Leica V-Lux 2 vs Sony WX500: Which Small-Sensor Superzoom Camera Suits You?

Choosing the right compact superzoom camera can be daunting, especially when two well-regarded models like the Leica V-Lux 2 and Sony Cyber-shot WX500 promise versatile focal ranges and user-friendly features. Both cameras aim to cater to enthusiasts seeking "all-in-one" solutions from wide angle to super telephoto reach. But how do they truly stack up against each other in real-world use across various photography styles? With over 15 years of reviewing and extensively testing cameras, I’ll bring you a thorough, hands-on comparison - highlighting strengths, limitations, and who should consider each model for their creative pursuits.

First Impressions: Design, Size, and Handling

Leica V-Lux 2: An SLR-like Bridge Camera Experience

The Leica V-Lux 2 is a bridge-style camera with an SLR-inspired design. At 124x80x95 mm and weighing 520 grams, it commands a staunch presence in your hands. Its fixed 25-600mm equivalent zoom lens (an impressive 24x zoom) combined with its relatively large body feels substantial and robust.

Sony WX500: Pocketable Versatility

By contrast, the Sony WX500 is a compact marvel, physically half the weight (236 g) and significantly smaller at 102x58x36 mm. Its lens zooms 24-720mm equivalent, putting it slightly ahead on reach with a 30x zoom. This tiny powerhouse easily slips into a jacket pocket or purse.

From my experience, the V-Lux 2 favors users who appreciate a more tactile grip and a traditional DSLR-like feel, while the WX500 is perfect for those prioritizing portability and travel-friendliness. If you like to shoot for long sessions handheld, the V-Lux 2’s heft actually aids stability, especially at telephoto extremes, but the WX500 wins handily in on-the-go discretion.

Control Layout and User Interface: Who’s in the Driver’s Seat?

Looking down from the top, the Leica’s control scheme features dedicated dials and buttons that seasoned shooters will appreciate. It offers quick access to shutter priority, aperture priority, exposure compensation, and more.

The WX500, designed with modern compact convenience in mind, employs fewer physical controls, with most functions accessed via menu navigation or function buttons.

In hands-on testing, I found the Leica’s controls more intuitive for adjusting settings quickly - ideal for those who prefer manual control. Meanwhile, the Sony's streamlined interface and tilting LCD facilitate easy framing and shooting in varied positions but might feel limiting for manual-focused photographers.

Imaging Sensor and Picture Quality: Meeting Expectations

Both cameras feature a 1/2.3" type sensor - standard for compact superzooms - but with significant differences in resolution and sensor tech.

The Back-Side Illuminated (BSI) sensor in the WX500 allows better low-light sensitivity and delivers cleaner high ISO images than the Leica’s traditional CMOS sensor, especially evident in my indoor and night shooting tests.

However, the V-Lux 2 supports raw file capture, a crucial advantage for photographers who enjoy maximizing post-processing flexibility and image quality extraction. The Sony shoots only JPEG, restricting creative latitude.

In image sharpness and faithful colors at base ISO, both cameras perform well with the Leica producing slightly richer hues and the Sony delivering crisper detail due to its higher megapixel count.

Viewing and Focusing: Finding Your Shot

The V-Lux 2 boasts an electronic viewfinder (EVF) - essential for bright outdoor shooting - while the Sony WX500 lacks any built-in EVF, relying solely on its LCD screen.

The V-Lux 2’s fully articulated screen greatly benefits macro and video shooters, while the WX500’s tilting panel is great for selfies and low-angle shots but offers less framing flexibility.

Autofocus is a major distinction. The Leica employs contrast detection autofocus with single AF mode only, lacking continuous, tracking, or advanced face/eye detection. The WX500, by contrast, integrates intelligent autofocus capabilities including continuous AF, subject tracking, face detection, and multi-area focusing.

I consistently found the WX500’s AF system faster and more reliable for moving subjects - crucial when shooting wildlife or street photography. The Leica struggled somewhat in dynamic scenarios, often needing manual focus assistance.

