The Leica M10 is very special. It’s also very expensive. Of all the cameras I review, I get the most criticism from both fans and critics. The one thing we can’t argue over is the final image quality. It is what it is. Although I rarely do back-to-back comparisons between various cameras, I was curious about the new sensor in the M10. I knew the new 24MP sensor in the Leica M10 has better higher ISO sensitivity, but how much better? It’s definitely better than the older M240, but how about against the latest Fujifilm sensors, both the APS-C and the medium format sensor? I decided to shoot an impromptu portrait session with Marcello at Push Pull Café in Vancouver. Here is a quick indoor natural light comparison between the Leica M10, Fujifilm X-T2 and the GFX 50S at ISO 3200. Can you tell which sensor is which?
Can you tell which image belongs to which camera?
The first thing to mention is that both the Leica M10 and the Fujifilm X-T2 were shot with the latest Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Aspherical. I used the Fujifilm M Mount Adapter on the X-T2, which made the lens a 52.5mm equivalent, while the Leica remained a 35mm. Because of this, I had to move the tripod closer to the subject to approximate the same focal length. The GF 63mm is a 50mm equivalent on the GFX 50S. Because none of the focal lengths and perspectives are equal (including the distance from me to the subject), the image will be different. Both the M10 and X-T2 have 24MP sensors, while the GFX has a 50MP sensor. The pixel density (relationship of how many given pixels per square area) is also different for each camera (X-T2 will have the most density, then the GFX, and finally the M10 will have the least, which is advantageous). Finally, both the GFX and X-T2 images are processed through the same in-camera Fujifilm X Processor Pro, while the Leica M10 images are processed through their own Maestro II processor.
Because of all these factors, there is no way we can compare these sensors on a level playing field. I did my very best to process all 3 images from their original RAW files in LightRoom with the least amount of post processing, trying my best to match the white balance of the back wall. Please do not focus too much on the colour or the rending of each image, as the lens, sensor and processor will all affect the look of the final image. My main goal was to look at high ISO performance, and the biggest surprise for me was how well the Leica M10 performed against the Fujifilm GFX 50S. Although the GFX ultimately has twice the pixels (allowing for a higher resolution image), the Leica M10 performed very well against the digital medium format camera when it came to high ISO noise performance. I also did outdoor tests at various ISOs, testing up to ISO 12,800, but I will save those for my full review. Please click on each image for a full resolution JPEG.
Fujifilm X-T2 w/Leica 35mm Summilux Asph with M Adapter. ISO 3200 @ F/2.8. Full rez JPEG
Fujifilm GFX 50S w/GF 63mm f/4. ISO 3200 @ F/4. Full rez JPEG
Leica M10 w/35mm Summilux Asph. ISO 3200 @ F/4. Full rez JPEG
In conclusion, you can be the judge between the high ISO performance between the Leica M10 and GFX 50S. You can clearly see the X-T2’s smaller APS-C sensor can not keep up with the larger sensor cameras at higher ISO, something that won’t bother most cropped sensor shooters. You pay a premium for the luxury of high ISO performance of the Leica and the GFX, something that many of us are unwilling to pay for, myself included. At lower ISO, there is very little difference in visible noise, and the differences I do see have less to do with sensor size, and more to do with the lens I use and how the camera processed the image. What difference you do see between the sensors is micro contrast and dynamic range. As a general rule, larger the sensor the better, but how much better? This again is for another article. This was just a test comparing high(er) ISO performance.
My final thought between full frame (36mm x 24mm) and medium format (44mm x 33mm) is that there is a difference, but the gap isn’t huge. The crop factor between the two formats is only 0.79X, versus the much larger gap between APS-C (24mm x 16mm) and full-frame of 1.5X. The biggest difference is the 24MP versus the 50MP sensors, something that Leica can address in the future, but at the cost of higher pixel density. For now, for the majority of photographers, the 24MP full frame sensor seems to be the sweet spot (although 36MP is still very doable), while the GFX’s medium format sensor sits comfortably at 50MP (and capable of 100MP in the future). Unless there is a huge leap in sensor technology (e.g. organic sensors), the APS-C sensor should stay at a maximum of 24MP for now. Thanks for visiting and happy shooting.
X-T2, GFX, M10 at approx 100% crop (for X-T2 and M10)
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