Leica V-LUX 4 vs Nikon D5000

The Leica V-LUX 4 and the Nikon D5000 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2012 and April 2009. The V-LUX 4 is a fixed lens compact, while the D5000 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (V-LUX 4) and an APS-C (D5000) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 12.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica V-LUX 4		Nikon D5000
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
25-600mm f/2.8		Nikon F mount lenses
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		720/24p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)		ISO 200-3,200 (200 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (1312k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
12 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
540 shots per battery charge		510 shots per battery charge
125 x 87 x 110 mm, 588 g		127 x 104 x 80 mm, 590 g

Check V-LUX 4 offers at
ebay.com
Check D5000 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica V-LUX 4 and the Nikon D5000? 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 V-LUX 4 and the Nikon D5000 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 dimensions 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 D5000 is notably larger (21 percent) than the Leica V-LUX 4. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the V-LUX 4 nor the D5000 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the V-LUX 4 has a lens built in, whereas the D5000 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 D5000 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the V-LUX 4 gets 540 shots out of its Leica BP-DC12 battery, while the D5000 can take 510 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL9a power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 V-LUX 4	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Sep 2012	949	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Vario	133 mm	73 mm	95 mm	680 g	450	n	Jun 2013	2,850	ebay.com
8.		Leica D-LUX 6	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Sep 2012	699	ebay.com
9.		Leica V-LUX 3	124 mm	81 mm	95 mm	540 g	410	n	Dec 2011	949	ebay.com
10.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	599	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	499	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. 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 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica V-LUX 4 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon D5000 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D5000 is 1232 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the V-LUX 4 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the D5000 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 12.2MP, the D5000 offers a higher resolution than the V-LUX 4 (12MP), but the D5000 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.53μm versus 1.53μm for the V-LUX 4) due to its larger sensor. However, the V-LUX 4 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 5 months) than the D5000, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the V-LUX 4 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Leica V-LUX 4 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D5000 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the V-LUX 4 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the D5000 uses a 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 V-LUX 4	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.8	11.1	501	43
2.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
4.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
5.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
6.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
7.		Leica X Vario	APS-C	16.1	4928	3272	1080/30p	23.4	12.7	1320	78
8.		Leica D-LUX 6	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	19.8	10.8	-303	43
9.		Leica V-LUX 3	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.7	11.0	430	42
10.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
11.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
12.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
13.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
14.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
15.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
16.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
17.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the V-LUX 4 provides a higher video resolution than the D5000. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 720/24p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the V-LUX 4 has an electronic viewfinder (1312k dots), while the D5000 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 viewfinder in the V-LUX 4 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D5000 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the D5000 has a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Leica V-LUX 4, the Nikon D5000, 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 V-LUX 4	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica X Vario	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Leica D-LUX 6	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Leica V-LUX 3	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon D5000 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 V-LUX 4 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D5000 uses SDHC cards. The V-LUX 4 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D5000 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 V-LUX 4 and Nikon D5000 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 V-LUX 4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica X Vario	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Leica D-LUX 6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica V-LUX 3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the V-LUX 4 has a microphone port, which is missing on the D5000. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the V-LUX 4 and the D5000 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D5000 was replaced by the Nikon D5100, while the V-LUX 4 was followed by the Leica V-LUX Typ 114. Further information on the features and operation of the V-LUX 4 and D5000 can be found, respectively, in the Leica V-LUX 4 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D5000 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica V-LUX 4 and the Nikon D5000? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Leica V-LUX 4:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60p vs 720/24p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the D5000 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (125x87mm vs 127x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• 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 3 years and 5 months of technical progress since the D5000 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D5000:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• 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.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.46x).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in April 2009).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the V-LUX 4 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 10 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 V-LUX 4 and the Nikon D5000 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, 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 shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the V-LUX 4 or the D5000. 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 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 V-LUX 4	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	949	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Vario	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jun 2013	2,850	ebay.com
8.		Leica D-LUX 6	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2012	699	ebay.com
9.		Leica V-LUX 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Dec 2011	949	ebay.com
10.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	599	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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 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.

Check V-LUX 4 offers at
ebay.com
Check D5000 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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.

~

Check V-LUX 4 offers at
ebay.com
Check D5000 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.