 65 mm, 392 g

Check XTi offers at
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Check D-LUX 7 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel XTi and the Leica D-LUX 7? 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 Canon XTi and the Leica D-LUX 7 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size 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 Leica D-LUX 7 is notably smaller (29 percent) than the Canon XTi. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the XTi nor the D-LUX 7 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the D-LUX 7 has a lens built in, whereas the XTi is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the XTi and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the XTi gets 370 shots out of its Canon NB-2LH battery, while the D-LUX 7 can take 300 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-DC15 power pack. The power pack in the D-LUX 7 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
2.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
7.		Canon T3	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
8.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
10.		Canon XS	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
11.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
15.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	118 mm	66 mm	55 mm	405 g	300	n	Sep 2014	1,195	ebay.com
16.		Leica V-LUX 5	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	812 g	350	n	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. 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.

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. 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon XTi features an APS-C sensor and the Leica D-LUX 7 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the D-LUX 7 is 44 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.2. The sensor in the XTi has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the D-LUX 7 offers a 4:3 aspect. The D-LUX 7 has the particularity of featuring a switch that allows to toggle between multiple aspect ratios, while maintaining the same field of view and full image resolution.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the D-LUX 7 offers a higher resolution of 16.8 megapixels, compared with 10.1 MP of the XTi. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.32μm versus 5.71μm for the XTi). However, it should be noted that the D-LUX 7 is much more recent (by 12 years and 2 months) than the XTi, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D-LUX 7 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica D-LUX 7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D-LUX 7 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23.7 x 17.8 inches or 60.1 x 45.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.9 x 14.2 inches or 48.1 x 36.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.8 x 11.8 inches or 40.1 x 30.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon XTi are 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.4 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.6 x 10.4 inches or 39.5 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 13 x 8.6 inches or 32.9 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS Rebel XTi has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica D-LUX 7 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
2.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
3.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
4.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
5.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
6.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
7.		Canon T3	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
8.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
9.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
10.		Canon XS	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
11.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
12.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
13.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
14.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
15.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.4	12.1	607	67
16.		Leica V-LUX 5	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	584	65
17.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
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 D-LUX 7 indeed provides for movie recording, while the XTi does not. The highest resolution format that the D-LUX 7 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the D-LUX 7 has an electronic viewfinder (2764k dots), while the XTi 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 D-LUX 7 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the XTi (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the D-LUX 7 has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.49x), 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 Canon XTi and Leica D-LUX 7 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.		Canon XTi	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
5.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T3	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon XS	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
12.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
14.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		Leica V-LUX 5	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
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 XTi has one, while the D-LUX 7 does not. While the built-in flash of the XTi is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the D-LUX 7 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Leica D-LUX 7 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 XTi writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the D-LUX 7 uses SDXC 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 Canon EOS Rebel XTi and Leica D-LUX 7 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.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon XS	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Leica V-LUX 5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the D-LUX 7 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the XTi does not provide wifi capability.

Both the XTi and the D-LUX 7 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The XTi was replaced by the Canon Xsi, while the D-LUX 7 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the XTi and D-LUX 7 can be found, respectively, in the Canon XTi Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica D-LUX 7 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon XTi or the Leica D-LUX 7 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel XTi:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (370 versus 300) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2006).

Reasons to prefer the Leica D-LUX 7:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (16.8 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 27%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Flexible image proportions: Has a multi-aspect sensor that allows for alternative image shapes.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/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 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.49x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1240k vs 230k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the XTi requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (115x66mm vs 127x84mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the XTi).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 12 years and 2 months of technical progress since the XTi launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D-LUX 7 is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Canon XTi and the Leica D-LUX 7 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Travel-Zoom 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the XTi or the D-LUX 7. 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 expert reviews 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
2.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
7.		Canon T3	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
8.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
10.		Canon XS	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
11.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
15.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,195	ebay.com
16.		Leica V-LUX 5	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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 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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