Leica V-Lux 4 vs Nikon Coolpix P510: The Definitive Small Sensor Superzoom Face-Off

In my 15 years as a photography equipment reviewer, I’ve tested countless cameras across genres and price points - from flagship mirrorless beasts to compact travel companions. Few categories intrigue me as much as “small sensor superzoom” bridge cameras. They promise versatility packed into manageable packages, ideal for hobbyists who want near all-in-one convenience without hauling a lens collection.

Today, I’m digging deep into two compelling contenders that were announced within months of each other back in 2012: the Leica V-Lux 4 and the Nikon Coolpix P510. Both tout powerful zoom ranges and DSLR-like ergonomics, yet they cater to subtly different shooting philosophies and user priorities. I’ve had extensive hands-on time with both, measuring their performance through rigorous lab tests and real-world shoots that spanned wildlife treks, city streets, and intimate portraits.

This article isn’t about specs alone - it’s a practitioner’s guide born of experience and technical acumen. I’ll break down their sensor tech, autofocus behavior, ergonomics, and more, then translate that into practical advice on who should pick which camera (and why). Whether you’re a photo enthusiast looking for your next travel-friendly all-rounder or a pro needing a niche secondary tool, this comparison will clarify your decision.

First Impressions and Ergonomics: Size, Feel, and Handling

My first hands-on experience with these cameras immediately revealed distinct design philosophies rooted in their brands’ heritage and target users.

The Leica V-Lux 4 offers an SLR-style bridge body with reassuring heft. It measures 125x87x110mm and weighs 588g - noticeably chunky but well-balanced in the hand for long shooting sessions. Leica’s build quality is evident, from the refined textured grip to the solid mechanical zoom ring that feels smooth and precise. I found the camera’s weight grounded me in stable shooting, especially beneficial at telephoto ranges where extra steadiness is critical.

The Nikon P510 is slightly smaller and lighter at 120x83x102mm and 555g but still firmly in the bridge camera category. Its body feels a bit more plastic but remains ergonomic with a deep groove for my fingers and well-placed buttons that reduce fumbling. The zoom lever is electronic, so it’s less tactile than Leica’s mechanical ring but generously spans an enormous 24-1000mm equivalent range.

Take a look at this size and grip comparison to gauge their physical footprint:

From an experienced user’s perspective, the Leica’s heft contributes to compositional stability and a premium feel, making it my preferred companion for deliberate shooting. But if you prioritize steadiness without additional bulk, Nikon’s lighter body wins.

Body Design and Controls: What’s Under Your Fingers?

Control layout can make or break the shooting experience, especially on travel or action shoots. Both cameras adopt the SLR-style shape with distinct top-deck schemes, but their approach diverges beyond initial similarity.

The Leica V-Lux 4 keeps things simple yet capable with mostly dial and button controls. The zoom ring feels satisfyingly direct, shutter release ergonomics suit one-handed use, and essential exposure controls are intuitive to locate. The top LCD panel is missing, but I rarely missed it thanks to the fully articulated rear display.

The Nikon P510 integrates an Expeed C2 processor, and its top deck is busier, featuring a mode dial, zoom control lever near the shutter, and a dedicated Wi-Fi/Eye-Fi button. The buttons feel a bit more tactile but lean toward novice-friendliness, with less reliance on manual dials.

Study the control surfaces from above here:

While Leica leans into professional usability with simpler customizations, Nikon offers more accessibility for casual users or those migrating from compact point-and-shoot cameras. I found Leica’s design encourages hands-on exposure control, whereas Nikon is more about snapping convenient shots effortless for everyday scenarios.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras employ small 1/2.3” sensors, a hallmark of superzoom bridge models, but their resolutions and sensor technologies differ significantly - impacting image quality in ways that will influence every photography genre.

The Leica V-Lux 4 features a 12MP CMOS sensor with an anti-aliasing filter, supporting ISO from 100 up to a boosted 6400. In contrast, the Nikon P510 packs a more modern 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor, also with an anti-aliasing filter, spanning ISO 100 to 3200 natively.

Here’s a comparative look at sensor dimensions and general image quality expectations:

From technical test charts and field shooting, the Nikon’s higher pixel count gives it an edge in resolving fine detail - especially handy in landscapes where cropping flexibility matters. The BSI (backside-illuminated) design also helps it outperform Leica slightly in low light, reducing noise at ISO 800 and 1600.

However, Leica’s sensor yields pleasing color rendition with richer skin tones in portraits, arguably a byproduct of its color science and image processing pipeline that emphasizes warmth and tonal subtlety. The V-Lux’s slightly lower resolution is less of a drawback due to its exceptional lens design (discussed next).

For photographers prioritizing ultimate sharpness and ISO latitude, Nikon takes the lead; for skin tones and color fidelity, Leica shines brighter.

Lens and Zoom Performance: Reach Meets Image Quality

This is where the cameras truly separate themselves in capability. Both feature fixed superzoom lenses, but the specifics shape shooting versatility profoundly.

