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Leica C-Lux

 
Leica C-Lux front
 
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Bump to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 24-360mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 340g - 113 x 67 x 46mm
  • Revealed June 2018
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
85
Imaging
54
Features
66
Overall
58

Leica C-Lux summary

Leica C-Lux is Leica's Large Sensor Compact digital camera originally introduced on June of 2018. It houses a 20 MegaPixel, CMOS 1" size sensor with a full resolution of 5472 x 3648.

The C-Lux comes in at #37 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras and over all #332 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. Please check out our Smart camera filter to see camera rankings based on your custom criteria.

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Here is a graph of various factors used in the rating system.

Leica C-Lux Pros and Cons

Here is a selection of advantages and disadvantages of the Leica C-Lux based on criterias which are normally regarded as crucial in a digital camera.

amazing zoom range (24-360mm 15.0 x zoom)
better than average battery life (370 per charge)
comes with HDMI port
delivers RAW files
features focus by touch
has built in flash
image stabilization (Optical)
long zoom (360mm)
manual focus
pretty good screen size (3")
pretty wide (24mm)
provides face detection focusing
provides tracking autofocus
screen has good resolution (1,240 thousand dot)
screen is touchscreen
sensor resolution is decent (20 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (1")
silent shutter (1/16,000 seconds)
supports bluetooth
video resolution high (3840 x 2160 pixels)
cannot use external flash
does not have selfie friendly screen
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
lack of external microphone port
lack of headphone port
no phase detect AF
screen does not articulate
sluggish at full zoom (f6.4)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
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Leica C-Lux Sensor specs

The size of the sensor in the Leica C-Lux is 13.2mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 116 mm² sensor is able to capture 5472 x 3648 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter can easily lead to cropping.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 20 megapixels and delivers a standard ISO range of 125 - 12800. The ISO can also be widened digitally to 80 - 25600. RAW photos are supported which means that you have more room to maneuver in post.

The graphic underneath displays the C-Lux's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The C-Lux sensor comes with a crop factor of 2.7 and is highlighted in green.

Leica C-Lux sensor size Body cameras now worn by bakery staff to deter stealing

To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Leica C-Lux dimensions

Leica C-Lux weighs in at 0.75 pounds (340g / 11.99 ounces) and the physical size of the camera is 113mm x 67mm x 46mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8"). The weight of average Large Sensor Compact camera is 396g so the Leica C-Lux is less heavy as compared with other rivals.

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Here is a picture of the Leica C-Lux next to a softdrink so you can have a feel for its size.

Leica C-Lux dimensions scale

The top view under will show the button arrangement on the C-Lux.

Leica C-Lux topview buttons dials

Leica C-Lux Lens details

The C-Lux provides a built-in lens having a focal range of 24-360mm giving it a 15.0 x zoom which is huge and could make it easier to zoom all the way in.

At it's widest 24mm, the lens offers an aperture of f3.3 which will be somewhat sluggish and not the best in low light conditions and you will likely struggle to capture good bokeh. You would also need to increase your ISO producing noisy shots. At the long end, 360mm is phenomenal zoom and comes to f6.4 making it fairly sluggish and you may have to go with slower shutter speeds.

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Leica C-Lux Connectivity

The C-Lux has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that consist of NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to send images and oftentimes alter camera settings without the hassle of connecting directly with the camera.

Some apps also provide a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external screen. Many cameras enable you to charge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Leica C-Lux Video details

The highest possible video resolution in the Leica C-Lux is 3840 x 2160 and it can record in MPEG-4, AVCHD and H.264 file format. 2160p provides an exceptional resolution for video recording. You can easily downsample to 1080p in order to get improved results. Beware of the considerable file sizes and ensure you have decent SD cards with good write speeds. The body does not offer a mic or headphone port which means you have absolutely no control over your audio. It is probably best to take a look at an alternative model in case you require good audio in your videos.

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Leica C-Lux Weather Sealing

Leica C-Lux does not have environment proofing so damp conditions may affect the camera.

Leica C-Lux Screen and Viewfinder

The Leica C-Lux is equipped with a 3 inch fixed display having a resolution of 1,240 thousand dots.

Additionally the display is touch friendly which means that you can easily shift focus points plus change settings by using your fingers.

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The View Finder specifications regarding Leica C-Lux are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • ViewFinder Resolution 2,330 thousand dots
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%

Viewfinders can be rather beneficial for sunny outdoor situations which may make the camera screen washed out and difficult to view.

Leica C-Lux Shutter details

Leica C-Lux is able to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/2000s. The camera also includes silent electronic shutter of 1/16000s. Beware that the electronic shutter may result in "rolling shutter" in some circumstances.

