It seems like it's the season for APS-C enthusiast compact announcements: Leica follows on the heels of Fujifilm, adding another model to its X-series fixed-lens cameras. The new Leica X-U is essentially the Leica X with a body retrofitted to be water- and weatherproof, the first the company has offered.
Like the X, it incorporates a 16.2MP sensor and a fixed focal-length 23mm f1.7 lens.
As you'd expect, you pay a premium for the ruggedizing. It's $2,950/£2,400 compared with $2,300 (£1,550, about AU$2,700) for the plain-old X. Sorry, Australians, it doesn't look like it's been announced there yet, but its US price directly converts to AU$4,300; the UK price converts to AU$3,200, however, so hopefully it won't be quite so expensive when or if it becomes available there.
The body had to be somewhat rearranged and tweaked to ruggedize it. For instance, the flash now sits above the front filter, hard-to-operate-with-gloves buttons replace the back dial and there's a UW (underwater) button.
Leica'Proof specifications:
- Waterproof to 49 ft/15m for up to 60 minutes of shooting (IP68-compliant)
- Shockproof against falls from 4 ft/1.2m (MIL-STD 810G, method 516.52-compliant)
- Dustproof (IP68 rating indicates completely dust-sealed)
In addition, it has a built-in protective glass filter on the front of the lens and a rubber exterior for better grippage. However, despite Leica's encouragement to take it out in the snow, it's not cold-proof: it has the same operating range as most other cameras, 32°-104° F/0°-40° C.
Comparative specs
| Fujifilm X70 | Leica X (Typ 113) | Leica X-E (Typ 102) | Leica X-U (Typ 113) | |
| Sensor effective resolution | 16.3MP X-Trans CMOS II | 16.2MP CMOS | 16.2MP CMOS | 16.2MP CMOS |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.6 x 15.6mm) | APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) | APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) | APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm) |
| Focal-length multiplier | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| OLPF | No | No | No | No |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 (exp)/ISO 200 -ISO 6400/ISO 51200 (exp) | ISO 100 - ISO 12500 | ISO 100 - ISO 12500 | ISO 100 - ISO 12500 |
| Lens (35mm equivalent) | 28mm f2.8 1x | 23mm f1.7 1x | 24mm f2.8 1x | 23mm f1.7 1x |
| Closest focus | 3.9 in/10 cm | 7.9 in/20cm | 11.8 in/30cm | 7.9 in/20cm |
| Burst shooting | 3 fps unlimited JPEG/n/a (8fps for 10 frames JPEG) | 5fps 7 raw+JPEG | 5fps 7 raw+JPEG | 5fps 7 raw+JPEG |
| Viewfinder (mag/ effective mag) | None | Optional EVF | Optional EVF | Optional EVF |
| Hot shoe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus | 77-point phase-detection AF 49-area Contrast AF | 11-point n/a | 11-point n/a | 11-point n/a |
| AF sensitivity | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Shutter speed | 30 - 1/4,000 sec (1/32,000 electronic shutter); bulb to 60 minutes | 30 - 1/2000 sec | 30 - 1/2000 sec | 30 - 1/2000 sec |
| Metering | 256 zones | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Metering sensitivity | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Best video | H.264 QuickTime MOV 1080/60p @ 36 Mbps | MP4 1080/30p | n/a | MP4 1080/30p |
| Audio | Stereo | Stereo | n/a | Stereo |
| Manual aperture and shutter in video | n/a | No | n/a | No |
| Maximum best-quality recording time | 14 minutes | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| IS | None | None | None | None |
| LCD | 3 in/7.5 cm Tilting touchscreen 1.04m dots | 3 in/7.5cm Fixed 920,000 dots | 2.7 in/tk Fixed 230,000 dots | 3 in/7.5cm Fixed 920,000 dots |
| Memory slots | 1 x SDXC | 1 X SDXC | 1 X SDHC | 1 X SDXC |
| Wireless connection | Wi-Fi | None | None | None |
| Flash | Yes | No | No | No |
| Wireless flash | n/a | No | No | No |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 330 shots (1,800 mAh) | 350 shots (1,600 mAh) | 450 shots (1,600 mAh) | 350 shots (1,600 mAh) |
| Size (WHD) | 4.4 x 2.5 x 1.8 in 113 x 64 x 44 mm | 5.2 x 2.9 x 3.1 in 133 x 73 x 78 mm | 4.9 x 2.7 x 2.0 in 124 x 69 x 52 mm | 5.2 x 2.9 x 3.1 in 133 x 73 x 78 mm |
| Body operating weight | 12 oz (est.) 340g (est.) | 17.1 oz (est.) 486 g (est.) | 12.2 oz (est.) 345 g (est.) | 17.1 oz (est.) 486 g (est.) |
| Mfr. price | $700 £550 AU$1,049 | $2,300 £1,550 AU$2,700 (est.) | $1,800 (est.) £1,250 (est.) AU$1,800 (est.) | $2,950 £2,400 |
| Release date (US) | February 2016 | September 2014 | September 2014 | January 2016 |