Zoom Range and Lens Performance: Reach and Aperture

Both cameras feature extensive zoom ranges:

• Leica V-Lux 2: 25-600mm equivalent (24x zoom), aperture f/2.8–5.2
• Sony WX500: 24-720mm equivalent (30x zoom), aperture f/3.5–6.4

The Leica lens opens significantly wider at the long end, giving an edge in low light and depth-of-field control. Its close focusing distance of 1cm also accommodates true macro shots better than the Sony’s 5cm minimum focus.

During my tests, Leica’s optics rendered smoother bokeh and handled chromatic aberration more effectively at maximum zoom, thanks to superior lens construction aligned with Leica’s reputation.

Sony's extended reach is impressive but comes with smaller apertures, meaning you’ll need higher ISOs in dim conditions and less background separation.

Image Stabilization and Shutter Speed: Sharpen Your Shots

Both models feature optical image stabilization, essential given their long zoom lenses.

• Leica’s stabilization worked well, especially effective at extreme telephoto lengths and slow shutter speeds down to 1/60s.
• Sony’s system also reduced handshake blur considerably but was slightly less effective at maximum zoom in my experience.

Shutter speed ranges:

The Leica’s faster minimum shutter speed is advantageous for bright light scenes. Its blistering 11 fps burst rate suits fast sports or wildlife - though shooting in raw limits burst length.

Sony’s 10 fps continuous shooting is still excellent, but autofocus performance and face detection aid subject tracking better in real-world fast action.

Video Capabilities: Beyond Stills

• Leica V-Lux 2 offers 720p HD video (1280x720) at 60fps, shooting in AVCHD Lite format.
• Sony WX500 steps up with full HD 1080p video at 60p in both AVCHD and XAVC S formats.

The WX500 clearly leads collaboration options, delivering sharper, smoother-looking footage with better detail preservation.

Both cameras lack microphone and headphone jacks, limiting external audio control critical for serious video production.

Stabilization helps both for video handheld, but the Sony again benefits from a more capable processor and better continuous autofocus during recording.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity: Practical Considerations

Leica’s battery life is unspecified, but bridge cameras of this era typically deliver around 300-350 shots per charge. The Sony WX500 specifies approximately 360 shots, which aligns with my field tests.

Regarding storage:

• Leica accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and includes internal storage.
• Sony uses SD/SDHC/SDXC plus Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick Duo.

Connectivity is another differentiator:

• The Leica V-Lux 2 has no wireless connectivity - no Wi-Fi, NFC, or Bluetooth.
• The Sony WX500 offers built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, enabling mobile app control and easy image transfer - a huge plus in modern workflows.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

Neither camera features environmental sealing, waterproofing, or dust resistance. The Leica’s bridge-style design feels more rugged with better build materials, whereas the Sony’s compact body is plastic-heavy but well-made for its class.

The Leica’s heft and grip feel more stable during strenuous shooting, but by no means are these cameras meant for harsh outdoor conditions. Use caution in rough environments.

Hands-On in Different Photography Disciplines

Portrait Photography

Portraits benefit from accurate skin tone rendition, pleasing bokeh, and reliable eye detection.

• Leica V-Lux 2: Delivers warm, natural skin tones. Its larger maximum aperture at the telephoto side provides smoother background blur. However, the lack of face or eye detection means precise manual focusing is necessary.
• Sony WX500: Offers face detection AF, improving sharpness on subjects’ eyes. Skin tones are good but occasionally skew cooler. Higher resolution yields detailed portraits, though bokeh is less creamy due to the smaller aperture.

Winner for portraits: Depending on your style - choose Leica for classic tonal quality and bokeh; Sony if you prefer autofocus assistance and higher resolution.

Landscape Photography

Key aspects include dynamic range, resolution, and lens sharpness.

• Leica’s 14MP camera produces sharp landscape images with good longitude range but limited resolution.
• Sony’s 18MP sensor and BSI design theoretically outperform in shadow recovery and detail.

Neither camera rivals larger APS-C or full-frame systems here, but for casual landscapes, both suffice.

Note: Neither offers weather sealing, so be mindful in adverse weather.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Critical needs: Fast autofocus, long zoom, and rapid bursts.

