Leica T vs Sony RX0 II

The Leica T (Typ 701) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2014 and March 2019. The T Typ 701 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX0 II is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (T Typ 701) and an one-inch (RX0 II) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 16.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 15.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica T		Sony RX0 II
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Leica T mount lenses		24mm f/4.0
16.2 MP – APS-C sensor		15.4 MP – 1" sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,500		ISO 80-12,800
Viewfinder optional		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.7" LCD – 1230k dots		1.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5 shutter flaps per second		5.5 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Waterproof body (10m)
400 shots per battery charge		240 shots per battery charge
134 x 69 x 33 mm, 384 g		59 x 41 x 35 mm, 132 g

Check T Typ 701 offers at
ebay.com
Check RX0 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica T (Typ 701) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II? 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 T and the Sony RX0 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The T Typ 701 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the RX0 II 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 Sony RX0 II is considerably smaller (74 percent) than the Leica T. It is noteworthy in this context that the RX0 II is splash and dust-proof, while the T Typ 701 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the RX0 II is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX0 II has a lens built in, whereas the T Typ 701 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 T Typ 701 gets 400 shots out of its Leica BP-DC13 battery, while the RX0 II can take 240 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BJ1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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 T	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Apr 2014	1,850	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
3.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	799	ebay.com
6.		Leica CL	131 mm	78 mm	45 mm	403 g	220	n	Nov 2017	2,795	ebay.com
7.		Leica TL	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	384 g	400	n	Nov 2016	1,695	ebay.com
8.		Leica TL2	134 mm	69 mm	33 mm	399 g	250	n	Jul 2017	1,950	ebay.com
9.		Leica X2	124 mm	69 mm	52 mm	345 g	450	n	May 2012	1,995	ebay.com
10.		Leica X Vario	133 mm	73 mm	95 mm	680 g	450	n	Jun 2013	2,850	ebay.com
11.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	799	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 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 RX0 II was launched at a lower price than the T Typ 701, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica T features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX0 II an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX0 II is 69 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 16.2MP, the T Typ 701 offers a slightly higher resolution than the RX0 II (15.4MP), but the T Typ 701 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.79μm versus 2.74μm for the RX0 II) due to its larger sensor. However, the RX0 II is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 11 months) than the T Typ 701, 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 the T Typ 701 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Leica T (Typ 701) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12500. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II are ISO 80 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

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.

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 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 T	APS-C	16.2	4944	3278	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	1082	75
2.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
3.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1515	79
5.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
6.		Leica CL	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1788	82
7.		Leica TL	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1690	81
8.		Leica TL2	APS-C	24.1	6014	4014	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1753	82
9.		Leica X2	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	none	23.2	12.4	1275	74
10.		Leica X Vario	APS-C	16.1	4928	3272	1080/30p	23.4	12.7	1320	78
11.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
12.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
13.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
14.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
15.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
16.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
17.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX0 II provides a better video resolution than the T Typ 701. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Leica is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The T Typ 701 and the RX0 II are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the T Typ 701 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the Visoflex (Typ 020). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica T, the Sony RX0 II, 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 T	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Leica CL	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica TL	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Leica TL2	optional	n	3.7 / 1230	fixed	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica X2	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Leica X Vario	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
14.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
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 T Typ 701 has one, while the RX0 II does not. While the built-in flash of the T Typ 701 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the RX0 II only has electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The T Typ 701 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX0 II uses micro SDXC or Memory Stick Micro cards. The RX0 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T Typ 701 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 T (Typ 701) and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II 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 T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Leica CL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
7.		Leica TL	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica TL2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
9.		Leica X2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica X Vario	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the T Typ 701 has a hotshoe, while the RX0 II does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The RX0 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the T Typ 701 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the T Typ 701 was succeeded by the Leica TL. Further information on the features and operation of the T Typ 701 and RX0 II can be found, respectively, in the Leica T Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX0 II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica T and the Sony RX0 II? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Leica T (Typ 701):

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.7" vs 1.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 230k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (400 versus 240) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2014).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the T Typ 701 necessitates an extra lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (59x41mm vs 134x69mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the T Typ 701).
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 11 months of technical progress since the T Typ 701 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX0 II is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 11 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Leica T and the Sony RX0 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the T Typ 701 or the RX0 II perform in practice. 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 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 T	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2014	1,850	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
3.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	799	ebay.com
6.		Leica CL	..	..	4.2/5	..	..	4/5	Nov 2017	2,795	ebay.com
7.		Leica TL	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Nov 2016	1,695	ebay.com
8.		Leica TL2	3.5/5	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2017	1,950	ebay.com
9.		Leica X2	3/5	..	..	..	3/5	4/5	May 2012	1,995	ebay.com
10.		Leica X Vario	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jun 2013	2,850	ebay.com
11.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

Check T Typ 701 offers at
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Check RX0 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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