M10vs Sony A9 III
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
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.
Sports & Action Professionals — Sony A9 III (2023): A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
Who should buy what
M10 (2017)
- Serious photographers who want to slow down
- Street and documentary photographers
- Leica M-mount lens owners
Sony A9 III (2023)
- Professional sports photographers who need zero blackout and 120fps burst
- Wildlife photographers who demand the most advanced Sony AF available
- Photojournalists who need flash sync at any shutter speed
- A9 II owners upgrading to the world's first full-frame global shutter
Quick take: The sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the m10 is the most affordable; only the sony a9 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M10 (2017) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,000 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | — | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus (rangefinder coupled) | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 660g (with battery) | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 139 × 80 × 38.5mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M10 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history