Lumix VS Leica Colour Comparison 

This was super interesting! I'd love a standalone review of the Leica, as it seems really interesting, and looks like it handles quite differently than the lumix cameras menu and button wise

I thought the Lumix colours looked better 😂

I've been a Leica M shooter for decades. I currently own a M-P Type 240 which I love. Over two years ago I bought a Lumix S1R. Being a working photographer for over 50 years after learning all the innumerable options on the Lumix, I still am astonished at it's capabilities and image quality. Same 47MP sensor as the "comparative" Leica and a fraction of the cost.

I don't base my buying preference on color profiles, film simulations, etc. You buy the hardware that feels good for you-- then you tweak the colors to your liking. If you do photography long enough, you'll discover that the whole shooting experience is most important.

So, the red dot doesn't have any impact in color science. Great comparison Josh!

Rocking the beard and stache Josh. Appreciate you sharing yet another insightful video!

I have been shooting a Leica M6 for the last 10 years and if you compare it to other film bodies that can take the same lens selection it's the smoothness of the experience that makes the difference. My Leica doesn't get in the way, the rangefinder on it is the best I ever used and it's just a perfect camera to be using for decades to come. It hasn't needed any service and I bought it used, built in 1990! Now that's build quality. Colour science is a funny thing, because in film the "sensor" and the "colour science" is always the same and comes from different manufacturers, Kodak, Fuji, Ilford, etc. It's all about the shooting experience and the lens selection. I personally prefer Zeiss and Voigtländer glass because the rendering has more character, but Leica definitely produces the best lenses out there from an optical viewpoint. I'm not surprised that Panasonic has finally caught up to Leica with colour science. Leica were the absolute best in the game already 10 years ago though. My old Olympus E-PL3 had terrible colours even with lots of light and broke apart beyond ISO 400. Canon 450D, awful reds because of the lack of filtration on it. At the time Leica M9 and later the M240 were already perfect over their entire ISO range👌other manufacturers are only now catching up. With a mirrorless camera going with Lumix makes sense and that's what I did, because the quality coming out of it is comparable. From a user experience stand point Lumix isn't all that great I have to say. The menus are definitely very cryptic and it's quite the learning curve compared to everything I've seen of Leica menus in reviews. And since there are so many options it isn't set it and forget it either, you actually have to use those menus all the time, so it is definitely a consideration. Where Leica really shines is in the rangefinder cameras actually. They're the only ones who still make bodies like that and it has been my preferred focusing system for the last 10 years. If I were to buy a Leica it would definitely be a rangefinder but the massive file sizes of the current models make me think that the M240 is still the sweet spot even though it's 12 years old. They have stood the test of time too, which makes it a reassuring purchase also from a resale value consideration.

Judging from this video the skin tones are the main difference but would love to see another video with the higher megapixel SL2 or SL3 and a Leica lens.

I hope this helps people realize what they really love is M Mount glass or Leica glass for L mount. Yes, some exclusive color profiles are really nice on Leica bodies. And DNG is amazing, but sometimes not 5x the money more amazing than a used S5

I'm a camera reseller and this is the thing I always say to customers. There are great and expensive cameras. But this won't say these cameras are for them. Would you start driving with a F1 ? The Leica and the x100 are some of these cameras not for everyone but the influences of RU-vid are so great they believe it's THE best camera that never takes bad pictures... Thanks for your channel I've discovered today. Sorry for my bad English.

This was really insightful and I was surprised - I thought there would be a more pronounced - thanks for the unbiased comparisons, look forward to the video results!

In the age of widespread RAW use, I understand Leica is more about the experience with the camera. And I for one hugely appreciate it being built in Europe. Imagine a UK-built camera!

I've known this since I bought my Panasonic LX100 in 2014. I couldn't believe how good it was in pictures and video and to this day it has (to me) the best color science straight out of camera of any brand.

Honestly the pics which I found to be most pleasing and I liked the best were all Leica,

I was just thinking about this. I had a Leica SL and Lumi S5ii. But you already did the video. Thank you!

Thanks so much for this! I could be wrong but I was find it's the glass that gives the most character sometimes. Would be interesting to see a new Leica lens on both bodies and see if they look and respond the same.

