Sigma fp L vs Zeiss ZX1

The Sigma fp L and the Zeiss ZX1 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2021 and September 2018. The fp L is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the ZX1 is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Sigma has a resolution of 60.2 megapixels, whereas the Zeiss provides 37.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sigma fp L		Zeiss ZX1
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Leica L mount lenses		35mm f/2.8
60.2 MP – Full Frame sensor		37.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (6 - 102,400)		ISO 80-51,200
Viewfinder optional		Electronic viewfinder (6221k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		4.3" LCD – 2765k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
240 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
113 x 70 x 45 mm, 427 g		142 x 93 x 46 mm, 800 g

Check fp L price at
amazon.com
Check ZX1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sigma fp L and the Zeiss ZX1? 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 Sigma fp L and the Zeiss ZX1. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear 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 Zeiss ZX1 is considerably larger (67 percent) than the Sigma fp L. It is worth mentioning in this context that the fp L is splash and dust resistant, while the ZX1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the ZX1 has a lens built in, whereas the fp L 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 fp L gets 240 shots out of its Sigma BP-51 battery, while the ZX1 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Zeiss DD-PS1A power pack. The power pack in the fp L can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along 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.		Sigma fp L	113 mm	70 mm	45 mm	427 g	240	Y	Mar 2021	2,499	amazon.com
2.		Zeiss ZX1	142 mm	93 mm	46 mm	800 g	250	n	Sep 2018	5,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
5.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
6.		Leica M10-R	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
7.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
9.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
11.		Nikon D780	144 mm	116 mm	76 mm	840 g	2260	Y	Jan 2020	2,299	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
13.		Sigma fp	113 mm	70 mm	45 mm	422 g	280	Y	Jul 2019	1,899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7C R	124 mm	71 mm	63 mm	520 g	520	Y	Aug 2023	2,999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7S	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	489 g	380	Y	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	3,299	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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the fp L uses a more advanced image processing engine (..) than the ZX1 (..), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the fp L offers a higher resolution of 60.2 megapixels, compared with 37.4 MP of the ZX1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 27 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the fp L has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 4.81μm for the ZX1). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the fp L is much more recent (by 2 years and 5 months) than the ZX1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Sigma fp L implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the fp L for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 47.6 x 31.6 inches or 120.9 x 80.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 38.1 x 25.3 inches or 96.7 x 64.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 31.7 x 21.1 inches or 80.6 x 53.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Zeiss ZX1 are 37.4 x 25 inches or 95.1 x 63.4 cm for good quality, 30 x 20 inches or 76.1 x 50.7 cm for very good quality, and 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sigma fp L has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 6-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Zeiss ZX1 are ISO 80 to ISO 51200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the fp L is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the ZX1 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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.		Sigma fp L	Full Frame	60.2	9520	6328	4K/30p	25.3	14.4	3001	96
2.		Zeiss ZX1	Full Frame	37.4	7488	4992	4K/30p	25.2	14.1	2759	94
3.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
4.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
5.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
6.		Leica M10-R	Full Frame	40.9	7864	5200	none	25.3	14.3	2924	95
7.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
9.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
10.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
11.		Nikon D780	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2877	95
12.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
13.		Sigma fp	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.2	14.2	2829	94
14.		Sony A7C R	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3227	96
15.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
16.		Sony A7S	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	3702	87
17.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
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, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the ZX1 has an electronic viewfinder (6221k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the fp L relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the fp L can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-11. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sigma fp L, the Zeiss ZX1, 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.		Sigma fp L	optional	n	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
2.		Zeiss ZX1	6221	n	4.3 / 2765	fixed	Y	1/1000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica M10-R	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
7.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D780	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
12.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sigma fp	optional	n	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony A7C R	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
16.		Sony A7S	2400	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 Sigma fp L 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 fp L writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the ZX1 uses an internal SSD.

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 Sigma fp L and Zeiss ZX1 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.		Sigma fp L	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	-
2.		Zeiss ZX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.1	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
6.		Leica M10-R	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
7.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon D780	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sigma fp	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	-	-	-
14.		Sony A7C R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A7S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the fp L has a microphone port, which is missing on the ZX1. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The fp L is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sigma. In contrast, the ZX1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the ZX1 from Zeiss. Further information on the features and operation of the fp L and ZX1 can be found, respectively, in the Sigma fp L Manual (free pdf) or the online Zeiss ZX1 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sigma fp L or the Zeiss ZX1 – 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 Sigma fp L:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (60.2 vs 37.4MP) with a 27% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (.. vs ..).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/1000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (113x70mm vs 142x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 5 months of technical progress since the ZX1 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Zeiss ZX1:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (4.3" vs 3.2") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2765k vs 2100k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the fp L necessitates an extra lens.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More prestigious: Has the Zeiss luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2018).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the fp L is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 8 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 Sigma fp L and the Zeiss ZX1 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 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 fp L and the ZX1 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.		Sigma fp L	4/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2021	2,499	amazon.com
2.		Zeiss ZX1	3/5	..	..	83/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2018	5,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
5.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
6.		Leica M10-R	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	..	4/5	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
7.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	4,249	ebay.com
9.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	6,499	amazon.com
11.		Nikon D780	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	2,299	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
13.		Sigma fp	4/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2019	1,899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7C R	4/5	..	4/5	88/100	..	4/5	Aug 2023	2,999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7S	4/5	..	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	2,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	3,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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.

Check fp L price at
amazon.com
Check ZX1 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.

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