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.

Is the Leica M10 a good camera? The M10 has a Camera Elo of 2153. This rating puts the M10 among the top 40 percent of all rangefinder cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the M10 ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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.

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	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595
2.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999
3.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	..	Y	Jun 2019	3,999
5.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995
6.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	..	Y	Nov 2015	5,195
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249
8.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	6,950
9.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	..	n	Sep 2009	7,999
10.		Leica M8	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	591 g	..	n	Sep 2006	5,499
11.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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.

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	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133		86
2.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207		88
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135		79
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	..	..	..		..
5.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	..	..	..		..
6.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	..	..	..		..
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221		85
8.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860		84
9.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884		69
10.		Leica M8	APS-H	10.4	3936	2630	none	21.1	11.3	663		59
11.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343		88

It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the M10 does not provide the possibility to capture videos.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the M10 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.73x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Leica M10 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 Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0	1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0	n	n
2.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2	1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0	n	n
3.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0	Y	n
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0	920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	n	n
5.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0	1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0	n	n
6.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0	921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	n	n
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0	1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0	n	Y
8.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0	920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0	n	n
9.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5	230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0	n	n
10.		Leica M8	optical	n	2.5	230	fixed	n	1/8000s	2.0	n	n
11.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2	2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0	n	n

Connection 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 (Typ 3656) 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Leica M10	Y	-	-	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
2.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono	mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono	-	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica M10-P	Y	-	-	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
6.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	-	-	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica M9	Y	-	-	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica M8	Y	-	-	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the M10 offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

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 (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)			Street Price
1.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595
2.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999
3.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	3,999
5.		Leica M10-P	..	..	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995
6.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	5,195
7.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249
8.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950
9.		Leica M9	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999
10.		Leica M8	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2006	5,499
11.		Nikon D5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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.

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