I own the S1, S5, S5II, S5IIX and SL2-S. I've done the same tests and I can echo your results that the photos are 99% the same. I think it's the same if you look at quartz watches. They are pretty much all very accurate (if you spend more than $50) as watches to tell time, and it's all about the brand, culture, build quality, material and how much you want to pay.

I bought a mint second hand SL about 4 years ago for £1800, it’s still great, best built thing of any type I’ve ever owned. The magic for me is the astonishing view finder which helps create better shots.

Awesome photos as always, Josjy boy. What I really wanna know is... did you get one of those massages? 😜

I was able to see the difference, however,pay over 200% more for 5% increase in image quality. As Josh said go medium format at those prices

Curious when converting the the Leica and Panasonic RAW files I assumed you used Adobe Camera Raw either in PS or LR if so which camera profile did you select or just "Adobe Standard"

Nice video, Josh. I guess I'll have to paint a red dot on my S5ii now. In all seriousness, did you have a chance to compare the Leica High Contrast Monochrome with the Lumix version? My understanding is the Lumix version is based on the Leica one.

Josh, thanks for making this video and I agree with everything you said and will add the following. I’m a Leica M shooter, the M10-R and previously the M240 and digital CL, to be exact. The LUMIX S series of cameras are relatively identical to the Leica S series cameras when it comes to the internal technologies and colour science. There are features in the external hardware and build quality where Leica shines over LUMIX but all in all, these cameras are identical. I owned the original S5, sold it for the S5 II which is definitely a worthy upgrade. Where the comparison you made is not equal is when it comes to autofocus technology. The Leica SL2-S uses contrast based whereas the S5 II has phase detect autofocus. For those who rely on autofocus Leica doesn’t provide this technology yet. You’ll see it in the SL3 and its variants. I’m not an autofocus shooter and I am not a hybrid shooter or videographer so those features don’t really matter much to me. I shoot 90%+ with adapted vintage and M mount lenses. I use them on my LUMIX S5 II, Nikon Zf, Fujifilm X-Pro3, and Leica M10-R. One set of lenses I can use on all my digital mirrorless cameras. The S5 II is a beast of a photography camera and not enough people talk about it as one. LUMIX cameras will continue to get better and not cost an arm and a leg like Leica’s, Sony’s, Canon’s, or Nikon’s with similar features and capabilities.

Leica and Panasonic are partners for years, the L2 partnership. They have different ergonomics and having both camera brand i like different pieces from each. I use the lumix camera because of the ergonomics and weight savings. The Leica feels better in hands and build is insanely good. Both cameras are highly reliable and that’s the win.

After owning and using a Leica Q (stunning colours and sharpness) and an M240, I bought an SL. I was disappointed with the images and returned it. I’m sure the SL2 and 3 are superb. I bought a Hasselblad X1D2 and find the colours are amazing. I’m really happy with my decision.

Hiii thanks for the comparison is there any way you can make the files available to us so that we can compare them big? Thanks!

B shots looked slightly better. Hilarious it was the LUMIX.

DAMN! I thought the B cam was the Leica because the colors seemed slightly more saturated with smoother highlights in the first A and B test... I am shookith!

I picked the s5 in every instance as my preferred image.

Have you used the 24-105 Spro lens on the Leica? Dose the OS work in conjunction with the IBIS. 24-90

What were your settings Josh in S5ii

Can we get I Leica lightroom preset to apply Leica colours on s5m2 images in raw post processing. Or even better can we load Leica colour science LUT straight into s5m2?

Love your video... Thank you! I have the S5 (OG) and a S1R, I am waiting for the S2R (S5R or S1Rm2). I rented a SL2 and compared with my S1R... Leica is Leica... but for work, the s1R is AMAZING... I am considering buying a Q2 or S5ii as I am a photographer. Keep doing what you are doing! You are the only one that I have notification bell!

How do the evfs compare? I’m also curious how the cameras would take M lenses since a lot of sl users use those exclusively

Is it the same on older GF and GX series?

