M10vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
Who should buy what
M10 (2017)
- Serious photographers who want to slow down
- Street and documentary photographers
- Leica M-mount lens owners
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a9 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M10 (2017) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,000 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus (rangefinder coupled) | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 660g (with battery) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 139 × 80 × 38.5mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M10 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| 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