M10vs D850
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street & Documentary — M10 (2017): The M10 returned Leica to its roots — thinner, cleaner, and video-free by design. The 24MP sensor is the perfect resolution for a manual-focus rangefinder. The simplified control layout respects the M tradition without digital clutter. A camera for photographers who want to slow down and engage with every frame. One of the most satisfying cameras to use — assuming you have M-mount glass to pair with it.
Landscape, Wildlife & Professional Studio Photography — D850 (2017): The finest DSLR ever made — 45MP, 9fps, and nearly 2000 shots per charge in a body that still outperforms most mirrorless cameras for battery life.
Who should buy what
M10 (2017)
- Serious photographers who want to slow down
- Street and documentary photographers
- Leica M-mount lens owners
D850 (2017)
- Nikon F-mount lens owners who want the highest resolution DSLR before switching to mirrorless
- Landscape and wildlife photographers who value the optical viewfinder and outstanding battery life
- Professional photographers who need 45MP resolution without the price of a medium format system
- Photojournalists and event photographers with a large F-mount lens investment
Quick take: The d850 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the d850 is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M10 (2017) | D850 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,000 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 24MP Full-Frame CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | — | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus (rangefinder coupled) | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | None | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 660g (with battery) | 915g body only |
| Dimensions | 139 × 80 × 38.5mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Nikon F-mount (FX) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M10 | D850 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with M10
Camera family history