Leica D-LUX Typ 109 vs Nikon D90

The Leica D-LUX (Typ 109) and the Nikon D90 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2014 and August 2008. The D-LUX Typ 109 is a fixed lens compact, while the D90 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (D-LUX Typ 109) and an APS-C (D90) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 12.7 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 12.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica D-LUX Typ 109		Nikon D90
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-75mm f/1.7-2.8		Nikon F mount lenses
12.7 MP – Four Thirds sensor		12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		720/24p Video
ISO 200-12,500 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 200-3,200 (200 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2764k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
11 shutter flaps per second		4.5 shutter flaps per second
300 shots per battery charge		850 shots per battery charge
118 x 66 x 55 mm, 405 g		132 x 103 x 77 mm, 703 g

Check D-LUX Typ 109 offers at
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Check D90 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica D-LUX (Typ 109) and the Nikon D90? 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 Leica D-LUX Typ 109 and the Nikon D90 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D-LUX Typ 109 can be obtained in two different colors (black, grey), while the D90 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 D90 is considerably larger (75 percent) than the Leica D-LUX Typ 109. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D-LUX Typ 109 nor the D90 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the D-LUX Typ 109 has a lens built in, whereas the D90 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 D90 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D-LUX Typ 109 gets 300 shots out of its Leica BP-DC15 battery, while the D90 can take 850 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL3e power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 D-LUX Typ 109	118 mm	66 mm	55 mm	405 g	300	n	Sep 2014	1,195	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X100S	127 mm	74 mm	54 mm	445 g	330	n	Jan 2013	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X100T	127 mm	74 mm	52 mm	440 g	330	n	Sep 2014	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Leica D-LUX 6	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Sep 2012	699	ebay.com
10.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
11.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	830 g	360	n	Sep 2014	1,349	ebay.com
12.		Leica X Typ 113	133 mm	73 mm	78 mm	486 g	350	n	Sep 2014	2,295	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic LX100	115 mm	66 mm	55 mm	393 g	300	n	Sep 2014	899	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 price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 D-LUX Typ 109 was launched at a lower price than the D90, 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.

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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 Leica D-LUX Typ 109 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Nikon D90 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D90 is 102 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the D-LUX Typ 109 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the D90 offers a 3:2 aspect. The D-LUX Typ 109 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 Leica D-LUX Typ 109 offers a higher resolution of 12.7 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the Nikon D90. 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 3.82μm versus 5.53μm for the D90). However, it should be noted that the D-LUX Typ 109 is much more recent (by 6 years) than the D90, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The Leica D-LUX (Typ 109) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12500, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D90 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-6400.

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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 D-LUX Typ 109	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.4	12.1	607	67
2.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
3.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
4.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
5.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
6.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
7.		Fujifilm X100S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.3	12.5	1329	75
8.		Fujifilm X100T	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.6	12.8	1483	78
9.		Leica D-LUX 6	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	19.8	10.8	-303	43
10.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
11.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.6	11.7	127	60
12.		Leica X Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1491	78
13.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
14.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
15.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
16.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
17.		Panasonic LX100	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.3	12.5	553	67
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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 D-LUX Typ 109 provides a higher video resolution than the D90. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 720/24p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D-LUX Typ 109 has an electronic viewfinder (2764k dots), while the D90 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 Typ 109 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D90 (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the D-LUX Typ 109 has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.63x), 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 D-LUX Typ 109 and Nikon D90 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 D-LUX Typ 109	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
2.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Fujifilm X100S	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X100T	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Leica D-LUX 6	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
11.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Leica X Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic LX100	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the D90, but is missing on the D-LUX Typ 109 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 Typ 109 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 Typ 109 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 D-LUX Typ 109 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D90 uses SDHC cards. The D-LUX Typ 109 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D90 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Leica D-LUX (Typ 109) and Nikon D90 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 D-LUX Typ 109	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X100S	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X100T	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Leica D-LUX 6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Leica X Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic LX100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the D-LUX Typ 109 offers wifi support, while the D90 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the D-LUX Typ 109 and the D90 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D90 was replaced by the Nikon D7000, while the D-LUX Typ 109 was followed by the Leica D-LUX 7. Further information on the features and operation of the D-LUX Typ 109 and D90 can be found, respectively, in the Leica D-LUX Typ 109 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D90 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Leica D-LUX Typ 109 better than the Nikon D90 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Leica D-LUX (Typ 109):

• Flexible image proportions: Has a multi-aspect sensor that allows for alternative image shapes.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/24p).
• 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 96%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.63x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 4.5 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 a built-in lens, while the D90 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (118x66mm vs 132x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the D90).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• 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 modern: Reflects 6 years of technical progress since the D90 launch.

Advantages of the Nikon D90:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (850 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2008).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D-LUX Typ 109 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 6 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 D-LUX Typ 109 and the Nikon D90 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D-LUX Typ 109 or the D90. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts 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 D-LUX Typ 109	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,195	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X100S	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X100T	5/5	+	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Leica D-LUX 6	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2012	699	ebay.com
10.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
11.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Sep 2014	1,349	ebay.com
12.		Leica X Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2014	2,295	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic LX100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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