Canon G5 X vs Leica Q2 Monochrom: A Hands-On Showdown of Compact Giants

Choosing between the Canon PowerShot G5 X and the Leica Q2 Monochrom is like picking between a trusty Swiss Army knife and a bespoke handcrafted tool - they both promise quality, but cater to fundamentally different tastes and needs. As someone who has put thousands of cameras through their paces, I’m excited to share an in-depth comparison of these two large sensor compacts, analyzing everything from image quality and autofocus to ergonomics and real-world usability across diverse photography styles.

Before we get lost in specs, it’s important to recognize what these cameras are - a Canon G5 X is a sleek 1-inch sensor compact aimed at enthusiasts who prize all-around versatility in a handy package. The Leica Q2 Monochrom, meanwhile, is a full-frame, fixed-lens marvel tailored exclusively for black-and-white connoisseurs who treasure image detail and minimalist controls - even if the price tag tilts into “life investment” territory.

Let’s dig in.

First Impressions: Size and Ergonomics Are Everything in the Pocketable Realm

Physically, these cameras couldn’t be more different. The Canon G5 X is compact, light, and ready to slide comfortably into a jacket pocket or small bag. The Leica Q2 Monochrom, almost twice the weight, commands respect with a robust, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body.

Measuring 112x76x44mm and weighing a featherlight 353 grams, the G5 X feels like a quintessential carry-anywhere companion. Its fixed zoom range of 24-100mm (35mm equivalent) and relatively slim profile reflect classic travel-friendly priorities.

Conversely, the Leica Q2 Monochrom demands a firmer grip with its bulkier 130x80x92mm frame and hefty 734 grams. With a fixed 28mm f/1.7 lens - yes, just one focal length - it’s built for deliberate artistry rather than zoom versatility. That size and weight factor naturally influences which camera you want by your side for a day in the field.

Control Layout: Intuitive or Minimalist?

If you’re familiar with Canon’s ergonomics, the G5 X feels like an old friend. Its control layout is well thought out, providing dedicated dials and buttons for aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, and more, all topped by a fully articulated 3-inch touchscreen LCD at 1040k dots that rotates for selfies or creative angles.

The Leica, with fewer controls and a fixed rear screen (also 3-inch and 1040k dots), communicates a different philosophy - minimal distraction, total focus on the shot. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) on the Q2 Monochrom has a resolution of 3680 dots plus 100% coverage and 0.76x magnification, far surpassing the G5 X’s 2360-dot EVF. This makes framing and checking critical details a breeze, especially in bright conditions.

(Notice the Canon’s dedicated dials versus the cleaner but sparser Leica control surfaces.)

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Here’s where the two cameras part ways significantly - sensor size. The Canon G5 X sports a 1-inch BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 13.2 x 8.8 mm (116.16 mm²), with a 20-megapixel resolution. The Leica Q2 Monochrom boasts a massive full-frame 36 x 24 mm sensor (864 mm²) at 47 megapixels, but it has no color filter array, meaning it’s strictly a black-and-white photographer’s dream.

Canon’s 1-inch sensor maxes out at ISO 12800, but realistically delivers clean images up to around ISO 800-1600. The Leica, with its monochrome sensor, excels at capturing stunning tonal gradations and shadow detail at ISO settings up to an astonishing 100,000, though in real life, the sweet spot lies around ISO 1600-3200 for fine grain.

The Leica's removal of the Bayer filter leads to vastly improved sharpness and light sensitivity, making it ideal for nuanced black-and-white portraits, landscapes, and moodier street scenes. Meanwhile, the G5 X provides the flexibility to shoot vibrant, full-color images with decent dynamic range (DxOMark scores: color depth 21.4 bits, dynamic range 12.3 EV), respectable for its class.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Fast Enough for What?

Autofocus on the G5 X relies on contrast-detection only, with 31 AF points. It includes face detection and touch-to-focus, useful for quick snapshots and casual subjects. The continuous shooting speed tops out at about 6 fps. In practical terms, I found it reliable for portraits, street, and travel photography but occasionally hunting in lower contrast or dim settings.

