Leica M9 vs Panasonic GF1

The following is a extended assessment of the Leica M9 versus Panasonic GF1, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Leica and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap between the sensor resolutions of the M9 (18MP) and GF1 (12MP) and the M9 (Full frame) and GF1 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The M9 was brought out within a month of the GF1 so they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the M9 grades against the GF1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Leica M9 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1. The entire galleries are provided at Leica M9 Gallery & Panasonic GF1 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Leica M9 comes with outside dimensions of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") having a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) while the Panasonic GF1 has proportions of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs).

Contrast the Leica M9 versus Panasonic GF1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the M9 against the GF1.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the M9 and GF1 is 79 and 85 respectively.

Typically, its hard to see the difference between sensor dimensions merely by checking specifications. The picture below may give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the M9 and GF1.

To sum up, both cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The M9 featuring a larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Leica M9 will resolve greater detail having its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively.