Fujifilm X100V vs Leica SL2-S

The Fujifilm X100V and the Leica SL2-S are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2020 and December 2020. The X100V is a fixed lens compact, while the SL2-S is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (X100V) and a full frame (SL2-S) sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 26 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X100V		Leica SL2-S
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
35mm f/2.0		Leica L mount lenses
26 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, Full Frame Sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)		ISO 100-50,000 (50 - 100,000)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1620k dots		3.2 LCD, 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		20 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
420 shots per battery charge		510 shots per battery charge
128 x 75 x 53 mm, 478 g		146 x 107 x 83 mm, 931 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X100V and the Leica SL2-S? 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 Fujifilm X100V and the Leica SL2-S 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 X100V can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the SL2-S 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 Leica SL2-S is considerably larger (63 percent) than the Fujifilm X100V. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the X100V has a lens built in, whereas the SL2-S is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399
2.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	4,895
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	1,299
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	1,799
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	1,499
6.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	1,699
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	1,599
9.		Fujifilm X100T	127 mm	74 mm	52 mm	440 g	330	n	Sep 2014	1,299
10.		Fujifilm X-T1	129 mm	90 mm	47 mm	440 g	350	Y	Jan 2014	1,299
11.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999
12.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450
13.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	2,499
14.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699
15.		Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	3,999
16.		Samsung NX1	139 mm	102 mm	66 mm	550 g	500	Y	Sep 2014	1,499
17.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399
Notes: 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 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. The X100V was launched at a lower price than the SL2-S, despite having a lens built in. 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 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Fujifilm X100V features an APS-C sensor and the Leica SL2-S a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the SL2-S is 135 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Fujifilm X100V offers a higher resolution of 26 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Leica SL2-S. 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 3.76μm versus 6.00μm for the SL2-S). Moreover, it should be noted that the SL2-S is a somewhat more recent model (by 10 months) than the X100V, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 X100V has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the X100V, the SL2-S has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Fujifilm X100V has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica SL2-S are ISO 100 to ISO 50000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-100000.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
2.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
6.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
9.		Fujifilm X100T	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
10.		Fujifilm X-T1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
11.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
12.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
13.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
14.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
15.		Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	..	..	..	..
16.		Samsung NX1	APS-C	28.0	6480	4320	4K/30p	24.2	13.2	1363	83
17.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the SL2-S provides a faster frame rate than the X100V. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Fujifilm is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the SL2-S offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the X100V (5760k vs 3690k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X100V and Leica SL2-S 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 Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0	1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0	Y	n
2.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2	2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0	n	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0	1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	11.0	n	n
6.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0	1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0	Y	n
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0	1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0	n	n
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	n	1/8000s	8.0	n	n
9.		Fujifilm X100T	2360	n	3.0	1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X-T1	2360	n	3.0	1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0	n	n
11.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2	2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
12.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0	n	n
13.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2	2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2	2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
15.		Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2	2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
16.		Samsung NX1	2360	Y	3.0	1036	tilting	Y	1/8000s	15.0	Y	n
17.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0	922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0	n	Y

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The X100V has one, while the SL2-S does not. While the built-in flash of the X100V 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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 Fujifilm X100V and the Leica SL2-S both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the X100V and the SL2-S write their files to SDXC cards. The SL2-S features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the X100V only has one slot. The SL2-S supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the X100V can use UHS-I 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 Fujifilm X100V and Leica SL2-S 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X100T	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X-T1	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica SL	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
16.		Samsung NX1	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Both the X100V and the SL2-S are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The X100V replaced the earlier Fujifilm X100F, while the SL2-S does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Fujifilm and Leica websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Fujifilm X100V better than the Leica SL2-S or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X100V:

• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the SL2-S requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (128x75mm vs 146x107mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the SL2-S).
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2020).

Arguments in favor of the Leica SL2-S:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• 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 (0.78x vs 0.52x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 11 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (510 versus 420) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (10 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SL2-S is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 Fujifilm X100V and the Leica SL2-S place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact 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 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 X100V or the SL2-S 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 expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], 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	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399
2.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	Dec 2020	4,895
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	1,299
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	1,799
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	1,499
6.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	1,699
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	1,599
9.		Fujifilm X100T	5/5	+	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	1,299
10.		Fujifilm X-T1	5/5	+ +	84/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	1,299
11.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999
12.		Leica SL	4/5	..	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450
13.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	2,499
14.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699
15.		Panasonic S1H	..	..	90/100	..	..	May 2019	3,999
16.		Samsung NX1	5/5	..	87/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	1,499
17.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Specifications: Fujifilm X100V vs Leica SL2-S

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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