Clicky

Leica X2

 
Leica X2 front
 
Portability
83
Imaging
57
Features
37
Overall
49

Leica X2 overview

Leica X2 is Leica's Large Sensor Compact camera first launched on May of 2012. The camera includes a 16MP, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a peak resolution of 4928 x 3264.

Leica launched this camera in order to upgrade the older Leica X1 (Read Full Comparison) & afterwards launched the newer Leica X Vario (Read Full Comparison) to upgrade this model.

The X2 stands at #54 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras & all-around #444 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can try our Smart camera filter to get camera listings based on your customized requirements.

Photography Glossary

Below is a diagram of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Leica X2 family

The Leica X2 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can read the full list underneath.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Leica-X-U front thumbnailLeica X-U
X2 vs X-U
35mm
F1.7-16.0
16MPAPS-C2016
Leica-X front thumbnailLeica X (Typ 113)
X2 vs X (Typ 113)
35mm
F1.7-32.0
16MPAPS-C2014
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video
Leica-X-Vario front thumbnailLeica X Vario
X2 vs X Vario
28-70mm
F3.5-6.4
16MPAPS-C2013
Leica-X2 front thumbnailLeica X236mm
F2.8
16MPAPS-C2012
Leica-X1 front thumbnailLeica X1
X2 vs X1
35mm
F2.8
12MPAPS-C2009

Leica X2 Pros and Cons

Here is a selection of pros and cons of the Leica X2 based on criterias which are usually seen as necessary in a camera.

better than average battery power (450 CIPA)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
does have HDMI support
exports RAW files
flash built-in
good min ISO (100)
good MP (16MP)
has manual focus
supports face detection autofocus
cannot swap lens (fixed lens mount)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have external mic jack
does not have headphone jack
does not have Time Lapse mode
focal length is fixed (36mm)
lacks phase detect autofocus
max fps very slow (5.0 fps)
no image stabilization
no moving screen
no video recording
pixelated screen (230 thousand dot)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
small screen (2.7 inches)
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

Leica X2 Sensor features

The specification of the sensor in the Leica X2 is 23.6mm x 15.8mm (APS-C). The 373 mm² sensor can resolve 4928 x 3264 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The CMOS sensor has 16MP and features a native ISO range of 100 - 12500. RAW files are supported so you have more margin for error.

The picture underneath shows the X2's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The X2 sensor has a crop factor of 1.5 and is displayed in green.

Leica X2 sensor size President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Leica X2 dimensions

Leica X2 weighs around 0.76 lbs (345 gr / 12.17 oz) & the overall size of the camera is 124mm x 69mm x 52mm (4.9" x 2.7" x 2.0"). The weight of general Large Sensor Compact camera is 396 gr so the Leica X2 is lighter than various competitors.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

Underneath is a shot of the Leica X2 besides a soda to help you to get a feel for its size.

Leica X2 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will illustrate the button arrangement on the X2.

Leica X2 topview buttons dials

Leica X2 Lens features

The X2 provides an inbuilt lens with a constant focal length of 36mm which means you do not have the flexibility to zoom.

At it's widest 36mm, the lens has an aperture of f2.8 making it really sluggish and not very good for low light situations and you might struggle to get a shallow depth of field. You would also have to up your ISO setting resulting in noisy pictures.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

Leica X2 Connectivity

The X2 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that contain NFC and Bluetooth compatibility can be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to copy pictures and sometimes alter camera settings without the hassle of connecting straight with the camera.

A few apps also allow a Liveview and press the shutter whenever you aren't close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it can be connected to an external monitor. A good number of cameras enable you to charge the battery through the USB socket.

Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images

Leica X2 Video features

Leica X2 doesn't capture video. In case you are wanting a camera to shoot just images, it is not a concern.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

Leica X2 Weather Sealing

There is no weather proofing on the Leica X2 so you have to be cautious in wet or dusty conditions.

Leica X2 Display and Viewfinder

The Leica X2 includes a 2.7 inch fixed display screen with a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display screen is not a touch screen.