Great review man, I noticed the Leica has a tad bit warmer colors. Also, the lens makes a huge difference. I use the 24-90 and the 90-280 , had sigma glass along with it and noticed the rendering was different. It plays a “huge” but subtle difference in the images. Looking to possibly grab a lumix s5ii or s5iix to be a B-cam for the Leica (or vice versa?) . Thank you for the test and helpful info! Always enjoy your content!

I remembered the SL2S looked different than the S5 esp when using adapted M lenses. The other was corner smearing. At least when I tested, the SL2S was noticeably sharper in the corners for adapted M glass. A niche use case for sure, but Perhaps give M glass a try?

since you know the camera so well maybe you are able to answer this: How can i set the camera that it DOES NOT LOCK THE EXPOSURE AUTOMATICALLY ( AEL LOCK ) when half pressing the shutter button ???? ( in other words how do I DISABLE AEL lock during half press so the camera keeps changing AE !?!?! ) THANKS !

I do appreciate the video and your perspective. Thanks for sharing

The Leica is more expensive because it has a pretty body, red dot and says Made in Germany. I’d love one but I agree that for the same money I would be looking at Hasselblad. The Leica pricing always manages to push just beyond expensive to ridiculous.

Colour wise since Leica and Panasonic share technology there are only a few subtle differences. Leica files will be slightly more open in the mids. The Leica files will have the saturation slightly lower. Finally the Leica files have a few points less magenta shift to them. The Leica sensor has a thinner filter stack so it behaves better with older M lenses and shows very slightly more acutance with the absolute best glass (APO Summicrons). But this lens won't show that. You paid for Grerman wages for assembly, the industrial design, menus and build quality. Plus the red dot.

Great color science comes when shooting skintones in mixed lighting, bulbs & daylights or neon lights with daylight etc. There you can see the Hue control/quality that Leica has over other brands. And that comes from an ex Leica SL owner who just ordered a Lumix S5iiX to test it out :)

Couldn't tell the pictures apart. I had a Panasonic LC1 some years ago, and its sister camera, the Leica Digilux 2. Both share a fixed 28-90mm f2-2.4 Summicron, & Panasonic electronics. Same camera, different clothes. Pictures from those were all but indistinguishable. I'm assuming the Lumix S5 and Leica SL share the same Panasonic innards and sensor, hence the similar output. Lumix is utilitarian though handsome; the Leica is hand-assembled industrial art, and that carries a price. Interesting vid, thanks👍

Lumix has the best color for me, which is why I changed my main system for job from Fuji to Lumix as the JPEG of this camera is very pleasing to majority of people eyes. Yes , fuji Jpeg is what sells that camera but it’s more for artistic expression rather than general public taste. I must say Lumix SOOC gave an IQ which is a mix between clinical and a little bit of filmic/analog.

Loved the deeper colors from camera B more in the first photo's, and on the comparison with the s1,leica,s5II the Leica and s5II looked so close.

Not surprising since the Leica C-Lux, D-Lux and V-Lux series cameras are all Panasonic made. Both companies work closely together and just announced a new upcoming "L2" project where they will share technologies on upcoming cameras, lenses and more. In fact, Im willing to bet the 47MP sensor in the S1R is the same sensor found in the SL2 and the 24MP BSI sensor in the SL2-S is the same sensor from the S5II. Highly suspect the megapixel counts are the same and the colors are so similar. Im guessing the only difference is the processor being used in the cameras.

Very insightful! Thought I have to use the calibrate tool to match both „looks“. Seems to be only a minor difference in colour temperature 😮

Hey Josh, first off all i love the way you explain how these cameras feel and how you explain the over all experience. I was in doubt wich camera to buy recently. The Leica sl2 or lumix s5iix. I picked the lumix. Now, as i shoot mainly stills but thinking having the video features is not a bad thing for the future, it still feels like a mistake... what are your toughts on this please? Luxury problem...😊 Grtz from Belgium to you all. Erwin.

Very interesting! I actually liked the files from the Panny a bit more. But I think the differences are so minor, you'd only see them in direct comparisons. A follow up with Leica glass vs other L-Mount lenses would be quite informative I'd say.

