Leica M9-P vs Panasonic S1

On this page, we are evaluating the Leica M9-P and Panasonic S1, both Pro Mirrorless cameras by competitors Leica and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap among the resolutions of the M9-P (18MP) and S1 (24MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor sizes (Full frame).

Photography Glossary

The M9-P was unveiled 8 years earlier than the S1 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Leica M9-P being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the M9-P matches up against the S1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Leica M9-P & Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The full galleries are provided at Leica M9-P Gallery & Panasonic S1 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Leica M9-P comes with external dimensions of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") along with a weight of 600 grams (1.32 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S1 has measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") along with a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Contrast the Leica M9-P and Panasonic S1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the M9-P versus the S1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the M9-P and S1 is 78 and 54 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to visualize the gap in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The photograph below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the M9-P and S1.

Clearly, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic S1 to show extra detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos more aggressively. The older M9-P will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.