Leica X2 screen and viewfinder Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The ViewFinder specs for Leica X2 are the following:

  • ViewFinder Electronic (optional)

Viewfinders are quite handy in sunny outdoor conditions which can easily make the camera display washed out and hard to see.

Leica X2 Shutter features

Leica X2 can shoot continuously at 5.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000s.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

Leica X2 Flash and Hot shoe features

Leica X2 has both built in flash along with external flash ability.

Leica X2 Autofocusing features

Leica X2 has only Contrast Detect AF & does not have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot faster & exact than Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera includes Face detect which can be useful for taking photos of people.

The Sensor includes 11 focus points to choose from. Leica X2 supports manual focus in case it is required in low light situations or you need to have more accurate control on focus.

Photography Glossary

Leica X2 Battery life

The battery power on the Leica X2 is fashioned to last for 450 photos with respect to the CIPA requirements making it higher than standard ın comparison with its class. The typical Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U has the highest (450) battery life in this group of cameras.

Underneath is a collection of Large Sensor Compact cameras that have the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Leica-X-U front thumbnailLeica X-U
X2 vs X-U
450 yesnono
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video
Leica-X2 front thumbnailLeica X2450 yesnono

Leica X2 for varying types of photography

The following chart presents a analysis of the Leica X2 for varying types of photography. To see more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.

Leica X2 Portrait photography advice

The Leica X2 gets a rating of 74 which is very good, meaning that it is a good pick for portraits. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor resolution, RAW support plus the potential to work with off-camera lighting.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards
manual focus
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
comes with face detect focusing
saves RAW formats

Leica X2 Street photography info

With a above average points tally of 65, the Leica X2 is a good pick to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera offers a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.

President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization

Leica X2 Sports photography info

A modest sports photography rating of 49 indicates the Leica X2 is somewhat acceptable for shooting sports. A camera really should have great focusing and shutter speeds for sports photography.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
good battery life (450 CIPA)
can't change focal length (36mm)
very slow continuous shooting (5.0 frames per second)
does not have image stabilization
does not have phase detect auto focus

Leica X2 Travel photography advice

Weight is very crucial when getting a travel camera. Overall, the Leica X2 gets a very good 64 as a travel camera which is a fine option to buy for your travels.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide
better than average battery life (450 per charge)
good resolution (16MP)
flash built-in
no Time Lapse recording
display is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)

Leica X2 Landscape photography info

When you're looking to choose a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most essential factor will be image quality. The Leica X2 with it's moderate score of 53 as a landscape camera is reasonably acceptable amongst it's competitors.

Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images
has manual focus
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports RAW files
great battery pack (450 CIPA)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
fixed focal length (36mm)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
small screen (2.7 inch)
lack of image stabilization
missing Timelapse function

Vlogging with Leica X2

A camera for vlogging should really come with a articulating display screen, mic port and ideally image stabilization. Considering everything, the Leica X2 is simply not good as a vlog camera as it comes to a dreadful score of 9.

Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone
lack of video recording

Leica X2 Alternatives

If you are searching for replacements to the X2, here is a range of the top placed cameras that fall under the class of Large Sensor Compact.

The line graph underneath provides you an overview of the X2 vs it's highest ranking competitors mentioned above.

Here are a few more cameras you may view as alternatives. To see a detailed comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

Specifications

General Information
Company
Leica
Model
Leica X2
Type
Large Sensor Compact
Launched
2012-05-10
Body design
Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor dimensions
23.6 x 15.8mm
Sensor surface area
372.9mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution
4928 x 3264
RAW files
Max native ISO
12500
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points
11
Lens
Lens mount
fixed lens
Lens focal range
36mm (1x)
Maximal aperture
f/2.8
Macro focus range
30cm
Focal length multiplier
1.5
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
2.7 inches
Display resolution
230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic (optional)
DXO scores
DXO All around score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30 seconds
Highest shutter speed
1/2000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed
5.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain, Slow sync, Studio
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Max video resolution
None
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
345 grams (0.76 lbs)
Physical dimensions
124 x 69 x 52mm (4.9" x 2.7" x 2.0")
Other
Battery life
450 photos
Form of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC card
Storage slots
1
Retail pricing
$994