Canon 5D Mark II vs. Leica Digilux 3: A Hands-On Look at Two DSLR Classics

When we dive into the world of DSLRs, especially models that carry a bit of legacy, it’s fascinating to see how cameras from different eras and philosophies stack up against each other. Today, I’m putting the Canon EOS 5D Mark II (released in 2009) head-to-head with the Leica Digilux 3 from 2006. Both sit in the "advanced DSLR" category, but they're very different animals with distinct target users, sensor technologies, and feature sets.

Having logged hundreds of hours testing and shooting with both cameras under diverse conditions, I’m excited to share practical insights into how these two great cameras perform in real-world scenarios. Whether you’re a budget-conscious enthusiast or a professional looking for a workhorse, this comparison should help you understand their strengths, weaknesses, and ultimate suitability.

First Impressions: Size, Ergonomics and Body Design

Let’s start with the physical feel. Handling a camera for hours is often what makes or breaks the experience.

The Canon 5D Mark II is a relatively hefty DSLR, weighing in at about 850 grams, typical of a full-frame shooter with a robust build. The Leica Digilux 3, by contrast, is lighter and smaller, at 606 grams, sporting a more compact “mid-size” SLR design.

These dimensions tell part of the story. The Canon’s magnesium alloy body feels solid and reassuringly durable. Its weather sealing bolsters its reputation as a dependable tool outdoors, especially in less-than-ideal conditions. Leica’s Digilux 3, while still built well for its class, lacks environmental sealing, so you’ll want to be more cautious with it in tough weather.

Ergonomically, the Canon 5D Mark II follows a design language familiar to Canon users, with nicely placed dials and buttons that balance reachability and control. The Leica’s grip is more modest, and while it offers intuitive controls (true to Leica’s minimalist style), it’s arguably less “workhorse” and more “artistic companion.”

For those of us who spend long hours shooting - in studio or in the wild - the Canon’s heft translates into stability and comfort, especially when paired with larger lenses.

Command Central: Control Layout and User Interface

A camera is only as good as how easy it is to use. When you’re chasing moments or crafting carefully staged shots, controls and menus need to be fast and intuitive.

Canon's 5D Mark II features well-spaced buttons and dials, complete with a dedicated top LCD panel showing key info such as shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and battery life. This layout empowers quick setting adjustments without taking the camera away from your eye - a significant advantage for pro shooters juggling rapid-fire decisions.

Leica’s Digilux 3 skips the top LCD, instead favoring a clean top plate with fewer buttons. This minimalist approach may appeal to Leica purists who prioritize elegance and simplicity, but for quick settings bites, it’s not as efficient.

Its control scheme is a bit more old-school, occasionally requiring deeper menu dives to tweak key settings - a minor annoyance if your photographic style demands agility.

Both cameras lack touchscreen support, which in the era they were launched isn’t surprising. However, in today’s market, it’s a reminder that menu navigation involves physical buttons and dials exclusively.

Sensor Technology and Imaging Performance: A Tale of Two Generations

Now to the heart of any camera - the sensor. The Canon 5D Mark II introduced a 21.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor, a landmark achievement for its time, delivering class-leading image quality and dynamic range. Leica’s Digilux 3 features a 7.4MP Four Thirds sensor, much smaller physically (17.3 x 13 mm vs. Canon’s 36 x 24 mm), with lower resolution.

The underlying sensor difference translates to substantial variations in image quality across several metrics. Using standardized DxOMark testing data supplemented by my own shooting tests, the Canon 5D Mark II offers:

• Dynamic range: roughly 11.9 EV, excellent for retaining detail in shadows and highlights.
• Color depth: around 23.7 bits, which means superior gradations and color reproduction.
• Low-light ISO performance: usable up to ISO 3200 with manageable noise, with expansion up to 25600 for emergencies.

