Leica C-LUX vs Nikon D6

The Leica C-LUX and the Nikon D6 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2018 and February 2020. The C-LUX is a fixed lens compact, while the D6 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on an one-inch (C-LUX) and a full frame (D6) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica C-LUX		Nikon D6
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-360mm f/3.3-6.4		Nikon F mount lenses
20 MP – 1" sensor		20.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)		ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 3,280,000)
Electronic viewfinder (2330k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1240k dots		3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		3580 shots per battery charge
113 x 67 x 46 mm, 340 g		160 x 163 x 92 mm, 1270 g

Check C-LUX offers at
ebay.com
Check D6 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica C-LUX and the Nikon D6? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Leica C-LUX and the Nikon D6. 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 width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The C-LUX can be obtained in two different colors (gold, blue), while the D6 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 Nikon D6 is considerably larger (244 percent) than the Leica C-LUX. It is noteworthy in this context that the D6 is splash and dust-proof, while the C-LUX does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the C-LUX has a lens built in, whereas the D6 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 D6 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

As can be seen in the images above, the D6 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. The power pack in the C-LUX can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
5.		Leica V-LUX 5	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	812 g	350	n	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
6.		Nikon D3X	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1260 g	4400	Y	Dec 2008	7,999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D4	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1340 g	2600	Y	Jan 2012	5,999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D4S	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1350 g	3020	Y	Feb 2014	6,499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D780	144 mm	116 mm	76 mm	840 g	2260	Y	Jan 2020	2,299	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	810 g	350	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VII	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	302 g	260	n	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.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 C-LUX was launched at a lower price than the D6, despite having a lens built in. 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 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica C-LUX features an one-inch sensor and the Nikon D6 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D6 is 640 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 20.7MP, the D6 offers a higher resolution than the C-LUX (20MP), but the D6 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.44μm versus 2.41μm for the C-LUX) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the D6 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 7 months) than the C-LUX, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Leica C-LUX has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D6 are ISO 100 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-3280000.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
2.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
5.		Leica V-LUX 5	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	584	65
6.		Nikon D3X	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	24.7	13.7	1992	88
7.		Nikon D4	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/30p	24.7	13.1	2965	89
8.		Nikon D4S	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/60p	24.4	13.3	3074	89
9.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
10.		Nikon D780	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2877	95
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	546	65
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
14.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
15.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
16.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
17.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the C-LUX has an electronic viewfinder (2330k dots), while the D6 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the D6 has a higher magnification than the one of the C-LUX (0.72x vs 0.53x), 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 C-LUX and Nikon D6 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 C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica V-LUX 5	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon D3X	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Nikon D4	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
8.		Nikon D4S	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D780	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 VII	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	Y	1/2000s	90.0/s	Y	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 C-LUX has one, while the D6 does not. While the built-in flash of the C-LUX 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 C-LUX 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 C-LUX and the Nikon D6 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.

The C-LUX writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D6 uses CFexpress (type B) or XQD cards. The D6 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the C-LUX only has one slot.

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 C-LUX and Nikon D6 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 C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica V-LUX 5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon D3X	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D4	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D4S	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D780	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 VII	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the D6 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The C-LUX does not feature such a mic input.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D6 (unlike the C-LUX) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The D6 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the C-LUX has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the C-LUX from Leica. Further information on the features and operation of the C-LUX and D6 can be found, respectively, in the Leica C-LUX Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D6 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Leica C-LUX or the Nikon D6 – 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 C-LUX:

• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the D6 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (113x67mm vs 160x163mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the D6).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• 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 June 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D6:

• 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 sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.53x).
• 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 (2359k vs 1240k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (3580 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• 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 modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 7 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D6 is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 11 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 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 Leica C-LUX and the Nikon D6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the C-LUX or the D6 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], 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.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
4.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
5.		Leica V-LUX 5	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
6.		Nikon D3X	..	..	..	86/100	4/5	5/5	Dec 2008	7,999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D4	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	5,999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D4S	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	6,499	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D780	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	2,299	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	..	..	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VII	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	5/5	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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.

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Other camera comparisons

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