Simply put others have narrowed the gap and even caught up to Leica. Camera tech has pretty much plateaued now. Owning a Leica 10 years ago would be a different story. Having said that the Leica skin tones are superior and I would suggest you test that out on a variety of skin tones to see where your money has gone.

As a Lumix user with five Leica lenses, including two f1.7 zooms, I can attest to the quality of images… The quality and character is in the glass, and the photographers eyes… 🤔

Thank you for being such honest! Really appreciate it.

Thank you, I love tests like this, really helps to get over one's own biases when you see it's almost impossible to tell the difference. Although I can see why Leica has its allure, there's so much padding around the image quality discussion that it's great to be taken down to earth with real testing like this. There are only a few camera + lens combos I've ever owned where I can recognize what I shot with, and it's always when I don't remember what camera I used until checking the EXIF data. But ultimately it's very rare that a camera can provide anything unique that's not reproducible by any other system.

Have SL and S-1 (have had many others), and I'm just a proud dad / weekend warrior hack. Couple of suggestions - first - Shooting with Pana or Sigma L Mount glass - you are shooting with glass far past 24mp sensor - and high grade. I'd be surprised to see much difference, but pop a 200-400 lens on there (non-native) from china - and then look... If you grab some vintage - say any 50mm 1.4 from decades ago - you will begin to see differences in the rendering - even in raw (although less). Side note - and while you are playing with glass from years ago - tracking down character - notice which one works better - and because the handling is so much better - you get more shots... Try it with a nifty fifty, and a 135mm and see what you think... If you really want to see a difference in jpegs - use old M glass... Second - I THINK (IMHO), that the difference between the SL and the S1 is significant, the difference between the S1 and the SL2S really isn't that much different. I would GUESS, the S1RmkII and the SL3 will be even closer... Also note - although few reviewers ever test the Pana glass - their "S" line is of the highest grade (50mm 1.4 vs almost anything out there - its holds its own - and is priced accordingly)... YES, I bought my S1 (as I saw it as a poor man's Lecia) - and I'm tickled pink - its really a powerhouse - EVEN by todays standards (Q2-2024) - but once I procured the SL - the SL is the chosen one - but I shoot 75% vintage. To take it one step further - try shooting B&W - I think the SL shines in this category. All said - would I mortgage away for a current SL3 or Q3 - NO, but I did TRY the SL2S - and in comparison to the SL - I kept the SL and played catch & release on the SL2S - but again - 75% vintage and 25% native... And I have a sony RX1 and several other compacts - so if I take out the S1 or SL - its on purpose, as its NOT an everyday carry, nor very nice unless you are planning on shooting as the main reason for being out...

The Lumix colours look about 3-5% more saturated but that's about it. It's marketing, that's all it is. That's why people who drink expensive wine swear it tastes better but with true A/B/X testing nobody can tell. And it's why audiophiles swear their expensive cables make audio sound better but not when under test conditions. And also why people who take branded painkillers report they work better even though the ingredients in the pills are literally identical. The placebo effect is real. With that in mind, I've recently moved to Lumix from Canon and the colours do look very different to me although I haven't done a side by side test yet. I don't have a way to mount the same lens on each camera so the differences may be down to lenses but maybe it's all in my imagination!

3:08 what is this watch you are wearing?

Made in Germany from imported products - you have to keep the mystique alive somehow. Its a Panasonic on the inside. Basically the same form factor and same color science.

I have both SL2-S and S5II using SL 24-90, M mount Leica and Voigtlander and Sigma 45 and 35mm lenses. Any combination of body and lenses above produces more then excellent images. Conclusion I come to using above combos in almost twelve months since I got S5II (owning SL2-S for two years). BTW there is a lots of Panasonic tech in Leica, bodies and lenses.

S5II bangs!!!

Once again it shows that Lumix makes cameras based on the camera. They really care about the user making great cameras for a good price. All other cameras are bought for the brand of the camera. What i mean is people will pay more for Canon Sony or Leica based on the brand saying they have one. Where those who pay for Lumix do so based on it being a great camera. Sorta like people who pay lots of money for IPhone and snub androids phones as they think IPhone is the best phone in the world based on there marketing when it has been proven that some Android phones are just as or even better ..Great video Josh. It just shows just how amazing Lumix is becoming

Looks interesting, well above my budget

The Lumix S series are exceptional good when it comes to colors.

