Leica D-LUX 5 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Here, we are reviewing the Leica D-LUX 5 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by manufacturers Leica and Olympus. The resolution of the D-LUX 5 (10MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) is very comparable but the D-LUX 5 (1/1.63") and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The D-LUX 5 was manufactured 3 years earlier than the XZ-2 iHS which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief view of how the D-LUX 5 matches up against the XZ-2 iHS when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Leica D-LUX 5 & Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The entire galleries are viewable at Leica D-LUX 5 Gallery & Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Leica D-LUX 5 offers external measurements of 110mm x 66mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Contrast the Leica D-LUX 5 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at the time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the D-LUX 5 vs the XZ-2 iHS.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the D-LUX 5 and XZ-2 iHS is 88 and 85 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizes purely by checking out technical specs. The image underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the D-LUX 5 and XZ-2 iHS.

As you can tell, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The D-LUX 5 because of its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS will provide more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged D-LUX 5 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.