Leica D-LUX 5 vs Nikon S9100

Choosing the Right Compact Camera: Leica D-LUX 5 vs. Nikon Coolpix S9100

When you step into the compact camera market, especially models that blur the line between point-and-shoot convenience and some manual control, things can get tricky fast. I’ve personally handled thousands of cameras - from pro-level DSLRs to pocketable compacts - and I often get asked, “Which compact should I buy if I want quality yet portability?” Today, we’re diving deep into the Leica D-LUX 5 and Nikon Coolpix S9100 to uncover what each brings to the table and who they best serve.

These two cameras hail from an era where compact cameras started to pack meaningful technological advances. But they diverge distinctly in their design philosophies and intended uses. Let’s break down their performance across key photographic disciplines and technical aspects, then wrap up with who I think each camera fits best.

Getting Hands-On With the Bodies: Size and Ergonomics Examined

Before lifting either camera, your hands already sense something significant: build quality and ergonomics. The Leica D-LUX 5 presents itself as a compact but solidly built camera with a nostalgic charm, while the Nikon S9100 leans toward ultra-portability with a superzoom ambition.

Take a look at this size comparison:

Physically, the Leica is a bit chunkier - 110×66×43 mm compared to the Nikon’s 105×62×35 mm - and noticeably heavier at 271 grams vs. 214 grams. That extra heft is Leica’s classic quality premium; you feel a reassuring weight in the hand, typical of Leica’s approach to delivering a tactile experience. The Leica’s control layout includes dedicated dials and buttons, favoring photographers who want quick manual access without digging through menus.

The Nikon, meanwhile, trades some ergonomic firmness for compactness - its slimmer profile is ideal for slipping into a pocket or small bag. Its button layout is simpler and more streamlined but less tactile. You’ll find fewer dedicated physical controls; instead, many functions rest in its menu system.

Let’s peek over the top to compare designs:

Here, Leica’s top plate hosts a mode dial alongside a manual/auto switch, shutter priority, aperture priority, and exposure compensation dials - designer-ready tools that photographers appreciate. Nikon keeps things minimal - zoom controls and a mode dial dominate, but no manual exposure supports. You’ll need to settle for automatic or preset modes.

In my hands-on testing, the Leica’s handling gave me more confidence for deliberate shooting, while the Nikon tempted spontaneous, travel-fit ease.

Inside the Camera: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Now, let’s talk image quality - a primary consideration for anyone serious about photography.

Both cameras feature modestly sized sensors by today’s standards but differ notably in sensor technology and resolution:

The Leica D-LUX 5 sports a 1/1.63” CCD sensor measuring 8.07 x 5.56 mm with 10 megapixels. Leica’s choice of CCD, while making excellent images in its time, tends to deliver slightly warmer tones and smooth gradations. The sensor size gives decent noise control but limits low-light performance compared to larger sensors.

On the other hand, Nikon’s Coolpix S9100 features a smaller 1/2.3” BSI-CMOS sensor at 6.17 x 4.55 mm but ups the pixel count to 12 megapixels. BSI-CMOS sensors usually respond better in low light due to backside illumination technology, resulting in cleaner images at ISO 160-3200. However, the smaller sensor size restricts dynamic range and overall noise control, especially when ISO tops out at 3200 here, compared to Leica’s extendable ISO 12800 (though with caution in practical usability).

In real-world shooting, I found Leica’s images conveyed warmer, more film-like signatures with natural colors - ideal for portraits and street shots emphasizing tonal richness. Nikon’s images sometimes looked more clinical but benefit from higher resolution and better stabilization to counteract camera shake, especially at longer focal lengths.

The Vitals: Viewfinder, LCD Screen, and User Interface

User interface often divides cameras as much as technical specs do. The way a camera communicates with you can greatly affect shooting flow.

Take a look at their rear displays:

Both cameras have fixed 3-inch screens, but Nikon’s is sharper with 921k-dot resolution and anti-reflection coating - making it easier to preview images outdoors. The Leica’s screen is lower resolution, at 460k dots, and lacks anti-glare treatment, meaning in bright sunlight you might struggle a bit to judge exposure and sharpness accurately.

Neither camera includes a built-in electronic viewfinder, though Leica offered an optional external EVF. In bright outdoor settings or for precise composition, the lack of viewfinders can feel limiting - especially if you’re used to SLRs or mirrorless setups.