Hmmmm. They also looked indistinguishable to me. I used to shoot Fujifilm and I do miss its film recipes. I have yet to find a LUT to put over VLOG or into Capture one to recreate that magic. I do love the Lumix and I don't think its images/colour science are any worse (perhaps more neutral) than Fujifilm's vintage film recipes, it's just a little bit of magic that is not there... but perhaps it's just me and the pitfall of self-conviction (where there's nothing there in reality).

you & sam are the reason why i chose lumix

Has anyone used the LUMIX S1R with the Leica M mount lenses? I’m curious to know if there is also another mirrorless system that makes these M mount lenses sing? I’ve gone from an MP 240, M11, SL2-S and M10-P - all are great and unique in their own right, but just way too costly, especially with their QC issues as of late.

I always thought it was understood that these cameras are internally the same. Leica and LUMIX have been sharing tech for awhile now. And actually the newer lumix premium lenses are very on par with Leica glass so I honestly wouldn’t bother with Leica glass as the new lumix lenses are pretty expensive themselves compared to some other offerings from other brands

For APS-C I've been rocking the XS20. My favorite Fuji camera. It's taken me away from my S5ii for a bit. However if you simply want the best then always go with the Panasonic. Even my G9 is gold!

Is the Leica lens with the lecia camera that creates that color? Everybody is talking about it. Just cost a lot to have it

I agree that as a base most camera sensors seem to producer pretty neutral colour. one thing that I love and detest about my SL2-S is the Monochrome High Contrast Jpegs you mentioned. It produces such pleasing black and white that I never seem to be able to reproduce with the raw files. I shoot DNG+JPEG and almost always fall back on the jpeg for my black and white work.

This is what I wanted to see! Thank you.

No ripping just WOW! Great video. But full discloser, I am a Lumix user. Just like I will never buy myself a pair of Jimmy Choo red bottom shoes I will never own a lovely red button Leica. I am ok with that.

Hi Josh, thank you for the interesting video. I have never tried any Leica camera of the SL line nor a full frame camera from Panasonic, so I cannot make any comments on your comparison. But I do own a Leica CL. digital and over the years I used several cameras from different brands. The colours of the jpegs coming out straight of my Leica CL digital are different from any other colours coming out from any other camera I used. I spent a weekend in London recently and used my Leica and my Ricoh GR 3 to take photos. As much as I love my Ricoh, I must say that the Leica produces colours which have a sort of a more vintage and realistic look compared to my Ricoh. Of course, it is just my opinion and my experience. Keep up with the good work you are doing, Manu

I have a Lumix S1R which I've grown to love despite the weight. I would still like to get my hands on a Leica and would not be expecting much if any difference in output - I shoot RAW anyway. If functionality were everything, Rolls Royce would have gone out of business years ago.

Bravo on using the 24-70 S Pro.

Leadership at Leica said that their selling point of the SL is less about the spec but more about build quality. Basically you pay $$$ for a handmade product.

Would love to see a comparison of the Leica SL primes across the same L mount bodies. Then (maybe as a separate video) choose one body and compare one of the Leica primes to other L mount primes of similar focal lengths but at differing price points.

Thank you for the honest comparison!

Can you show how to create a Leica High Contrast profile in Lumix? Thank you.

@JoshCameron could you put a link for download 2 Images (Leica SL2 vs Lumix SII) in the description? It would be perfect to could compare the 2 images in 100% view. Thanks a lot for all your efforts.

Isn't the Leica color magic only truly in their M series CCD sensors? Like they use Kodak sensors which from what I remember somewhere were modeled after Kodachrome film.

Nice and fair comparison. Your conclusion is valid and correct. Nevertheless, I would never sell my SL2-s, but, I bought the Lumix S5iix too. The handling of the Leica when doing photography mostly in manuell focus is much superior to the Lumix. The Lumix is my preferred video camera. Still don't like the overloaded menu system on the Lumix, fortunately the Q button can help here a bit. So, for me there is no such a thing like "Leica" or "Lumix", I took both, and I am happy about both cameras.

