Zeiss ZX1 vs Leica SL

The Zeiss ZX1 and the Leica SL (Typ 601) are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2018 and October 2015. The ZX1 is a fixed lens compact, while the Leica SL is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Zeiss has a resolution of 37.4 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Zeiss ZX1		Leica SL
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
35mm f/2.8		Leica L mount lenses
37.4 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-51,200		ISO 50-50,000
Electronic viewfinder (6221k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (4400k dots)
4.3" LCD – 2765k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
250 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
142 x 93 x 46 mm, 800 g		147 x 104 x 39 mm, 847 g

Check ZX1 offers at
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Check Leica SL offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Zeiss ZX1 and the Leica SL (Typ 601)? 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 Zeiss ZX1 and the Leica SL is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 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 SL is notably larger (16 percent) than the Zeiss ZX1. It is noteworthy in this context that the Leica SL is splash and dust-proof, 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 Leica SL 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 ZX1 gets 250 shots out of its Zeiss DD-PS1A battery, while the Leica SL can take 400 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL4 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.		Zeiss ZX1	142 mm	93 mm	46 mm	800 g	250	n	Sep 2018	5,999	ebay.com
2.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
3.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
4.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
6.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.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.		Leica Q3	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	743 g	350	Y	May 2023	5,995	amazon.com
11.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
13.		Leica V-LUX 5	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	812 g	350	n	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
14.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	810 g	350	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The ZX1 was launched at a lower price than the Leica SL, despite having a lens built in. 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 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the ZX1 offers a higher resolution of 37.4 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Leica SL. This megapixels advantage translates into a 25 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the ZX1 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.81μm versus 6.00μm for the Leica SL). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the ZX1 is much more recent (by 2 years and 11 months) than the Leica SL, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Leica SL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Zeiss ZX1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the ZX1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 37.4 x 25 inches or 95.1 x 63.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 30 x 20 inches or 76.1 x 50.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica SL are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Zeiss ZX1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica SL (Typ 601) are ISO 50 to ISO 50000 (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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 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.		Zeiss ZX1	Full Frame	37.4	7488	4992	4K/30p	25.2	14.1	2759	94
2.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
4.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
6.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
7.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
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.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
11.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
12.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
13.		Leica V-LUX 5	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	584	65
14.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
15.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
16.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	546	65
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 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 range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the ZX1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the Leica SL (6221k vs 4400k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Zeiss ZX1, the Leica SL, 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.		Zeiss ZX1	6221	n	4.3 / 2765	fixed	Y	1/1000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
4.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/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.		Leica Q3	5760	n	3.0 / 1840	tilting	Y	1/2000s	15.0/s	n	Y
11.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
13.		Leica V-LUX 5	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
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.

One feature that is present on the Leica SL, but is missing on the ZX1 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 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 SL 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 ZX1 writes its imaging data to an internal SSD, while the Leica SL uses SDXC 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 Zeiss ZX1 and Leica SL (Typ 601) 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.		Zeiss ZX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.1	Y	Y	Y
2.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
7.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica Q3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Leica V-LUX 5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Leica SL has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The ZX1 does not feature such a mic input.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica SL (unlike the ZX1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the Leica SL has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the ZX1 and the Leica SL have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Leica SL was replaced by the Leica SL2, while the ZX1 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the ZX1 and Leica SL can be found, respectively, in the Zeiss ZX1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica SL Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Zeiss ZX1 better than the Leica SL or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Zeiss ZX1:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (37.4 vs 24MP) with a 25% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (6221k vs 4400k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (4.3" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2765k vs 1040k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the Leica SL requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (142x93mm vs 147x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the Leica SL).
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the Leica SL launch.

Arguments in favor of the Leica SL (Typ 601):

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• 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.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.74x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/1000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (400 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2015).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Leica SL emerges as the winner of the match-up (15 : 12 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 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 Zeiss ZX1 and the Leica SL place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the ZX1 or the Leica SL 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 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.		Zeiss ZX1	3/5	..	..	83/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2018	5,999	ebay.com
2.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
3.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
4.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
5.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
6.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.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.		Leica Q3	5/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	May 2023	5,995	amazon.com
11.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
13.		Leica V-LUX 5	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2019	1,249	amazon.com
14.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	..	..	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	amazon.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 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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