Sony A850 vs Leica Digilux 3

The Sony Alpha A850 and the Leica Digilux 3 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2009 and September 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (A850) and a Four Thirds (Digilux 3) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24.4 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 7.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony A850		Leica Digilux 3
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Sony A mount lenses		Four Thirds lenses
24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor		7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		2.5" LCD – 207k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
880 shots per battery charge		750 shots per battery charge
156 x 117 x 82 mm, 895 g		146 x 87 x 77 mm, 606 g

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Check Digilux 3 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A850 and the Leica Digilux 3? 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 Sony A850 and the Leica Digilux 3. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size 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 Leica Digilux 3 is considerably smaller (30 percent) than the Sony A850. Moreover, the Digilux 3 is markedly lighter (32 percent) than the A850. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A850 is splash and dust resistant, while the Digilux 3 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
2.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	1,799	amazon.com
13.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
15.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A900	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Sep 2008	2,999	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The Digilux 3 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the A850, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A850 features a full frame sensor and the Leica Digilux 3 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the Digilux 3 is 74 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 2.0. The sensor in the A850 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the Digilux 3 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24.4MP, the A850 offers a higher resolution than the Digilux 3 (7.4MP), but the A850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 5.51μm for the Digilux 3) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A850 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 11 months) than the Digilux 3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A850 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A850 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.2 x 20.2 inches or 76.8 x 51.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 41 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica Digilux 3 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Alpha A850 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica Digilux 3 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
2.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
3.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
4.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
5.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
6.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
7.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
8.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
9.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
10.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
11.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
12.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
13.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
14.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
15.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
16.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
17.		Sony A900	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.7	12.3	1431	79
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The A850 and the Digilux 3 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the A850 offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the Digilux 3 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A850 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.47x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A850 and Leica Digilux 3 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
2.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
7.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A900	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the A850, but is missing on the Digilux 3 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 A850 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the Digilux 3 uses SDXC cards. The A850 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Digilux 3 only has one slot.

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 Sony Alpha A850 and Leica Digilux 3 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.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
12.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A900	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A850 (unlike the Digilux 3) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A850 and the Digilux 3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Sony and Leica. Further information on the features and operation of the A850 and Digilux 3 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A850 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica Digilux 3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Sony A850 better than the Leica Digilux 3 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A850:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24.4 vs 7.4MP) with a 85% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.47x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 207k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (880 versus 750) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• 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.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the Digilux 3 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Leica Digilux 3:

• More compact: Is smaller (146x87mm vs 156x117mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 289g or 32 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2006).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A850 is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 Sony A850 and the Leica Digilux 3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A850 or the Digilux 3. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
2.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	1,799	amazon.com
13.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
15.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A900	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2008	2,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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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