Leica M10 Comparison Review

The Leica M10 (Typ 3656) is a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera that was announced in January 2017 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 23.8 megapixel.

Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Leica M10 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Leica M10 alongside a set of comparators. If you want to review a camera pair side-by-side, just select a right-side comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Leica M10 was launched in the US market at a price of $6,595. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Leica M10 features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Leica M10 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

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.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica M10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Expert reviews

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 handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M10. 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. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review scores
Camera							Camera Launch (year)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (amazon)	Used Price (ebay)
	Leica M10	-	-	4/5	-	4.5/5	2017	6,595	latest	check
	Canon 6D Mark II (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	2017	1,999	latest	check
	Canon SL2 (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	78/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2017	549	latest	check
	Leica TL2 (⇒ lft | rgt)	..	..	4/5	..	4/5	2017	1,950	latest	check
	Leica M Typ 262 (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	-	-	-	-	2015	5,195	discont.	check
	Leica Q Typ 116 (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	80/100 Silver	4.5/5	-	4.5/5	2015	4,249	latest	check
	Leica M Typ 240 (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	-	4/5	-	-	2012	6,950	discont.	check
	Leica M9 (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	-	2009	7,999	discont.	check
	Leica M8 (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	HiRec	-	-	-	2006	5,499	discont.	check
	Nikon D7500 (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	86/100 Silver	5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2017	1,299	latest	check
	Nikon D3400 (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2016	499	latest	check

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review of this and another camera, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, kindly get in touch, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.

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