Canon EOS R3vs Leica M11vs Leica SL3

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon Canon EOS R3 Canon Canon EOS R3 (2021) From £5999 Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals View Canon EOS R3
VS
Leica Leica M11 Leica Leica M11 (2022) From £7999 Best for Rangefinder enthusiasts & collectors View Leica M11
VS
Leica Leica SL3 Leica Leica SL3 (2024) From £6499 Best for Professional & luxury hybrid shooters View Leica SL3

Which should you buy?

Sports & Photojournalism Professionals — Canon EOS R3 (2021): The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.

Rangefinder Enthusiasts & Collectors — Leica M11 (2022): 60MP of full-frame resolution in the thinnest digital M ever made — the M11 is the definitive expression of Leica's rangefinder tradition.

Professional & Luxury Hybrid Shooters — Leica SL3 (2024): Leica's most capable mirrorless — 60MP, 30fps burst, 8K ProRes, and 7.5-stop IBIS with L-mount's growing lens ecosystem.

↓ Full specifications below

Canon EOS R3 (2021)

  • You shoot sport, motorsport, wildlife, or news at a professional level
  • You need Canon's most reliable and fastest autofocus available
  • You need extreme weather sealing for demanding shooting conditions

Leica M11 (2022)

  • You shoot street, documentary, or reportage and prefer manual focus discipline
  • You value a discreet, minimal camera that doesn't draw attention in public
  • You're willing to invest time in the rangefinder learning curve for a uniquely rewarding experience

Leica SL3 (2024)

  • You want Leica image quality with the convenience of autofocus and interchangeable lenses
  • You shoot portraits, commercial, or editorial and want the best Leica system camera
  • You plan to use Leica M lenses via adapter alongside native SL glass

Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the canon eos r3 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3, leica sl3 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)Leica M11 (2022)Leica SL3 (2024)
Price £5,999 £7,999 £6,499
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS
Resolution 24.1MP 60.0MP 60.0MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p None 8K/30p, 4K/60p, Apple ProRes
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS None 7.5-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 4.5fps 30fps electronic
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) 700 shots (CIPA) 410 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1015g body only 530g body only 875g body only
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm 146.0 × 104.0 × 42.0mm
Weather Sealed Yes No Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) 0.78" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 2.3" fixed TFT LCD 3.2" fixed touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Leica M-mount Leica L-mount
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B Single SD UHS-II + 64GB internal storage Dual SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → Leica M11 prices → Leica SL3 prices →

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