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Leica V-Lux 5  Camera Review

Reviewed Jun 29, 2021 at 10:25am
Writing modified Jan 24, 2024 at 02:55pm
Tested using methodology v0.12.1 
Leica V-Lux 5
7.0
Travel Photography 
7.0
Landscape Photography 
7.1
Sport & Wildlife Photography 
6.5
Raw Photo Performance 
6.9
Vlogging 
7.4
Studio Video 
2.9
Action Video 
 0

The Leica V-Lux 5 is a bridge camera with a zoom lens. It's very similar to the Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II, with the same built-in Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens but a slightly different body design and more premium Leica branding. Like other bridge cameras, it trades the larger sensor size of an interchangeable lens camera for the convenience of a built-in lens with longer maximum zoom, allowing you to shoot close-ups or zoom in on faraway subjects. It delivers solid image quality, with okay dynamic range and minimal visual noise, though it isn't as well-suited to dim lighting conditions. It's also decent for video, with good video stabilization and autofocus performance in FHD. However, it performs noticeably worse in 4k.

Our Verdict

7.0
Travel Photography 

The Leica V-Lux 5 is decent for travel photography. It takes high-quality images with little noise at higher ISO levels, which is helpful when taking photos in dimmer conditions. Its wide focal length range also gives you a lot of flexibility for framing. However, it's not the most portable or lightweight camera to take on the go. Also, while its autofocus system is okay at tracking moving objects, it struggles with face tracking. On the upside, it has a decent advertised battery life in photos, and the screen gets bright enough to overcome glare in sunny conditions.

Pros
  • Good image quality for its class.
  • Decent battery life.
Cons
  • Poor face tracking.
  • On the bulky side.
7.0
Landscape Photography 

The Leica V-Lux 5 is decent for landscape photography. Its image quality is decent, but its dynamic range and noise handling are limited by its smaller sensor. On the upside, it feels well-built and comfortable to use. Its screen also gets bright enough to overcome glare, which is great when shooting on sunny days. However, it isn't the most portable to take to remote shooting locations.

Pros
  • Good image quality for its class.
  • Decent dynamic range for its sensor size.
  • Feels well-built.
Cons
  • On the bulky side.
  • Mediocre low light performance.
7.1
Sport & Wildlife Photography 

The Leica V-Lux 5 is decent for sport and wildlife photography, especially for more casual photography. It has a fairly long zoom range to help you capture far-off subjects. Unfortunately, its face-tracking performance is disappointing. The image quality is great, though it doesn't have the best noise handling in low light. Still, its shooting speed is impressive, with a fast continuous shooting rate and virtually instant buffer empty time when shooting in JPEG.

Pros
  • Great shooting speed.
  • Good image quality for its class.
  • Relatively long focal length.
Cons
  • Poor face tracking.
6.5
Raw Photo Performance 

The Leica V-Lux 5 has fair RAW photo performance. Its dynamic range is alright, though it can't capture as wide a range of detail as a camera with larger sensors. It isn't the best option for low-light shooting, either, with mediocre noise handling. That said, you can still get good results in bright lighting conditions, and its overall image quality isn't bad for its class.

Pros
  • Decent dynamic range for its sensor size.
Cons
  • Mediocre low light performance.
6.9
Vlogging 

The Leica V-Lux 5 is okay for vlogging. It's not the smallest or lightest camera, but it has a fully articulated screen to help you monitor the video while self-recording. Its battery life is also superb for video, although this can vary with settings and usage. It also has a good video stabilization feature in FHD to smooth out camera shake while walking, but unfortunately, it doesn't offer digital video stabilization in 4k. The video quality is okay overall. Also, its autofocus system is decent at tracking faces in FHD but does a poor job in 4k.

Pros
  • Decent overall video quality.
  • Fully articulated screen.
  • Good FHD video stabilization.
Cons
  • Lackluster autofocus system.
  • On the bulky side.
  • No 4k video stabilization.
7.4
Studio Video 

The Leica V-Lux 5 is decent for studio video. It delivers decent overall video quality, and the menu system is fantastic and easy to use. It has many helpful inputs for studio video, including a microphone jack, a remote control port, and an HDMI port that supports clean HDMI output for connecting an external recorder without any overlays, but it lacks a headphone jack. Unfortunately, the autofocus system is just okay in FHD and performs poorly in 4k.

