Leica X1 has a 12.9MP APS-C CMOS sensor and I wanted to compare its ISO performance to a APS-C type DSLR camera. I chose the Nikon D300s because both cameras were announced around the same time back in 2009 (the ISO of the latest Nikon D7000 goes up to 25,600). About the test:
- All images are 100% crops taken at f/2.8 (I used the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 lens on the D300s which on a DX sensor equals aprox. 35mm).
- The native ISO range of the D300s is 200-3200 (the camera has also Lo-1 ISO 100 and Hi-1 ISO 6400 settings)
- The native ISO range of the X1 is 100-3200.
- The high ISO performance seems to be identical for both cameras.
- Leica X1 has an advantage at its native ISO 100.
Images after the break:
| Nikon D300s | Leica X1 |
 ISO 160 (Lo 0.3) |
 ISO 100 |
 ISO 200 |
 ISO 200 |
 ISO 400 |
 ISO 400 |
 ISO 800 |
 ISO 800 |
 ISO 1600 |
 ISO 1600 |
 ISO 3200 |
 ISO 3200 |
