Leica M9 vs Nikon 1 AW1

The following is a in-depth assessment of the Leica M9 and Nikon 1 AW1, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Leica and Nikon. There is a crucial difference between the resolutions of the M9 (18MP) and 1 AW1 (14MP) and the M9 (Full frame) and 1 AW1 (1") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The M9 was manufactured 5 years earlier than the 1 AW1 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before getting through a complete comparison, below is a quick overview of how the M9 matches up versus the 1 AW1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Leica M9 and Nikon 1 AW1. The entire galleries are available at Leica M9 Gallery and Nikon 1 AW1 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and size. The Leica M9 features outer measurements of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") along with a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) whilst the Nikon 1 AW1 has specifications of 114mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.5") having a weight of 356 grams (0.78 lbs).

Take a look at the Leica M9 and Nikon 1 AW1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select during that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the M9 against the 1 AW1.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the M9 and 1 AW1 is 79 and 86 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions only by checking a spec sheet. The pic here might offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the M9 and 1 AW1.

Clearly, the two cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The M9 because of its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Leica M9 will resolve more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged M9 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.