One thing that should be vastly better with the Leica is the EVF, it's supposed to use their own glass lenses for a far better image - how did you experience this difference?

Important to note that the SL is different than the M… also Lumix/Panasonic actually work together on the L Mount so the Lumix would naturally be closer to the SL2-S than any other brand.

Good experiment. How about using an SL apo lens and comparing the results?

If you check DXO software last version (7 ?), you will see that there is an option to emulate the color rendering of groups of cameras. Leica and Lumix recent cameras are in the same color profile option... So I think the guys from DxO already known that it was the same color science which was used in both cameras. It is very interesting to check this DxO option, to see which cameras have similar or same color profiles, and at which generation of cameras of a manufacturer they change their color profile.

I've used Leica rangefinders professionally as well as a Leica V-Lux 114 bridge camera when short videos were required as part of my press assignments. My impression of Leica colors is that they are just a bit warmer than the Lumix G9 I now shoot in retirement. I still shoot JPEGs and had to adjust the G9 STANDARD colors to warm them up considerably to get close to what I considered to be Leica-out-of-the box colors. This was not necessary for my 114 which, on the face of it, seemed to be a Lumix FZ 1000. I still shoot JPEGs and have heard the NATURAL profile for Lumix JPEGs is warmer so perhaps I'll give that a try soon.

I did see an extremely slight difference in skin tone with the Leica comparison shots. But nothing that could not be altered one way or the other in editing to get shots from either camera exactly how you like them. I have wondered how much tech collaboration there is within the L-mount alliance. I own the Sigma fp L, which some call the Japanese Leica, and I LOVE it. I highly recommend getting your hands on one for some testing, but make sure you attach a grip accessory, adding a personal grip that fits your liking is very much a part of the custom experience with this camera.

To fully understand Leica as a system you need to keep in mind the historical users of their products. The SL system uses very thin cover glass on their sensors, this allows M mount lens users to shoot SL cameras and still get high performance from those lenses, but if they so choose can switch to a modern mirrorless lens and experience those benefits too. Many SL owners have M mount film cameras too, so having the ability to use the same lenses on both mediums really adds to the versatility of the system. These older lenses do not function well on other brands, particularly the wider lenses from 35mm and shorter because they use thicker cover glass on their sensors. Of course one can also buy an M mount digital camera, but that takes modern autofocus lenses out of the equation. For those of us that want the best of the film era Leica's and modern digital the SL system offers unparalleled versatility.

Which lenses were used?

Leica shooter here, recognized the Leica images... The SL2S is amazing, lovely with M lenses as well! Enjoy your SL2S, you made a good choice!

Actually I saw a little bit of difference but it is minimal and it was so close that it only comes to the red bot. Great video tho always wondered but don't have the money to test on a sl

I’ve never compared with Panasonic, however everyone I know has commented how noticeably superior the colours on my new Leica are compared to my previous Fujifilm cameras. These are largely non-photographers.

I have an S5II and I like the colors from it. In your comparison, I thought the B cam had slightly more contrast (or slightly darker shadows) and the reds on the Leica look ever so slightly less saturated than the Lumix but I didn't see much difference other than that.

I have an S1 and Sigma 1.4 28mm/40mm . I was using medium and large format film up until recently but I am not at all displeased with the S1 and the lenses are really superb (heavy 40mm tho..) I saw a strip down of the S1 and actually feel its build quality may match Leica, if not aesthetically at least internally it's built very well.

The Leica Q3 and the Lumix S5II are the first products which are a result from L² Alliance between Leica and Panasonic. I think, a Lumix S1R II will be a direct alternative to the SL3.

Wasn’t the sensor co developed with Leica?

More than a "negative" to Leica, I would say an extra positive for the Lumix... I have a simple SL 601 which I'm quite happy, but SL2 and SL2-S may have a different sensor ?Thanks for your very interesting test.

I believe the question should be, which is more accurate at representing the actual colors. To me, the Lumix may have rendered more color, but does that represent the actual color of the scene?

Results from Leica FILM cameras were/are superb. Those from digital are no better than any other manufacturer.

I nailed it! Would like to see the same test with a Leica M lens on both cameras.