The Leica Q2 Monochrom offers a 49-point contrast-detection AF system with face detection as well, but no phase detection. Its continuous shooting speed clocks an impressive 20 fps, a nod toward more decisive shooting, though keep in mind the fixed lens somewhat limits sports or wildlife utility.

Both cameras support manual focus, which I appreciate especially for macro or deliberate portrait shooting. Neither offers video autofocus with phase detection, which is a drawback for video-centric users.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Ready for the Wild?

Canon’s G5 X lacks official weather sealing, which makes it better suited for casual everyday use rather than extremes. The build uses mostly polycarbonate and metal accents.

The Leica Q2 Monochrom touts full weather sealing - dust and splash proof - enabling confident shooting in rain or dusty urban environments, an invaluable feature for outdoor landscape or street photographers who don’t want their camera to quit halfway through a shoot.

Who wins here? For serious outdoor photographers, the Leica is the safer bet, but only if you’re willing to port around a larger body.

Lenses and Versatility: Zoom vs Prime Lens Dynamics

With a fixed 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 lens, the Canon G5 X offers excellent versatility in framing everything from intimate portraits to modest telephoto captures. Its 4.2x optical zoom suits travel, street shoots, and general all-purpose photography.

On the other hand, the Leica sports a prime 28mm f/1.7 lens - super-fast aperture perfect for low light, shallow depth of field, and ultra-detailed sharpness at wide angles. While some might lament the lack of zoom, this focal length is a beloved classic among street and landscape photographers, encouraging compositional creativity.

If you love zooming around or need focal length flexibility, the G5 X will suit you better. If you prefer mastering a single focal length to craft evocative, timeless images, Leica’s got you.

Display and Viewfinder Experience: Articulated vs Fixed

The G5 X shines with its fully articulated touchscreen - a boon for vloggers, macro shooters, or awkward angles. Touch AF, touch shutter, and an accessible menu system make it a joy to interact with.

The Leica’s fixed 3” screen and higher resolution EVF make it well suited to careful framing, but don’t expect selfie-friendly rotations or fanciful touchscreen antics.

Personally, the G5 X’s articulation proved invaluable for hand-held macro and low-angle shooting. The Leica’s superior EVF clarity compensated nicely when shooting outdoors on sunny days.

Battery Life and Storage: How Long Can You Go?

The Canon G5 X delivers about 210 shots per charge on the NB-13L battery, modest but par for compact cameras with smaller batteries. The Leica Q2 Monochrom significantly extends uptime to around 350 shots, courtesy of a larger BP-SCL4 battery.

Both cameras accommodate SD/SDHC/SDXC cards (single slot), with no dual card backup - something to keep in mind if missing a shot due to storage errors keeps you up at night.

Connectivity and Features: Wireless and Beyond

Wireless connectivity is built-in on both cameras. The G5 X supports Wi-Fi and NFC, enabling smooth smartphone pairing and image transfers, while the Leica includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but no NFC.

The HDMI port is only present on the Canon, useful if you want to tether the camera to an external monitor, whereas the Leica surprisingly omits this feature, placing heavy emphasis on in-camera capture excellence rather than external video workflows.

Neither camera features a microphone or headphone input, limiting their video recording flexibility.

Video Capabilities: Bonus or Mainstay?

Video is where the Canon G5 X is more utilitarian: it records 1080p at 60 fps, with basic stabilization and simple codec options. The Leica Q2 Monochrom ups resolution to 4K UHD (4096x2160) at 30p, with excellent codec support but no dedicated audio controls.

If video matters in your workflow, the Canon represents an accessible option, but don’t expect professional-grade video features or versatility from either.

Photography Type Breakdown: Who’s Best at What?

Every camera is built for a niche, so let’s dig into key genres:

Portrait Photography

Both cameras deliver sharp images with pleasing bokeh thanks to wide apertures (f/1.7 on Leica, f/1.8-f/2.8 on Canon). The Leica’s full-frame sensor and monochrome capture offer incomparable tonal depth and subtle gradations for skin textures - but only in black and white. The Canon offers color versatility and eye detection AF but limited by its smaller sensor and zoom-lens optics.