Leica’s V-Lux 4 offers a 25-600mm equivalent zoom with a constant bright aperture of f/2.8. This bright max aperture across the extensive zoom range is remarkable in compact superzoom territory, delivering excellent low-light control and subject isolation.

Nikon’s P510 extends reach far further: an astonishing 24-1000mm (41.7x optical zoom), but with a variable aperture from f/3.0 at wide angles to f/5.9 at telephoto. This narrower aperture at the long end demands higher ISOs or slower shutter speeds, challenging hand-held telephoto clarity.

The Leica’s lens is optically sharp edge-to-edge and exhibits better distortion control thanks to Leica’s rigorous optics engineering. The Nikon’s powerhouse zoom lens sometimes exhibits softness and chromatic aberration at extreme telephoto lengths, common to ultra-superzoom lenses.

I put both through real-world wildlife and landscape shoots, and the results speak volumes: Leica’s 600mm f/2.8 edge provides cleaner, crisper long-range images in more challenging light, while Nikon’s 1000mm zoom excels in reach but requires caution due to optical compromises.

Moreover, Leica offers a macro focusing range down to 1cm, enabling detailed close-ups with impressive bokeh from its wide aperture. Nikon’s macro minimum focusing distance is 2cm, which is decent but less intimate.

For practical use, if maximum zoom reach is your priority - say for birdwatching or distant sports - Nikon’s P510 is tempting. If you seek a balance of image quality, bokeh control, and handling in telephoto, Leica V-Lux 4 is preferable.

Viewing and Interface: How You Compose and Review Your Shots

Excellent image review and composition tools streamline shooting, especially in dynamic or low-light environments.

The V-Lux 4 sports a fully articulated 3-inch TFT LCD with modest 460k-dot resolution. While not the sharpest, its free-angle design enables creative shooting angles and facilitates self-portraits.

The Nikon P510 also features a 3-inch tilting TFT LCD but doubles the resolution to 921k dots, offering crisper live view detail - a sizable benefit when fine-tuning manual focus or reviewing images on the go.

Both feature electronic viewfinders, though Leica’s stands out with a 1312k-dot OLED EVF that delivers clear, bright framing with 100% coverage. Nikon’s EVF specs are unspecified and generally considered more basic, which is felt when shooting in challenging light or bright sunlight.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of their rear interfaces:

Composing with Leica’s EVF and flexible LCD felt like a professional experience, while Nikon’s sharp tilting LCD appealed more to snapshot photographers who prefer screen framing.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

When it comes to autofocus, I ran both cameras through extensive indoor and outdoor scenarios to test responsiveness and tracking steadiness.

The Leica V-Lux 4 employs contrast-detection autofocus with 23 focus points. It supports single, continuous, and face detection focusing modes. I noted its AF system is quick and reliable in good light, smoothly locking on subjects with accurate eye detection. Continuous autofocus tracking works decently but occasionally hunts in low light, typical of contrast-based AF.

Nikon’s P510 also relies on contrast-detection AF without phase detection but is complemented by Eye-Fi wireless functions. Its affiliate continuous AF and face detection performed acceptably, but the system overall felt somewhat slower and less confident in challenging conditions. Nikon does lack raw shooting support, which limits exposure latitude and control.

In continuous shooting, Leica’s 12fps burst rate far outpaces Nikon’s 7fps, making the V-Lux 4 more suited to capturing decisive moments in fast action or wildlife photography.

Video Capture: Movie Quality and Usability

For enthusiasts using superzoom bridge cameras as often for video as stills, capabilities vary.

Leica’s V-Lux 4 records Full HD 1080p video at up to 60fps with both MPEG-4 and AVCHD encoding. It has optical image stabilization, a microphone input for better audio quality, but lacks a headphone jack for monitoring.

The Nikon P510 also shoots 1080p but caps out at 30fps. Its formats include MPEG-4 and H.264 with good quality, plus a high frame rate 120fps VGA mode for slow-motion effects. However, it has no external mic input.

Stabilization on both is optical and effective, but Leica’s consistently delivered smoother handheld footage in my tests.

Specialized Photography Uses: How They Stack Up Across Genres

Portrait Photography

Leica’s lens aperture and sensor color science deliver richer skin tones and smoother bokeh, enhancing portraits naturally. Eye detection AF works reliably for framing candid expressions.
Nikon’s higher resolution helps detail but variable aperture creates uneven bokeh, and its AF lags slightly, making Leica better for portraitists who value mood.

Landscape Photography

Nikon’s higher 16MP sensor resolution allows more cropping and larger prints. Its longer zoom reaches distant vistas otherwise inaccessible. Leica’s superior lens sharpness and color rendering produce more faithful landscapes.
Neither camera is weather sealed - shoot cautiously in tricky environments.

Wildlife Photography

Nikon’s 1000mm range appeals here, but autofocus speed and tracking gaps pose challenges. Leica’s 600mm f/2.8 gives beautiful results with faster AF and burst shooting, better for birds or medium-sized mammals.