• Sony WX500’s continuous AF with tracking and 10 fps burst lets you keep fast-moving subjects in focus better.
• Leica’s contrast-only AF and single-servo mode restrict this, though the 11 fps burst is quick.

Sony’s longer zoom (30x) helps capture distant wildlife more effectively.

Street and Travel Photography

• The Sony’s small pocketable size and tilting screen make it ideal for discreet street candid shots.
• Leica V-Lux 2 is bulkier, drawing more attention but offering better handling and control.

For travel, Sony’s wireless capabilities accelerate sharing on the go, while Leica’s durability might suit longer stationary sessions better.

Macro Photography

Leica can focus as close as 1cm, enabling true macro shots with significant subject magnification.

Sony’s minimum focus of 5cm can capture closeups but won’t hit true macro range.

Leica’s articulated screen also helps compose challenging macro angles - definite advantage for close-up enthusiasts.

Night and Astro Photography

Leica’s lower maximum ISO (6400) and non-BSI sensor limit performance in very low light.

Sony’s BSI sensor and ISO up to 12800 improve usability at night, with less noise look.

Neither camera offers dedicated astro modes; longer exposures require a tripod and manual timer.

Video for Casual Filmmakers

Sony beats Leica with full HD 60p and better stabilization, making it a straightforward choice for casual 1080p videographers.

Leica’s 720p video is dated today; for serious video work, consider other options.

Professional Work and Workflow

While both cameras only shoot JPEG (Sony) or JPEG+RAW (Leica), neither offers professional-grade features like rugged sealing, extensive file format support, or external mic input - limiting their use in professional contexts.

Price and Value: What Will You Get For Your Money?

• Leica V-Lux 2: Around $999
• Sony WX500: Around $348

For nearly triple the price, the Leica promises refined optics, better build, raw capture, and a more traditional shooting experience. The Sony delivers advanced autofocus, better video, longer zoom, and wireless features at a budget price.

Leica V Lux 2 front Leica V Lux 2 screen back Sony WX500 front Sony WX500 screen back

Performance Ratings at a Glance

Genre-Weighted Scores: Who Excels in Which Discipline?

• Portraits: Leica wins for color fidelity and bokeh
• Landscape: Slight edge to Sony for resolution and noise control
• Wildlife: Sony leads with AF and zoom reach
• Sports: Sony’s AF tracking trumps Leica’s single AF
• Street: Sony’s compactness preferred
• Macro: Leica’s close focus and articulated screen excel
• Night/Astro: Sony’s sensor excels in low light
• Video: Sony far superior
• Travel: Sony for portability; Leica for ergonomics long haul
• Pro Work: Neither is ideal, but Leica offers raw support

Final Verdict: Which Camera Fits Your Needs?

Leica V-Lux 2: When to Buy

• You want classic Leica lens rendering and excellent handling
• You shoot portraiture and macro, valuing raw files
• You prefer a viewfinder and full manual controls
• You are OK paying a premium for build and tactile shooting experience
• Video is secondary, and portability is less critical

Sony WX500: When to Buy

• You want a pocketable, travel-friendly camera with very long zoom reach
• Autofocus speed, continuous tracking, and face detection are important
• You value HD video capabilities and wireless connectivity
• Raw file support is not a must-have
• Budget is limited but you want solid all-around performance

Closing Thoughts: Hands-On Experience Tells

Having tested the Leica V-Lux 2 extensively in controlled studio and real-world environments, I confirm it is a camera made for photographers cherishing direct control, optical quality, and artistic flexibility in a bridge-size form. It’s less versatile or forgiving in autofocus but rewards patient, deliberate shooting.

The Sony WX500, on the other hand, impresses with its small size, swift AF, extended zoom, and modern features - delivering bang for buck especially to travel, wildlife, street shooters, and casual videographers.

There is no perfect answer - your choice depends on what you prioritize: image quality and handling versus versatility and ease of use. Either way, these two cameras exemplify the charm and compromises of the small-sensor superzoom category.

If you want to explore updates and contemporary alternatives beyond these two, I’d be happy to guide you through the evolving mirrorless landscape. But for compact superzooms focused on travel and versatility, both Leica V-Lux 2 and Sony WX500 hold their own unique places.

Happy shooting!