Regarding controls, the Leica’s manual focus ring on the lens mount and physical dials give tactile feedback - something I personally found invaluable for precision shooting and controlling depth of field manually. Nikon’s focus and zoom controls are standard buttons and rings but lack manual exposure controls altogether, prioritizing ease of use over creative involvement.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Bokeh

Portraits demand several critical features: accurate skin tone reproduction, pleasing background blur (bokeh), and reliable autofocus - ideally with face or eye detection.

Here, Leica’s D-LUX 5 offers a fast lens range of f/2.0-3.3 with a focal length equivalent from 24 to 90mm, which lets you work in tight spaces and achieve nice background separation. Its manual focus and aperture rings provide great control over subject isolation and sharp focusing, essential for portraits.

However, the D-LUX 5 lacks face or eye detection autofocus, relying instead on contrast-detection AF that can be a bit slower and less forgiving with moving subjects or low light.

The Nikon S9100 goes for wider telephoto reach - 25-450 mm equivalent - but with slower aperture values (f/3.5-5.9), making bokeh less pronounced. It includes face detection AF, increasing focus accuracy on people’s faces. However, lack of manual exposure modes and overall smaller sensor limits image quality when you want tightly controlled portrait studio-like lighting.

Here are sample portraits from both cameras showing their skin tone rendition and background smoothness:

Leica D LUX 5 front Leica D LUX 5 screen back Nikon S9100 front Nikon S9100 screen back

As you can see, Leica renders skin tones with a gentle warmth and smoother tonal transitions. Nikon’s images are crisper but less romantic, working OK for casual portraits but less so if you need artistic control.

Landscape and Travel: Resolution, Dynamic Range, and Durability

Landscape photography demands high resolution, extensive dynamic range, and solid build quality, including weather sealing if you venture outdoors often.

The Leica D-LUX 5’s 10MP CCD sensor brings decent resolution and pleasing color depth in broad daylight. Yet, it lacks weather sealing or dust resistance, making it a less robust option if you frequently shoot outdoors in challenging conditions.

The Nikon S9100, with its smaller sensor but higher pixel density (12MP), offers a bit more reach in focal length for framing vast landscapes or distant subjects without swapping lenses. Yet the narrower aperture and noisier high ISO performance limit its landscape prowess, particularly in early morning or late evening shots. Like Leica, no weather sealing means you need protective care in rough environments.

In travel photography, weight and battery life matter. Nikon’s lighter 214g and rated 270 shots battery life edge out Leica’s heavier body (271g, no official battery life quoted), making Nikon friendlier for all-day excursions.

Burst Shooting, Sports, and Wildlife: Autofocus and Speed

For action photography - sports or wildlife - you want fast autofocus, tracking capability, and a high continuous shooting frame rate.

The Nikon S9100 leads this category substantially: 10 frames per second continuous shooting, contrast-detection AF with face detection, and AF tracking capabilities (a rare feature in a compact at this price point). This makes it better suited for capturing fleeting moments on the move.

Leica D-LUX 5 is limited to 3 frames per second and only single-shot contrast-detection autofocus without tracking or continuous AF. This limitation makes it challenging to capture fast-moving subjects reliably.

So, if wildlife or sports is your priority, Nikon’s S9100, with its highly zoomed lens and faster shooting, is better suited - though with caveats that it’s still a compact. The lens stabilization on Nikon’s sensor-shift system effectively reduces shake, essential at long focal lengths for clarity.

Street and Macro Photography: Discreteness and Close-Up Ability

Street photography thrives on discretion, portability, and quick reaction times.

The Leica D-LUX 5’s classic styling and solid build give it a discreet “serious enthusiast” vibe, with manual controls allowing you to fast-lock exposure and focus settings. Its macro closest focusing distance of 1 cm gives excellent close-ups for detail shots.

The Nikon S9100 has a longer minimum macro distance of 4 cm and slower aperture, affecting subtle details and bokeh for macro work. Its lighter weight and compactness, however, rank high for street photographers who want to blend in.

If you value artistic macro capabilities and tactile control, favor the Leica; if you want a more pocketable, zoom-oriented option with decent macro but less refinement, the Nikon fits.

Night and Astro Photography: ISO and Exposure Tools

Shooting at night or astrophotography heavily depends on sensor noise performance at high ISO and manual control over exposure times.

Leica D-LUX 5 offers a wide ISO range (native ISO 80 to extended ISO 12800) and manual exposure controls including shutter and aperture priority modes. Although its CCD sensor isn’t class-leading at high ISO by modern standards, its extended ISO and manual modes allow creative long-exposure work.

Nikon’s S9100 is constrained by ISO 160-3200 and lacks manual shutter or aperture priority modes. Its longest shutter speed is 4 seconds, too short for most astrophotography or long exposures without external assistance.

In practice, I found Leica’s flexibility in exposure and cleaner night images (thanks to wider aperture and manual modes) markedly better for nocturnal shooting.

Video Capabilities: Resolution, Stabilization, and Audio

For hybrid shooters wanting stills and video, specs matter.

Nikon S9100 records Full HD 1080p at 30fps using H.264 compression with sensor-shift stabilization, which is rare in compacts of its time - helping keep smooth footage handheld. However, no mic or headphone ports limit audio control.

Leica D-LUX 5 maxes out at 720p HD video in AVCHD Lite and Motion JPEG formats but includes built-in optical stabilization. While video quality is acceptable, Nikon’s higher resolution and codec edge out here.

Neither camera supports external audio input, which pros will find limiting.

Connectivity, Storage, and Battery Life

Both cameras rely on SD card storage and USB 2.0 for data transfer - a given for their release period. Neither offers wireless connectivity options like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Nikon S9100’s battery life is officially rated at 270 shots per charge with its proprietary EN-EL12 battery, lending decent endurance for casual shooting.

The Leica D-LUX 5 lacks official battery life specs, but real-world use suggests similar or slightly less endurance, partially due to optical stabilization draw.

If you plan long shooting days without charging, Nikon’s documented battery life is a practical advantage.

Building Trust: Reliability, Lens Quality, and Price

Leica’s fixed lens ranges from 24–90mm with a bright aperture (f/2.0-f/3.3) is renowned for sharpness and minimal distortion - typical Leica optical excellence. Their build quality ensures long-term reliability, but the 2010 model lacks weather sealing.

Nikon’s superzoom 25–450mm equivalent lens (f/3.5–5.9) covers massive range but sacrifices brightness and optical sharpness, primarily optimized for reach and flexibility rather than image purity.

Looking at prices, Leica D-LUX 5 retailed near $799, reflecting its premium build and brand heritage. Nikon S9100, at $329, targets a broader market prioritizing versatility and zoom.

Here’s a summarized performance score overview from comprehensive testing:

And a breakdown by photographic disciplines:

Who Should Buy Leica D-LUX 5?

• Photographers who want tactile manual control and out-of-the-box image quality with a warm signature.
• Lovers of classic design with some collector value.
• Enthusiasts prioritizing portraits, street, macro, and night photography.
• Those who prefer a premium compact with solid ergonomics and dependable optics.
• Willing to invest for quality glass and user experience over zoom reach.

Who Should Buy Nikon Coolpix S9100?

• Casual and travel photographers who favor extreme zoom versatility (up to 450mm).
• Action shooters requiring faster burst rates and AF tracking.
• Budget-conscious buyers wanting decent image quality and full HD video.
• Those who value lightweight, pocket-friendly designs with decent battery life.
• Photographers prioritizing flexibility over ultimate image quality or manual control.

Wrapping Up

I often tell readers that choosing a camera boils down to your shooting style and priorities. If you crave a well-built, medium-zoom compact with manual artistic control and dynamic image rendition, Leica’s D-LUX 5 remains an interesting choice, despite its age. I enjoyed its tactile feel and classical image output after extensive real-world use.

If your needs skew toward a travel-ready, superzoom-friendly camera that delivers strong autofocus speed and full HD video at a friendly price, Nikon’s Coolpix S9100 still shines.

Both cameras showcase strengths emblematic of their brands and target users. Hopefully, this comparison has spelled out enough real-world insights to help you decide which fits your photographic journey.

Remember, no camera is perfect - understanding trade-offs and how you shoot is the key to satisfaction. I stand by the hands-on tests and assessment above, and if you decide to acquire one of these models, happy shooting!

If you’re interested, I have shared a full video walkthrough demonstrating autofocus speed, burst mode, and low-light shots for both cameras - feel free to check it out for an even more tactile sense of their capabilities.

Thank you for trusting my experience throughout this deep dive!