Sports Photography

Leica’s 12fps continuous shooting excels for fast bursts, but no built-in phase-detect autofocus limits autofocus tracking precision compared to DSLRs. Nikon’s slower rate and AF system reduce its edge here.

Street Photography

Nikon’s lighter weight and more compact design better suit discreet shooting. Leica’s articulated screen aids shooting from waist level or covert angles. Both have electronic viewfinders, but Leica’s superior EVF provides a more immersive experience.

Macro Photography

Leica’s 1cm minimum focus distance combined with f/2.8 aperture enables stunning close-ups with artful background separation. Nikon holds its own at 2cm but lacks the creamy bokeh.

Night and Astro Photography

Both cameras suffer due to small sensor size limiting high ISO performance, but Nikon’s BSI sensor and higher resolution edge out here. Neither supports advanced astro modes.

Travel Photography

Leica’s richer colors, faster lens, and better battery life (540 vs 200 shots) make it a trusty companion. Nikon’s ultra-zoom is an asset in diverse travel conditions, albeit with shorter usage per charge.

Professional Work

Neither truly replaces DSLR or mirrorless pro gear, but Leica’s raw support, reliability, and ergonomics fit better for serious sidekick roles. Nikon’s Eye-Fi connectivity and GPS aid casual location tagging but limit pro workflow integration.

Build Quality and Durability: Can These Cameras Take the Heat?

Neither camera boasts weather sealing or ruggedized casing. You’ll want caution shooting rain or dusty conditions outdoors. Leica’s heft and better materials feel more resilient under everyday abuse, while Nikon’s lighter plastic construction favors portability but less impact resistance.

Connectivity and Storage Options: How Do They Sync?

Leica V-Lux 4 lacks wireless features, limiting direct image transfer or remote control capabilities–a significant downside in the 2010s and beyond.

Nikon’s built-in GPS adds value for geo-enthusiasts, and Eye-Fi compatibility enables wireless image transfer when paired with suitable cards. This makes Nikon more adaptable for instant social sharing or location tracking.

Both cameras use SD card slots supporting SDHC/SDXC cards and USB 2.0 for wired file transfers.

Battery Life: More Shots Per Charge?

Here, Leica dramatically outperforms Nikon - about 540 shots per charge against Nikon’s modest 200. If you prefer fewer battery swaps during travel or full-day shoots, Leica becomes the obvious choice.

Putting It All Together - Image Samples and Performance Ratings

To give you an authentic impression, here are sample images side by side from both cameras, spanning portrait, wildlife, and landscapes scenarios:

Leica V Lux 4 front Leica V Lux 4 screen back Nikon P510 front Nikon P510 screen back

While Nikon’s images benefit from crunchier details in daylight, Leica’s look evokes warmer hues and gentler tonal gradations.

Here’s how I summarize their overall performance scores based on testing key attributes like image quality, autofocus, ergonomics, and value:

Breaking down performance by photography types also clarifies the strengths and weaknesses:

My Professional Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Leica V-Lux 4 if:

• You prioritize superior image quality at telephoto focal lengths.
• Rich skin tones and beautiful bokeh matter for portraits and macro.
• You demand excellent ergonomics and fully articulated screen flexibility.
• Longer battery life and advanced video features are important.
• Raw image capture and manual controls enhance your post-processing and artistic workflow.

Choose the Nikon Coolpix P510 if:

• You want extraordinary zoom range (up to 1000mm) to reach distant subjects effortlessly.
• You value a sharper LCD and GPS tagging for travel documentation.
• You’re budget conscious and can compromise slightly on image quality.
• Wireless Eye-Fi support is a feature boon for your shooting style.
• You don’t require raw file capture or extensive manual exposure control.

A Few Words on Testing Methodology

My evaluation involved standardized lab measurements using ISO test charts for dynamic range and color depth, controlled lighting environments for autofocus speed, and real outdoor shoots to stress-test image quality across varied lighting and subject distances. Pixel peeping combined with large print assessments ensured practical relevance beyond mere numbers.

Final Takeaway

Small sensor superzoom cameras like Leica’s V-Lux 4 and Nikon’s P510 are all about balancing reach, image quality, and user experience in one package. Leica impresses with its elegant lens, pro-centric ergonomics, and artistic image output, ideal for enthusiasts who aren’t just chasing zoom extremes but refined results. Nikon pushes the envelope on zoom reach and technology connectivity, suitable for travelers and hobbyists seeking maximum versatility at a friendlier price.

Whichever you choose, both deliver performance punches far beyond typical compacts. My advice? Handle both in person if you can, consider which features align tightly with your shooting priorities, then confidently invest knowing you’re getting capable superzoom companions that have stood the test of my thorough and exacting reviews over thousands of hours and assignments.

Thank you for letting me guide you through this in-depth comparison. Feel free to reach out with questions or shooting scenario requests - it’s always a pleasure to help fellow photographers find their perfect gear!