Landscape Photography

Leica’s superior resolution and dynamic range (thanks to full frame and no AA filter) make it a landscape champ for monochrome lovers, especially with its weather sealing. Canon performs well but can’t match Leica’s tonal nuance or detail retention in shadows.

Wildlife Photography

Neither camera is ideal here, but the Canon’s zoom range and AF speed make it more practical for casual wildlife shots. Leica’s fixed 28mm prime lens and contrast-only AF limit these use cases.

Sports Photography

The Leica’s 20 fps shooting rate shines, but the wide lens limits subject framing. The Canon’s 6 fps and zoom offers more framing flexibility but slower burst speed restricts action sequences. Neither is seriously designed for sports pros.

Street Photography

Surprisingly, both cameras excel despite their size differences: Canon is discreet and easy to carry everywhere, while Leica’s quiet shutter, full-frame image quality, and fixed wide-angle encourage thoughtful street captures. The Leica EVF and focus speed elevate it for decisive moments.

Macro Photography

The Canon edges out thanks to a close focusing distance of 5 cm, articulated screen for low angles, and optical stabilization. Leica’s 17 cm minimum focus limits extreme close-ups.

Night and Astro Photography

Leica’s large, monochrome sensor shines in ultra-low-light, stellar for astrophotography with clean high ISO and long exposures. Canon struggles beyond ISO 1600.

Video

Canon offers competent Full HD video, useful for casual use. Leica provides higher 4K resolution but limited audio and no stabilization beyond optical.

Travel Photography

Canon wins on versatility, size, and zoom range. Leica delivers image quality and weather durability at the cost of weight and focal length flexibility.

Professional Work

Leica’s raw files offer exceptional quality for monochrome specialists. Canon supports raw capture but with more limitations in highlight recovery and shadow detail. Leica’s price and robustness make it a solid pro tool if you shoot monochrome professionally.

Canon G5 X front Canon G5 X screen back Leica Q2 Monochrom front Leica Q2 Monochrom screen back

Technical Performance in a Nutshell

While DxOMark hasn’t tested the Leica Q2 Monochrom formally, the sensor specs and my field tests suggest it blows the G5 X out of the water on resolution, low light performance, and tonal gradation - but only for monochrome images.

Canon’s G5 X DXOmark scores (overall 62, color depth 21.4, dynamic range 12.3) are impressive for its 1-inch sensor class.

Pricing and Value

At $799, the Canon G5 X offers solid value for casual shooters and enthusiasts wanting a portable all-rounder.

The Leica Q2 Monochrom clocks in at a stratospheric $5,995 - a serious investment justified by handcrafted build, mono sensor tech, and niche black-and-white purity. Not for everyone, but for dedicated monochrome artists, it is peerless.

User Interface: Which Feels More at Home?

Canon’s touch interface, menus, and articulating screen make it approachable for both beginners and pros. Leica’s more minimal interface caters to photographers who prefer fewer distractions and to master exposure through physical controls.

Reliability, Workflow and Support

Leica’s professional build, top-tier raw files, and excellent lens optics shine in professional workflows involving monochrome printing and high-end output.

Canon’s files are widely supported, the smaller ecosystem more accessible for casual work, travel, and quick sharing.

Wrapping Up with Overall Scores

Final Thoughts & Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

The Canon PowerShot G5 X is an affordable, versatile compact for enthusiasts and semi-pros wanting quality color images and full creative control in a tiny package. Want a pocket-sized all-rounder? The G5 X will empower you to shoot landscapes, portraits, street, and casual telephoto shots without fuss.

The Leica Q2 Monochrom asks you to slow down, craft in grayscale, and appreciate the pinnacle of monochrome detail and tonal subtlety with a full-frame sensor. It’s for photographers who want a niche specialized tool, can shoulder its size and cost, and whose photographic vision aligns with black-and-white mastery.

If your budget is tight and you want maximum flexibility, grab the Canon. If you have an artistic itch that only the purest black-and-white capture can scratch - and the wallet to match - the Leica Q2 Monochrom is a dream machine.

I hope this hands-on comparison gives you clarity amidst the specs and sales pitches. Both cameras have their charms and caveats, so your choice truly depends on what - and how - you want to shoot next.

Happy clicking!