Leica M10-R vs Olympus Stylus 1s

The Leica M10-R and the Olympus Stylus 1s are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2020 and April 2015. The M10-R is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera, while the Stylus 1s is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a full frame (M10-R) and a 1/1.7-inch (Stylus 1s) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 40.9 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 11.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica M10-R		Olympus Stylus 1s
Rangefinder camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Leica M mount lenses		28-300mm f/2.8
40.9 MP – Full Frame sensor		11.8 MP – 1/1.7" sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 100-12,800
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
4.5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
210 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
139 x 80 x 39 mm, 660 g		116 x 87 x 57 mm, 402 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica M10-R and the Olympus Stylus 1s? 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 M10-R and the Olympus Stylus 1s 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M10-R can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Stylus 1s 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 Olympus Stylus 1s is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Leica M10-R. It is worth mentioning in this context that the M10-R is splash and dust resistant, while the Stylus 1s does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the Stylus 1s has a lens built in, whereas the M10-R 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 M10-R and their specifications in the Leica M Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the M10-R gets 210 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL5 battery, while the Stylus 1s can take 450 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack.

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 M10-R	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	450	n	Apr 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
7.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
9.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
10.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
11.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
12.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
14.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
15.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
16.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	699	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Stylus 1s was launched at a lower price than the M10-R, 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica M10-R features a full frame sensor and the Olympus Stylus 1s a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The sensor area in the Stylus 1s is 95 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 4.5. The sensor in the M10-R has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the Stylus 1s offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 40.9MP, the M10-R offers a higher resolution than the Stylus 1s (11.8MP), but the M10-R nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.57μm versus 1.91μm for the Stylus 1s) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the M10-R is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 3 months) than the Stylus 1s, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 resolution advantage of the Leica M10-R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M10-R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.3 x 26 inches or 99.9 x 66 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.5 x 20.8 inches or 79.9 x 52.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.2 x 17.3 inches or 66.6 x 44 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus Stylus 1s are 19.8 x 14.9 inches or 50.4 x 37.8 cm for good quality, 15.9 x 11.9 inches or 40.3 x 30.2 cm for very good quality, and 13.2 x 9.9 inches or 33.6 x 25.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica M10-R has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus Stylus 1s are ISO 100 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the M10-R is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Stylus 1s uses a BSI-CMOS imager. 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.		Leica M10-R	Full Frame	40.9	7864	5200	none	25.3	14.3	2924	95
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.2	11.3	-111	47
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
5.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
6.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
7.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
8.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
9.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
10.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
11.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
12.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
13.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
14.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
15.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
16.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
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. The Stylus 1s indeed provides for movie recording, while the M10-R does not. The highest resolution format that the Stylus 1s can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Stylus 1s has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the M10-R 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 M10-R has a higher magnification than the one of the Stylus 1s (0.73x vs 0.58x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Leica M10-R and Olympus Stylus 1s along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 M10-R	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
8.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
13.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
15.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
16.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/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 Stylus 1s has one, while the M10-R does not. While the built-in flash of the Stylus 1s is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Leica M10-R and the Olympus Stylus 1s 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 M10-R and the Stylus 1s write their files to SDXC cards. The M10-R supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the Stylus 1s 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 M10-R and Olympus Stylus 1s 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 M10-R	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
12.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
13.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
15.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

Both the M10-R and the Stylus 1s have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Leica and Olympus. Further information on the features and operation of the M10-R and Stylus 1s can be found, respectively, in the Leica M10-R Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus Stylus 1s Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Leica M10-R better than the Olympus Stylus 1s or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Leica M10-R:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (40.9 vs 11.8MP) with a 90% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging 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.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.73x vs 0.58x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• 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 modern: Reflects 5 years and 3 months of technical progress since the Stylus 1s launch.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus Stylus 1s:

• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the M10-R necessitates an extra lens.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the M10-R).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (450 versus 210) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M10-R emerges as the winner of the contest (13 : 11 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M10-R and the Stylus 1s 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 M10-R	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	..	4/5	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2015	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
7.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
9.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
10.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
11.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
12.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
14.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
15.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
16.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
17.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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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