Pros
  • Decent overall video quality.
  • Supports clean HDMI output.
Cons
  • Lackluster autofocus system.
  • No headphone jack.
2.9
Action Video 

The Leica V-Lux 5 isn't for action video. It's bulky, isn't designed for use with an action cam mounting accessory, and isn't water-resistant. It also can't shoot video in 120 or 240 fps to generate smooth slow-motion footage.

Pros
  • Decent overall video quality.
Cons
  • Lackluster autofocus system.
  • Not designed for action mounts.
  • Not water-resistant.
  • Can't record 120 or 240 fps.
  • 7.0
    Travel Photography
  • 7.0
    Landscape Photography
  • 7.1
    Sport & Wildlife Photography
  • 6.5
    Raw Photo Performance
  • 6.9
    Vlogging
  • 7.4
    Studio Video
  • 2.9
    Action Video
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Jan 29, 2024: Added text to the 'Raw Photo Performance' verdict box and updated existing verdict boxes for clarity and accuracy.
    2.  Updated Jan 29, 2024: Converted to Test Bench 0.12.1.
    3.  Updated Apr 24, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.12.
    4.  Updated Apr 12, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.11.

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Leica V-Lux 5 only comes in one color variant: 'Black'. You can see our unit's label here.

    If you come across another variant, or your Leica V-Lux 5 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update the review.

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    2.2
    Portability
    Height
    3.8" (9.7 cm)
    Width
    5.4" (13.8 cm)
    Depth
    5.4" (13.8 cm)
    Volume
    112.7 in³ (1,847.3 cm³)
    Weight
    1.81 lbs (0.82 kg)
    7.5
    Build Quality

    • The body is made of sturdy plastic
    • Inputs and outputs are covered by robust rubber flaps
    • Buttons are flatter and wider than those on the Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II
    • Lens ring turns smoothly but offers nice resistance
    • Command dials are smooth and easy to use, and unlike the Panasonic FZ1000 II, the top back dial feels nicer to use
    • Zoom toggle is sensitive to make use easy, but not so much so that you can't control it
    • The screen and hinge mechanism feel very sturdy
    • The flash mechanism feels somewhat flimsy
    • Has a directional pad to navigate the menu as opposed to a dial, which may make it more difficult to navigate depending on personal preference
    • Shoulder strap hooks are made of plastic, as opposed to metal hooks on the Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II

    Body
    Body Type
    Bridge
    Water Resistance
    No
    Mirrorless
    Yes
    Rugged
    No
    Hot Shoe
    Yes
    Customizable Button
    Yes
    Command Dial
    3
    Tripod Mount
    Yes
    Lens Mount
    No Lens Mount
    Built-In Flash
    Yes
    Fastest Shutter Speed
    1/4,000 s
    In The Box

    • Leica V-Lux 5
    • Shoulder strap
    • Lens cap
    • Lens cap string
    • Lens hood
    • USB-A to Micro-USB cable
    • AC adapter
    • 1x Leica BP-DC12 battery
    • Instruction manual

    8.5
    Ergonomics & Comfort
    Hand Grip: Small Hand
    Yes
    Hand Grip: Medium Hand
    Yes
    Hand Grip: Large Hand
    Yes
    Hand Grip: Extra-Large Hand
    Yes

    • The grip is large, with rubberized thumb rest and front grip, and holding the camera feels secure
    • Three command dials, including lens ring, make it easy to adjust exposure parameters
    • Most buttons are easy to reach
    • Rubberized eye cup around the viewfinder feels comfortable, with a lot of space between the viewfinder and the body
    • Screen is fully articulated
    • In AF mode, the lens ring is used to adjust zoom, and it does so in increments, making it easy to reach your desired focal length
    • Can't change SD card while mounted on a tripod due to placement of slot

