Sony RX100 IV vs Leica C-LUX

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV and the Leica C-LUX are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2015 and June 2018. Both the RX100 IV and the C-LUX are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony RX100 IV		Leica C-LUX
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-70mm f/1.8-2.8		24-360mm f/3.3-6.4
20 MP – 1" sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)		ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2330k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1228k dots		3.0" LCD – 1240k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed touchscreen
16 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
280 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
102 x 58 x 41 mm, 298 g		113 x 67 x 46 mm, 340 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV and the Leica C-LUX? 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 RX100 IV and the Leica C-LUX. 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The C-LUX can be obtained in two different colors (gold, blue), while the RX100 IV 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 Leica C-LUX is notably larger (28 percent) than the Sony RX100 IV. Moreover, the C-LUX is markedly heavier (14 percent) than the RX100 IV. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the RX100 IV nor the C-LUX are weather-sealed.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
2.		Leica C-LUX	113 mm	67 mm	46 mm	340 g	370	n	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
6.		Leica D-LUX 7	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 5	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	812 g	350	n	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
8.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FZ2500	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
10.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 VII	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	302 g	260	n	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony ZV-1 II	106 mm	60 mm	47 mm	292 g	290	n	May 2023	899	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The RX100 IV was somewhat cheaper (by 5 percent) than the C-LUX at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an one-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the RX100 IV and the C-LUX have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the C-LUX is much more recent (by 3 years) than the RX100 IV, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-25600. The Leica C-LUX offers exactly the same ISO settings.

In terms of underlying technology, the RX100 IV is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the C-LUX 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
2.		Leica C-LUX	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	481	64
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
6.		Leica D-LUX 7	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.9	12.8	1002	72
7.		Leica V-LUX 5	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	584	65
8.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
9.		Panasonic FZ2500	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
10.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
11.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
12.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
13.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
14.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
15.		Sony ZV-1 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.3	12.9	965	67
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, 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. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the RX100 IV offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the C-LUX (2359k vs 2330k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony RX100 IV and Leica C-LUX in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Leica C-LUX	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Leica D-LUX 7	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
7.		Leica V-LUX 5	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic FZ2500	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 VII	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	Y	1/2000s	90.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony ZV-1 II	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 differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The C-LUX has a touchscreen, while the RX100 IV has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 Leica C-LUX 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.

Both the RX100 IV and the C-LUX have zoom lenses built in. The RX100 IV has a 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 optic and the C-LUX offers a 24-360mm f/3.3-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Sony and Leica provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Leica has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX100 IV offers the faster maximum aperture.

The RX100 IV writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the C-LUX uses SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV and Leica C-LUX 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 RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Leica C-LUX	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Leica D-LUX 7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica V-LUX 5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Panasonic FZ2500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 VII	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony ZV-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

Both the RX100 IV and the C-LUX have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX100 IV was replaced by the Sony RX100 IV, while the C-LUX does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the RX100 IV and C-LUX can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX100 IV Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica C-LUX Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony RX100 IV or the Leica C-LUX – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.53x).
• 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.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (16 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/3.3).
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 113x67mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 42g or 12 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2015).

Reasons to prefer the Leica C-LUX:

• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (370 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years of technical progress since the RX100 IV launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the RX100 IV emerges as the winner of the contest (9 : 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 RX100 IV and the Leica C-LUX place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom 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 RX100 IV or the C-LUX perform in practice. 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 table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
2.		Leica C-LUX	..	..	3.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2018	1,049	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
6.		Leica D-LUX 7	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Nov 2018	1,195	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 5	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
8.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FZ2500	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
10.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 VII	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	5/5	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony ZV-1 II	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	83/100	3.5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	899	amazon.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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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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