Leica Digilux 3 vs Olympus E-510

The Leica Digilux 3 and the Olympus E-510 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2006 and March 2007. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 7.4 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 10 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica Digilux 3		Olympus E-510
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Four Thirds lenses
7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor		10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 207k dots		2.5" LCD – 215k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
750 shots per battery charge		750 shots per battery charge
146 x 87 x 77 mm, 606 g		136 x 92 x 68 mm, 538 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica Digilux 3 and the Olympus E-510? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Leica Digilux 3 and the Olympus E-510 is provided 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 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 Olympus E-510 is somewhat smaller (1 percent) than the Leica Digilux 3. Moreover, the E-510 is markedly lighter (11 percent) than the Digilux 3. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the Digilux 3 nor the E-510 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 350D	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
6.		Leica M8	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	591 g	..	n	Sep 2006	5,499	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 1	141 mm	86 mm	142 mm	734 g	360	n	Sep 2006	849	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-600	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	535 g	500	n	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-30	142 mm	108 mm	75 mm	701 g	750	n	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	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 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 E-510 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 47 percent) than the Digilux 3, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-510 offers a higher resolution of 10 megapixels, compared with 7.4 MP of the Digilux 3. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-510 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.74μm versus 5.51μm for the Digilux 3). However, it should be noted that the E-510 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the Digilux 3, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-510 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-510 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica Digilux 3 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica Digilux 3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The Olympus E-510 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
2.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
3.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
4.		Canon 350D	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
6.		Leica M8	APS-H	10.4	3936	2630	none	21.1	11.3	663	59
7.		Leica V-LUX 1	1/1.8	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	18.4	9.5	-727	29
8.		Olympus E-600	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.5	10.3	541	55
9.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
10.		Olympus E-30	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.4	530	55
11.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
12.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
13.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
14.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
15.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
16.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
17.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Digilux 3 and the E-510 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the Digilux 3 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-510 (0.47x vs 0.46x), 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 Digilux 3 and Olympus E-510 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 Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 350D	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica M8	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	2.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica V-LUX 1	235	n	2.0 / 207	tilting	n	1/2000s	2.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-600	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-30	optical	Y	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
15.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the E-510 and the Digilux 3 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-510 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the Digilux 3 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The Digilux 3 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the E-510 uses Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. The E-510 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Digilux 3 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 Digilux 3 and Olympus E-510 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 Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 350D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Leica M8	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica V-LUX 1	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-600	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the Digilux 3 and the E-510 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-510 was replaced by the Olympus E-520, while the Digilux 3 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Digilux 3 and E-510 can be found, respectively, in the Leica Digilux 3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-510 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica Digilux 3 and the Olympus E-510? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Leica Digilux 3:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.47x vs 0.46x).
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2006).

Advantages of the Olympus E-510:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (10 vs 7.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 68g or 11 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (47 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-510 emerges as the winner of the match-up (6 : 3 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 Digilux 3 and the Olympus E-510 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Digilux 3 and the E-510 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts 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.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 350D	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
6.		Leica M8	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2006	5,499	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	849	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-600	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-30	..	..	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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 your choice using the following search menu. 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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