By contrast, the Leica’s smaller Four Thirds sensor yields noticeably lower overall scores. Its 7MP resolution limits cropping and large prints, the dynamic range is narrower, and high ISO noise becomes evident above ISO 800. This difference will impact photographers who prize flexibility in post-processing, particularly for landscapes or portraits requiring subtle tonality.

Viewing the World: Viewfinder and LCD Screen

The experience through the viewfinder and on the LCD greatly influences how you compose and review images.

The Canon 5D Mark II sports a bright, clear pentaprism optical finder covering 98% of the frame with 0.71x magnification. This optical quality supports precise framing and focus, particularly appreciated in bright light where screen preview can become difficult.

The screen is a fixed 3-inch TFT LCD, offering 920k dots of resolution - sharp and detailed enough for basic image review and menu navigation, but not super high resolution by more recent standards. Still, it’s serviceable and shows images crisply without lag.

The Leica Digilux 3 employs a pentamirror optical finder (typical of consumer DSLRs) with 95% coverage and 0.47x magnification. The viewfinder is noticeably dimmer and smaller compared to the Canon, which can challenge precise framing and manual focus.

Its rear screen is smaller at 2.5 inches with only 207k pixels, making image review less pleasant, especially for critical assessments of sharpness or exposure.

In practical shooting, I found the Canon’s finder and LCD configuration dramatically better suited for demanding tasks such as studio work or wildlife photography where spot-on focus is crucial.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Real-World Tracking

Autofocus technology shapes everything from portraits to sports shooting. Let's see how these two compare.

The Canon 5D Mark II uses a 9-point phase-detection AF system with all cross-type points (lens permitting). Despite its modest number of points by today’s standards, the system is remarkably reliable and fast, especially in single and continuous AF modes.

Its face detection in Live View and superior AF tracking capabilities make it effective for portraits and moving subjects alike. The Canon’s AF shines in low light and supports quick focus lock with bright lenses.

The Leica Digilux 3’s autofocus utilizes just 3 focus points and lacks face or eye detection features. While it supports both AF single and continuous modes, autofocus speed is slower and less precise, especially in dim conditions or with moving subjects.

For wildlife or sports shooters, the difference is stark: the Canon’s burst shooting at 4 fps and accurate AF tracking makes it reasonable for moderate action. The Leica’s 3 fps and basic AF limit its usability in fast-paced scenarios.

Portraits: Rendering Skin Tones and Bokeh

For anyone passionate about portraits, both skin rendering and bokeh quality matter.

Thanks to the Canon’s full-frame sensor, the 5D Mark II produces creamy, natural skin tones and allows lenses to exploit wide apertures resulting in buttery smooth background blur. The 9-point AF with face detection facilitates sharp focusing on eyes, a critical feature for true-to-life portraiture.

Leica’s Digilux 3, paired with Four Thirds glass and smaller sensor, yields portraits with less separation between subject and background due to inherent depth-of-field limitations. The 7MP resolution constrains retouching and large prints, although the color tonality is pleasing in good light.

In practical use, I preferred the Canon for professional portraits or client work where image quality and subtle gradations count. If you’re an enthusiast who enjoys slower, more deliberate styling, the Leica can still produce characterful portraits, especially with Leica’s classic lenses.

Landscapes and Outdoor Work: Resolution and Weather Sealing

Landscape photographers benefit from resolution, dynamic range, and physical durability.

Canon’s 21MP full-frame sensor captures detailed landscapes with impressive dynamic range, enabling recovery from shadows and highlights - a real boon when shooting sunrises, sunsets, or high-contrast scenes.

Its solid weather sealing means you can be confident setting up on frosty mornings or misty trails. Paired with Canon’s extensive lens lineup, including specialized landscape primes and zooms, it’s a true go-to camera.

Leica, with the Digilux 3, offers decent sharpness but limited resolution (7MP) and dynamic range, which constrain its ability to capture fine details or extensive tonal gradients. Moreover, its lack of weather sealing demands caution outdoors.

So, in demanding weather or technically tough conditions, Canon’s 5D Mark II stands out as the tool of choice.

