Pentax K100D vs Leica M9

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9
      54
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      46
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Pentax K100D and the Leica M9, 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.

      Pentax K100D was introduced in December 2006 and Leica M9 was introduced in September 2009. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Pentax K100D Highlights

      • 6.1 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 200 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 11 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 2.5" 210k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder
      • 2.8 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Leica M9 Highlights

      • 18.0 MP Full Frame CCD Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 80 - 2,500 Native ISO
      • 2.5" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (rangefinder) Viewfinder
      • 2.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Pentax K100D
      4. Advantage of Leica M9
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      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 Pentax K100D and Leica M9.

      PROS

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Large Sensor
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6.1 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   No Video Capture
      •   2,500 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.0 fps
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots


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

      AVERAGE

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Weight - 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz)
      •   Sensor Resolution - 18.0 Megapixel
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 69
      •   Weight - 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz)

      Advantage of Pentax K100D

      Pentax K100D
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pentax K100D over Leica M9.

      Pentax K100D vs Leica M9
      Higher Native ISO 3,200 vs 2,500
      Multi Area Autofocus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Single Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Image Stabilization Sensor Shift vs
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 30 sec vs 4 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 2.8 fps vs 2.0 fps
      Built-in Flash vs
      Shutter Priority vs
      Average Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Pentax K100D.

      Pentax K100D Super
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      APS-C

      6.1 MP

      Canon Rebel T5
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      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Pentax K-01
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      16 MP

      Canon 70D
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      20.2 MP

      Sony a3500
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      20 MP

      Pentax K-3 III Monochrome
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      APS-C

      25.73 MP

      Samsung NX mini
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      1-inch

      20.5 MP

      Nikon D3000
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Sony a6300
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      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Canon 1D C
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      Full Frame

      18.1 MP

      Canon 5DS
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      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Fujifilm X-E4
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      APS-C

      26.1 MP

      Advantage of Leica M9

      Leica M9
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Leica M9 over Pentax K100D.

      Pentax K100D vs Leica M9
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs Full Frame
      Higher Sensor Resolution 6.1 Megapixel vs 18.0 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 200 vs 80
      Max Image Resolution 3008 x 2008 vs 5212 x 3472
      Higher Resolution Screen 210k dot vs 230k dot
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.57x vs 0.68x
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Lighter 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz) vs 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz)
      Orientation Sensor vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Leica M9.

      Leica M10
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      Full Frame

      24 MP

      Leica M8
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      APS-H

      10.35 MP

      Leica M11
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      Full Frame

      60.3 MP

      Leica M9-P
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      Full Frame

      18.0 MP

      Leica M-E Typ 220
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      Full Frame

      18.0 MP

      Leica M Typ 240
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      Full Frame

      24 MP

      Leica M Edition 60
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      Full Frame

      23.7 MP

      Leica M Monochrom
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      Full Frame

      19 MP

      Leica M11 Monochrom
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      Full Frame

      60.3 MP

      Leica M8.2
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      APS-H

      10.35 MP

      Panasonic GF2
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Canon 4000D
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      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      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.

      WEAKNESSES Pentax K100D Leica M9
        No Video Capture
        Low Native ISO3,2002,500
        Timelapse Recording
        No Face Detection
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        Low Resolution Screen210k dot230k dot
        No Live View
        Low Max Continuous Shooting2.8 fps2.0 fps
        No HDMI Output
        No Built-in Microphone
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Pentax K100D and Leica M9 have 2.5" Fixed screens with 210k dot and 230k dot resolutions respectively.


      Viewfinder

      Pentax K100D has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinderLeica M9 has a built-in Optical (rangefinder) viewfinder. Pentax K100D has 96% coverage with 0.85x (0.57x 35mm equivalent) magnification and with 0.68x magnification.

      Sensor

      Pentax K100D features a 6.1 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 369 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 3,200. Leica M9 features a 18.0 megapixel Full Frame CCD sensor with dimensions of 36 x 24 mm and a total area of 576 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 2,500.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Pentax K100D can take pictures up to 3008 x 2008 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 2400 x 1600, 1536 x 1024 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Leica M9 can take pictures up to 5212 x 3472 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3840 x 2592, 2592 x 1728, 1728 x 1152, 1280 x 846 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Pentax K100D has Pentax KAF lens mount and Leica M9 has Leica M lens mount. Due to APS-C sensor in Pentax K100D its crop factor is equal to 1.5x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5. Due to Full Frame sensor in Leica M9 its crop factor is equal to 1x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Leica M9

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Leica M9. 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.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Pentax K100D

      Pentax K100D has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer.


      Battery

      Pentax K100D comes with 4 x AA battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Cameras have a single SD/SDHC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Pentax K100D has Electronically controlled Vertical Run Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Pentax K100D, and up to 1/4000 sec on Leica M9. Pentax K100D can shoot continuously up to 2.8 fps. Leica M9 can shoot continuously up to 2.0 fps.


      Flash

      Pentax K100D has a built-in flash and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe. Leica M9 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/180 sec on both cameras.

      Physical Parameters

      Pentax K100D body has dimensions of 129 x 93 x 70 mm (5.08 x 3.66 x 2.76") and Leica M9 body has dimensions of 139 x 80 x 37 mm (5.47 x 3.15 x 1.46"). Pentax K100D weighs 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz) and Leica M9 weighs 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz).

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      129 mm

      93 mm

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      139 mm

      80 mm

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      93 mm

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      80 mm

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      70 mm

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      37 mm

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      Size comparisons of Pentax K100D and Leica M9

      Pentax K100D and Leica M9 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

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      70
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      57
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      POOR
      48
      •   2,500 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      55
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      47
      •   2,500 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      GOOD
      75
      •   Large Sensor
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      GOOD
      77
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz)
      GOOD
      79
      •   Large Sensor
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      GOOD
      79
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz)
      GOOD
      78
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Pentax K100D and Leica M9 and give them scores of 54 and 46 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.


      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      OVERALL
      54
      OVERALL
      46

      Sensor

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      59
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6.1 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      GOOD
      76
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 18.0 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   2,500 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 69

      Photo

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec

      Video

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      BAD
      0
      •   Image Stabilization
      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      BAD
      0
      •   No Face Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot

      Connectivity

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      POOR
      40
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      POOR
      40
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Pentax K100D

      Leica M9

      POOR
      41
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz)
      BAD
      39
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots


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

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