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Leica

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.

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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)
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Leica

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