Photography Glossary

Leica C-Lux Flash and Hot shoe details

Leica C-Lux includes just inbuilt flash without external flash support.

Leica C-Lux Autofocusing details

Leica C-Lux includes only Contrast Detect Auto Focus and is missing Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more faster & accurate as compared with Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera supports Face detection which makes it helpful for portrait photography.

The AF system supports 49 focus points to select from. Leica C-Lux has touch to focus. You can easily use your fingers in order to change focus points. It also has Tracking Auto Focus for objects on the move. Leica C-Lux supports manual focus when needed for low light scenarios or you need more accurate control on focus.

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Leica C-Lux Battery life

The battery life for the Leica C-Lux is designed to last for 370 photos according to the CIPA requirements making it higher than average ın comparison with its class. The average Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U has the best (450) battery life for this class of cameras.

Below is a list of Large Sensor Compact cameras that have the strongest battery life:

Leica C-Lux for various kinds of photography

The following illustration displays a outline of the Leica C-Lux for various kinds of photography. To view more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.

Leica C-Lux Portrait photography factors

The Leica C-Lux receives a points tally of 65 which is very good, meaning that it is a respectable choice to use for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor size, support for RAW files together with the flexibility to utilize external lighting.

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has manual focus
decent MP (20MP)
sensor size is nice (1")
features face detect focusing
saves RAW formats
can't use external flash

Leica C-Lux Street photography information

Having a terrific points tally of 76, the Leica C-Lux is a fantastic choice to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera features a good balance of picture quality and portability.

Body cameras now worn by bakery staff to deter stealing
image stabilization (Optical)
good sensor size (1")
saves RAW formats
offers touch to focus
screen does not articulate

Leica C-Lux Sports photography advice

A nice sports photography points total of 70 suggests the Leica C-Lux is a good fit for shooting sports. A camera must have great tracking plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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great zoom range (24-360mm 15.0 x zoom)
quiet shooting (1/16,000s)
has image stabilization (Optical)
MP count good (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (1")
supports tracking autofocus
good battery power (370 per charge)
no phase detect AF

Leica C-Lux Travel photography info

Size is very critical in buying a travel camera. All things considered, the Leica C-Lux gets a nice 75 for a travel camera which makes it a good option to buy for your vacations.

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great battery (370 CIPA)
supports bluetooth
comes with focus by touch
MP count good (20 megapixels)
built-in flash
relatively wide (24mm)
very long zoom (360mm)
display isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)

Leica C-Lux as a Landscape photography camera

If you are planning to choose a camera for landscape photographs, the most vital aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Leica C-Lux at it's nice rating of 70 for a landscape camera is a very decent fit compared to it's competition.

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focusing manually
fairly wide (24mm)
nice screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (1")
saves RAW formats
great battery (370 CIPA)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)

Leica C-Lux Vlogging advice

A vlogging camera ought to come with a articulating screen, mic port and ideally image stabilization. Considering all things, the Leica C-Lux is not really good for vlogging as it comes to a terrible score of 34.

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decently wide (24mm)
touchscreen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection focus
good video quality (3840 x 2160 pxls)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
does not have external mic jack

Leica C-Lux Alternatives

If you are in the market for alternatives to the C-Lux, here is a collection of the highest ranked cameras that fall under the class of Large Sensor Compact.

The diagram below shows you an overview of the C-Lux compared to it's highest ranking rivals shown earlier.

Here are a handful of other cameras you may see as alternate options. To check out a full comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Leica
Model
Leica C-Lux
Category
Large Sensor Compact
Revealed
2018-06-10
Body design
Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
1"
Sensor measurements
13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor surface area
116.2mm²
Sensor resolution
20MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
5472 x 3648
RAW files
Maximum native ISO
12800
Maximum enhanced ISO
25600
Lowest native ISO
125
Lowest enhanced ISO
80
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points
49
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
24-360mm (15.0x)
Max aperture
f/3.3-6.4
Macro focus range
5cm
Crop factor
2.7
Screen
Range of screen
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3"
Screen resolution
1,240 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,330 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage
100%
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
60 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/2000 secs
Fastest silent shutter speed
1/16000 secs
Continuous shutter speed
10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
6.80 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash settings
Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
Maximum video resolution
3840x2160
Video format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
Yes
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
340g (0.75 pounds)
Physical dimensions
113 x 67 x 46mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8")
Other
Battery life
370 photographs
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs, 3 shots @ 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I compatible)
Storage slots
One
Price at release
$1,050