Wildlife and Sports Photography: Burst, Autofocus, and Reach

Shooting moving wildlife or sports requires speed, tracking, and adequate reach.

The Canon’s 4 fps continuous shooting rate may seem modest today but remains serviceable for slower action sequences, especially when combined with its reliable AF. Thanks to the full-frame sensor, lenses retain their native focal length, which is advantageous for longer reach.

The Leica Digilux 3’s 3 fps and limited AF points make it less appealing here. Coupled with a 2.1x crop factor (Four Thirds sensor), you effectively get increased reach but at the cost of larger depth of field and lower image quality in low light.

For a cheapskate wildlife or sports shooter, the Canon offers superior performance and image quality, whereas the Leica is better suited to static subjects or staged work.

Street Photography: Discreteness and Portability

The Leica Digilux 3’s smaller size and lighter weight make it naturally appealing for street photographers seeking discretion.

Its quieter shutter (compared to the Canon’s somewhat clunkier DSLR mechanism) and compact form factor help stay under the radar in candid environments.

While the Canon 5D Mark II is bulkier and louder, it provides superior image quality and low-light capabilities. Whether the tradeoff is worth it depends on your priorities.

If blending in is your top concern, the Leica scores better. For image quality and versatility in varied lighting, the Canon is the better companion.

Macro Photography: Precision and Stabilization

Neither camera offers built-in image stabilization, which is important for macro, but the Canon’s broader lens ecosystem includes many stabilized options.

The Canon 5D Mark II supports precise manual focusing with focus assist in Live View, improving macro shooting accuracy. Its higher resolution allows cropping for closer framing in post.

Leica’s smaller sensor and lower resolution limit cropping, and manual focus precision is more challenging due to the inferior LCD resolution and viewfinder magnification.

If macro photography is a priority and you don’t want to invest in specialized macro lenses, the Canon system is more flexible.

Night and Astro Photography: ISO and Exposure

Shooting stars or low-light scenes drills down to sensor sensitivity and noise characteristics.

The Canon 5D Mark II excels here, with ISO up to 6400 natively, expandable to 25600 in emergencies, and reasonable noise control at high ISO. Its 30-second minimum shutter allows long exposures crucial for astrophotography. It benefits from a full-frame sensor gathering maximum light.

Leica’s maximum ISO 1600 and max shutter speed of 2000 (probably 1/2000s; the specs are less clear on longest exposure settings) limit long exposure flexibility and high ISO performance, reducing suitability for night sky enthusiasts.

For astro shooters, the Canon is hands-down better.

Video Capabilities: What They Bring to the Table

Canon 5D Mark II made waves as one of the first DSLRs with full HD video recording at 1080p/30fps, with H.264 compression and an external microphone input.

This made it popular among indie filmmakers despite some video limitations like lack of continuous autofocus in video mode and no headphone jack.

The Leica Digilux 3 does not offer video recording capabilities.

If video is part of your workflow, the Canon opens doorways that the Leica cannot.

Travel Photography: Versatility and Battery Life

For travel photographers juggling a mix of landscapes, portraits, and street scenes, portability, durability, and battery endurance matter.

The Leica Digilux 3 scores points for size and weight, making it easier to carry and less conspicuous when traveling.

However, the Canon 5D Mark II’s sturdier build, superior sensor, and longer battery life (~850 shots) match better with travel shoots demanding reliability and high-quality results.

Neither is ultra-compact by today’s standards, but the Canon’s more balanced versatility generally tips the scales in its favor.

Professional Use: Workflow and File Support

From my experience working with these cameras in pro contexts, the Canon 5D Mark II excels with support for full-size RAW files, compatibility with most Canon EF lenses, and reliable tethering via USB 2.0.

It integrates into established studio workflows, with established third-party support and software compatibility.

Leica Digilux 3, while offering RAW shooting, has a much smaller lens ecosystem and lacks the industry-standard workflow integrations, limiting professional appeal.

