Nikon Z30 vs Leica V-Lux 3

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon Z30 and the Leica V-Lux 3, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon Z30 was introduced in June 2022 and Leica V-Lux 3 was introduced in December 2011. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon Z30 Highlights

      • 20.9 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 100 - 51,200 Native ISO
      • 209 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 1,040k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 2 h 5 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Leica V-Lux 3 Highlights

      • 12.1 MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 6,400 Native ISO
      • 23 Focus Points (23 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 461k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • Electronic Viewfinder
      • 12.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3.

      PROS

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 12.0 fps
      •   Weight - 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz)

      Advantage of Nikon Z30

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon Z30 over Leica V-Lux 3.

      Nikon Z30 vs Leica V-Lux 3
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1/2.3-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20.9 Megapixel vs 12.1 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 vs 4000 x 3000
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 209 vs 23
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Multi Area Autofocus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 461k dot
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/2000 sec
      Average Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
      Higher USB Speed USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Wi-Fi Version Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz vs 802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz
      Environmental Sealing vs
      Lighter 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) vs 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon Z30.

      Advantage of Leica V-Lux 3

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Leica V-Lux 3 over Nikon Z30.

      Nikon Z30 vs Leica V-Lux 3
      Higher Native ISO 51,200 vs 6,400
      Image Stabilization vs
      Viewfinder vs Electronic
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 12.0 fps
      Built-in Flash vs
      Longer Battery Life 330 shots vs 410 shots
      Internal Storage vs 70 MB

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Leica V-Lux 3.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon Z30 Leica V-Lux 3
        Video Capture
        High Native ISO51,2006,400
        Live View Autofocus
        Screen TypeFully ArticulatedFully Articulated
        HDMI Output Micro
        Built-In Bluetooth
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Nikon Z30 Leica V-Lux 3
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        Short Battery Life330 shots410 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3 have 3.0" Fully Articulated screens with 1,040k dot and 461k dot resolutions respectively. Fully articulated screen makes cameras selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Nikon Z30 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed Image cannot be displayed

      Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3 with Fully Articulated screen


      Electronic Viewfinder on Leica V-Lux 3

      Leica V-Lux 3 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder. It has a 100% coverage. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Nikon Z30.

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30 features a 20.9 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 369 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 51,200 and expands to 100 - 204,800 in boosted mode. Leica V-Lux 3 features a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 6,400.

      Photography Features

      Nikon Z30 is equipped with EXPEED 6 processor and can take pictures up to 5568 x 3712 resolution. Leica V-Lux 3 can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 2672, 4000 x 2248, 3264 x 2448, 3264 x 2176, 3264 x 1840, 2992 x 2992, 2560 x 1920, 2560 x 1712, 2560 x 1440, 2448 x 2448, 2048 x 1536, 2048 x 1360, 1920 x 1920, 1920 x 1080, 1600 x 1200, 1536 x 1536, 640 x 480, 480 x 480 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Nikon Z30

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Nikon Z30. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.

      Image Stabilization on Leica V-Lux 3

      Leica V-Lux 3 has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Nikon Z30

      Nikon Z30 has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth

      Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3 have built-in Bluetooth (version 4.2 on Nikon Z30) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. Nikon Z30 has a Micro HDMI and Leica V-Lux 3 has an HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Nikon Z30 comes with EN-EL25 battery pack with battery life of 330 shots and Leica V-Lux 3 comes with BP-DC 9 battery pack with battery life of 410 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon Z30 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot. Leica V-Lux 3 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon Z30 has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon Z30, and up to 1/2000 sec on Leica V-Lux 3. Nikon Z30 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Leica V-Lux 3 can shoot continuously up to 12.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Nikon Z30 has Hybrid phase-detection/contrast AF system with 209 focusing points and Leica V-Lux 3 has 23 focusing points. Nikon Z30 has detection range from -4.5 to +19 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Nikon Z30 ranges from -4 to +17 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Nikon Z30 and ±2 range on Leica V-Lux 3. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Nikon Z30 and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Leica V-Lux 3.


      Flash

      Leica V-Lux 3 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 9.50 m and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Shoe Mount. Nikon Z30 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec on Nikon Z30.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon Z30 body has dimensions of 128 x 74 x 60 mm (5.04 x 2.91 x 2.36") and Leica V-Lux 3 body has dimensions of 124 x 81 x 95 mm (4.88 x 3.19 x 3.74"). Nikon Z30 weighs 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) and Leica V-Lux 3 weighs 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz).

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      128 mm

      74 mm

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      124 mm

      81 mm

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      74 mm

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      81 mm

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      60 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      95 mm

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      Size comparisons of Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3

      Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      GOOD
      82
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      47
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      59
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 12.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 12.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      GOOD
      83
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Small Sensor
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      GOOD
      81
      •   Small Sensor
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      GOOD
      81
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon Z30 and Leica V-Lux 3 and give them scores of 77 and 63 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      OVERALL
      77
      OVERALL
      63

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      POOR
      51
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      GOOD
      72
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 12.0 fps

      Video

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      POOR
      46
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080

      Focusing

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      POOR
      52
      •   23 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      GOOD
      81
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 461k dot

      Connectivity

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      EXCELLENT
      94
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      GOOD
      82
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon Z30

      Leica V-Lux 3

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 410 shots
      •   Internal Storage


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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