    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder Type
    Electronic
    Advertised Coverage
    100%
    Advertised Resolution
    2.36 million dots
    Advertised Magnification
    0.74
    9.4
    Screen
    Screen Articulation Type
    Fully-Articulated
    Screen Max Brightness
    894 cd/m²
    Advertised Resolution
    1.24 million dots
    Size
    3.0" (7.5 cm)
    Touchscreen
    Yes
    9.0
    Menu System
    Guide Mode
    Yes
    App Name
    Leica FOTOS App

    • Menu system is easy to navigate using the directional pad or touchscreen
    • Quick menu gives you access to commonly used settings like ISO, drive mode, and exposure compensation
    • Can be a little difficult to see the highlighted option in the Q menu, as it's only underlined by a thin red line
    • You can customize up to eight buttons to suit your preferences, along with five customizable tabs on the screen
    • Display option allows you to check shooting mode, aperture, shooting speed, ISO, exposure bias, white balance, flash setting, drive mode, autofocus mode, focus mode, file format, Wi-Fi, and more all at once, though you can't see through the viewfinder or screen while looking at this display
    • Guide mode can explain certain features and functions to novice users and is easily toggled by pressing the 'Display' button when in the menu

    7.1
    Built-In Lens
    See details on graph tool
    Maximum Aperture
    2.8 - 4.0
    Max Aperture (Full-Frame Equivalent)
    f/7.6
    Minimum Focal Length
    9.1 mm
    Maximum Focal Length
    146 mm
    Max Focal Length (Full-Frame Equivalent)
    400 mm
    Optical Image Stabilization
    Yes
    Luminance
    79.6%
    Light Falloff
    67.2%
    Sensor
    Sensor Type
    MOS
    Advertised Effective Pixels
    20.1 MP
    Sensor Size
    1-inch
    Processor
    Unspecified
    Extended ISO Minimum
    80
    Native ISO Minimum (Base ISO)
    125
    Native ISO Maximum
    12,800
    Tested Firmware
    Ver.2.0
    7.4
    Battery
    Battery Type
    Leica BP-DC12
    USB Charging
    Yes
    Power Delivery While Recording
    No
    Advertised Battery Life In Photo
    360 photos
    Tested Battery Life In Video
    131 min
    Photo General
    6.3
    Photo Shooting Speed
    Low Speed Continuous
    2 fps
    High Speed Continuous
    11 fps
    Silent Shooting Continuous
    11 fps
    Raw Buffer Size
    31 Photos
    JPEG Buffer Size
    104 Photos
    Buffer Empty Time
    24 s

    Note: When shooting in RAW format, the buffer empty time is 24s.

    5.9
    Photo AF-C Tracking
    Autofocus Tracking Shots
    tracking-run-01-01
    Run 01
    AF-C Tracking 01
    Perfect Focus Hit Rate
    46%
    Usable Focus Hit Rate
    58%
    9.9
    Photo AF-C Center Point
    Autofocus Center Point Shots
    center-point-run-01-01
    Run 01
    AF-C Center Point 01
    Perfect Focus Hit Rate
    98%
    Usable Focus Hit Rate
    100%
    7.8
    Photo Image Stabilization
    Minimum Shutter Speed Achieved
    1/13 s
    In-Body Image Stabilization
    No
    Photo Image Quality
    6.9
    Photo RAW Dynamic Range
    Dynamic Range At Base ISO
    9.1 f-stops
    Dynamic Range At 1/500s Exposure Time
    7.5 f-stops
    Dynamic Range At 1/2000s Exposure Time
    6.2 f-stops
    Dynamic Range At 1/4000s Exposure Time
    5.3 f-stops
    6.3
    Photo RAW Sharpness
    See details on graph tool
    Vertical Edge MTF50 At Base ISO
    1,534 LW/PH
    Horizontal Edge MTF50 At Base ISO
    1,219 LW/PH
    6.2
    Photo RAW Noise
    See details on graph tool
    SNR 18% At 1/8 Exposure Time (125 ms)
    32.4dB
    SNR 18% At 1/30 Exposure Time (33 ms)
    28.1 dB
    SNR 18% At 1/125 Exposure Time (8 ms)
    22.6 dB
    SNR 18% At 1/500 Exposure Time (2 ms)
    16.6dB
    Pictures Sample Gallery
    The Skate Park Picture
    JPEG Skate Park PictureDownload
    RAW Skate Park PictureDownload
    The Polish Church Picture
    JPEG Polish Church PictureDownload
    RAW Polish Church PictureDownload
    The Studio Picture
    JPEG Studio PictureDownload
    RAW Studio PictureDownload
    The Stairway Picture
    JPEG Stairway PictureDownload
    RAW Stairway PictureDownload
    Video General
    Video Features
    Full HD Video
    Yes
    4k Video
    Yes
    6k Video
    No
    Clean HDMI Output
    Yes
    Advertised Max Chroma Sampling Over HDMI
    Not Advertised
    Advertised Max Bit Depth Over HDMI
    N/A
    Log Picture Profile
    No
    Recording Light
    No
    Audio
    Audio Test Sample
    Audio Recording
    Stereo
    Microphone Level Display
    Yes
    Video File Format And Compression
    MP4 H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
    Yes
    MP4 H.265 / HEVC
    No
    MOV H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
    No
    MOV H.265 / HEVC
    No
    AVCHD H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
    No
    All-I Compression
    No
    4k Video
    5.8
    4k Video Frame Rate
    240 fps In 4k
    No
    120 fps In 4k
    No
    60 fps In 4k
    No
    30 fps In 4k
    Yes, with a Crop
    24 fps In 4k
    Yes, with a Crop
    4k Crop At Max Available fps
    1.42 x
    7.7
    4k Video Internal Recording
    Bitrate Maximum In 4k
    94 Mbps
    Bitrate Minimum In 4k
    94 Mbps
    Chroma Sampling In 4k
    4:2:0
    Bit Depth In 4k
    8 Bit
    Record Time Limit In 4k
    29 min
    Overheat Recording Interruptions in 4k
    0