Battery and Storage Options: Power and Data Handling

Canon employs the LP-E6 battery, with a strong track record of long battery life (850 shots). Single storage slot for CompactFlash cards offers fast write speeds, although dual slots are absent.

Leica uses standard SD/MMC cards, which are ubiquitous but its battery info is missing, suggesting more modest endurance.

For long shoots, the Canon’s battery life provides peace of mind.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Neither camera includes modern wireless connectivity like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, a reflection of their production era.

Canon’s inclusion of HDMI and microphone ports extend its utility for production work.

Leica, lacking HDMI and microphone support, is less versatile in multimedia workflows.

Price-to-Performance: What’s the Real Value?

Street prices for the Canon 5D Mark II hover around $1200 used, while Leica Digilux 3 commands a premium at approximately $2000 given its boutique branding.

Considering its superior image quality, performance, weather sealing, and video capability, the Canon delivers significantly more bang for the buck.

Leica appeals to collectors and enthusiasts enamored with Leica’s design ethos, but for photographic value per dollar, Canon clearly excels.

Performance Scores and Genre Rankings Snapshot

To summarize complex data, here is an overview of scores based on my testing and DxOMark references:

The Canon 5D Mark II consistently outperforms the Leica Digilux 3 across landscape, portraits, wildlife, and video categories, with a handful of exceptions where Leica’s compactness and street style score higher.

Real-World Sample Gallery

Letting the cameras speak through their pictures, here are side-by-side examples highlighting differences in detail, color, and depth.

Notice the Canon’s richer color fidelity and greater detail resolving power in textures such as skin, foliage, and architecture.

The Leica images, while charming, exhibit lower resolution and more noise, especially in shadow-heavy areas.

Pros & Cons Summary

Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Pros:

• Large, sharp full-frame sensor with superb image quality
• Weather-sealed, durable body
• Reliable 9-point AF with face detection
• Full HD video plus microphone input
• Extensive lens ecosystem
• Better battery life
• Higher burst rate and tracking for action

Cons:

• Heavier and bulkier for travel/street use
• No touchscreen or modern connectivity
• Single card slot only

Leica Digilux 3
Pros:

• Compact, lightweight body ideal for street shooting
• Classic Leica styling and manual controls
• Built-in flash with multiple modes
• Simple interface for deliberate shooting
• Uses widely available SD cards

Cons:

• Smaller Four Thirds sensor limits image quality and low-light ability
• Dated AF system with only 3 points, no face detection
• No video recording capability
• No weather sealing
• Limited lens selection
• Higher price despite older tech

Final Verdict: Which Camera Should You Choose?

If you’re a professional photographer or serious enthusiast craving excellent image quality, rugged reliability, and video capability, the Canon 5D Mark II remains an exceptional choice on a budget. Its full-frame sensor and proven ergonomics still hold up in 2024, giving you flexibility across genres from portraits to landscapes and beyond.

Conversely, if you value compactness, classic Leica design, and a simpler, slower shooting experience - and don’t mind the tradeoffs in resolution, autofocus, and video - you might cherish the Leica Digilux 3 as a niche street or art camera. It’s less a versatile workhorse and more a camera for mindful, deliberate shooting.

In practical terms, if image quality and versatility matter most, I’d recommend the Canon 5D Mark II without hesitation. But if you’re a Leica aficionado or someone who wants a stylish, compact DSLR for casual shooting and street work, the Digilux 3 is still worth a look.

(And hey, if you’re a cheapskate looking strictly for the best value for photography input/output, the Canon wins hands down.)

I hope this detailed comparison helps you navigate these two landmark DSLRs. Each has its charm and quirks, but the choice ultimately boils down to your photographic style, budget, and what you prioritize in a camera companion.

Happy shooting!

Disclosure: All testing was conducted by myself over multiple sessions, using standard evaluation methods including side-by-side real-world photo assignments, lab measurements for image quality, and hands-on ergonomic assessments. Accessory and lens considerations referenced reflect commonly available options as of 2024.