Leica S3 vs Nikon P1000

The Leica S3 and the Nikon Coolpix P1000 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2018 and July 2018. The S3 is a DSLR, while the P1000 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a medium format (S3) and a 1/2.3-inch (P1000) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 64 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica S3		Nikon P1000
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Leica S mount lenses		24-3000mm f/2.8-8.0
64 MP – Medium Format sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/24p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-50,000		ISO 100-6,400
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
160 x 120 x 80 mm, 1260 g		146 x 119 x 181 mm, 1415 g

Check S3 offers at
ebay.com
Check P1000 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica S3 and the Nikon Coolpix P1000? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Leica S3 and the Nikon P1000. 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 measures 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 Nikon P1000 is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Leica S3. It is worth mentioning in this context that the S3 is splash and dust resistant, while the P1000 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the P1000 has a lens built in, whereas the S3 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the S3 gets .. shots out of its Leica BP-PRO1 battery, while the P1000 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL20a power pack. The power pack in the P1000 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	18,995	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
3.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
4.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
5.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
6.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
7.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	22,995	ebay.com
8.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	21,950	ebay.com
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	16,900	ebay.com
10.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	24,490	ebay.com
11.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
12.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
15.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The P1000 was launched at a lower price than the S3, 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 S3 features a medium format sensor and the Nikon P1000 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the P1000 is 98 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 0.8 and 5.6. The sensor in the S3 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the P1000 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 64MP, the S3 offers a higher resolution than the P1000 (15.9MP), but the S3 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.59μm versus 1.33μm for the P1000) due to its larger sensor. It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation. 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 S3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 49 x 32.7 inches or 124.5 x 83 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 39.2 x 26.1 inches or 99.6 x 66.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 32.7 x 21.8 inches or 83 x 55.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon P1000 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica S3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix P1000 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the S3 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the P1000 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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 S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
2.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
3.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
4.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
5.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
6.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
7.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
8.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
10.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
11.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
12.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
13.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
14.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
15.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
17.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
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 P1000 provides a faster frame rate than the S3. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Leica is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the P1000 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the S3 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica S3, the Nikon P1000, and comparable 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 S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
4.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
8.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
10.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
11.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
15.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the S3, but is missing on the P1000 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 Nikon P1000 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 S3 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the P1000 uses SDXC cards. The S3 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the P1000 only has one slot. The S3 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the P1000 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 S3 and Nikon Coolpix P1000 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 S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
5.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
6.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
11.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica S3 (unlike the P1000) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the S3 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The P1000 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the S3 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the S3 from Leica. Further information on the features and operation of the S3 and P1000 can be found, respectively, in the Leica S3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P1000 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Leica S3 or the Nikon P1000 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Leica S3:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (64 vs 15.9MP) with a 104% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix P1000:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4K/24p).
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the S3 requires a separate lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S3 emerges as the winner of the contest (16 : 13 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 S3 and the Nikon P1000 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the S3 and the P1000 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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 S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	18,995	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	999	amazon.com
3.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
4.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
5.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
6.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
7.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	22,995	ebay.com
8.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	21,950	ebay.com
9.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	16,900	ebay.com
10.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	24,490	ebay.com
11.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
12.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	429	ebay.com
13.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
15.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, 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 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.

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Other camera comparisons

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