Leica CL vs Sony S980

The following is a in-depth overview of the Leica CL and Sony S980, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Leica and Sony. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the CL (24MP) and S980 (12MP) and the CL (APS-C) and S980 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizes.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The CL was introduced 8 years after the S980 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Leica CL being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the CL matches up versus the S980 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Leica CL and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are provided at Leica CL Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Leica CL enjoys outside dimensions of 131mm x 78mm x 45mm (5.2" x 3.1" x 1.8") with a weight of 403 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check the Leica CL and Sony S980 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the CL vs the S980.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the CL and S980 is 82 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions merely by looking at technical specs. The image underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the CL and S980.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The CL with its larger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Leica CL will give you more detail using its extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images more aggressively. The younger CL is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.