    Note: This camera doesn't have any adjustable bit rate settings.

    4.9
    4k Video Autofocus Performance
    Object Tracking In 4k
    3.0
    Face Tracking In 4k
    5.1
    Face Detection In 4k
    Yes
    Eye Detection In 4k
    Yes

    Note: We tested autofocus performance using settings that deviate from our usual methodology to account for this camera's focal length. As such, the results may not be fully comparable with other cameras we've tested.

    7.5
    4k Video Quality
    Low Light Capability In 4k
    7.0
    Test Scene Extract In 4k
    8.0
    6.6
    4k Video Rolling Shutter Effect
    4k Rolling Shutter
    5.0°
    Full HD Video
    5.5
    FHD Video Frame Rate
    240 fps In FHD
    No
    120 fps In FHD
    No
    60 fps In FHD
    Yes
    30 fps In FHD
    Yes
    24 fps In FHD
    No
    FHD Crop At Max Available fps
    1 x
    7.3
    FHD Video Internal Recording
    Bitrate Maximum In FHD
    27 Mbps
    Bitrate Minimum In FHD
    20 Mbps
    Chroma Sampling In FHD
    4:2:0
    Bit Depth In FHD
    8 Bit
    Record Time Limit in FHD
    29 min
    6.6
    FHD Video Autofocus Performance
    Object Tracking In FHD
    5.0
    Face Tracking In FHD
    7.1
    Face Detection In FHD
    Yes
    Eye Detection In FHD
    Yes

    Note: We tested autofocus performance using settings that deviate from our usual methodology to account for this camera's focal length. As such, the results may not be fully comparable with other cameras we've tested.

    7.0
    FHD Video Quality
    Low Light Capability In FHD
    7.0
    Test Scene Extract In FHD
    7.0
    7.5
    FHD Video Rolling Shutter Effect
    FHD Rolling Shutter
    3.0°
    Storage And Connectivity
    Storage
    Card 1 Slot
    SD Card UHS-I
    Card 2 Slot
    No 2nd Card Slot
    7.8
    Inputs / Outputs
    USB
    Micro USB
    HDMI
    Micro (Type D)
    Headphones
    No
    Microphone
    Stereo
    Wi-Fi
    Yes
    Bluetooth
    Yes

    Note: This camera also has an input to connect a remote. Note also that the microphone jack is located on the other side of the camera (not pictured above).

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    1. Update: Added text to the ‘Raw Photo Performance’ verdict box and updated existing verdict boxes for clarity and accuracy.

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