Decision tools · Compare

M11-D vs A5100

Quick take: The M11-D has the highest resolution at 60MP; the A5100 is the most affordable.

Where the M11-D wins

  • Resolution: 60.0MP
  • Battery Life: ~700 shots (CIPA)
  • Landscape: 6.2 vs 5.0
  • Architecture: 6.2 vs 5.2
  • Astrophotography: 5.6 vs 4.7

Where the A5100 wins

  • Cheaper new: £102 vs £8,500
  • Burst Rate: 6fps
  • Weight: 224g (body only)
  • Street: 7.0 vs 5.8
  • Travel: 6.4 vs 5.3

16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
0 25 50 75 M11-D 139 mm 80 mm A5100 110 mm 63 mm
  • M11-D 139 × 80 × 38 mm · 539 g
  • A5100 110 × 63 × 36 mm · 283 g

The A5100 is 29 mm narrower, 17 mm shorter, 2 mm slimmer and 256 g lighter than the M11-D.

Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.

Verdictwhich should you buy?

M11-D — Street, Documentary & Photographic Purists: A rangefinder with no screen — 60MP, manual focus, total presence. The most focused camera ever made.

A5100 — Casual & Travel: The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.

Who should buy what
M11-D (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Experienced rangefinder photographers who want to eliminate chimping and be fully present
  • M11 users who want to deepen their relationship with the photographic process
  • Documentary and street photographers who believe the screen distracts from the moment
  • Collectors and Leica enthusiasts who value the philosophy as much as the output
A5100 (2014)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
  • Compact travel photographers
  • Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification M11-DLeica · 2024A5100Sony · 2014
Price £8,500£102 usedBest
Sensor 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS — 64GB internal storage24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution 60.0MPBest24.3MP
Video None — this is a stills-only camera1080p/60p
Autofocus Manual focus only — rangefinder coupled focusingHybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection
Stabilisation None — manual rangefinder cameraNo stabilisation
Burst Rate 4.5fps6fpsBest
Battery Life ~700 shots (CIPA)Best~400 shots (CIPA)
Weight 530g (body only)224g (body only)Best
Dimensions 138.9 × 80.0 × 38.5mm109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm
Weather Sealed Not weather sealedNot weather sealed
Viewfinder Optical rangefinder viewfinder — 0.73× magnificationNo viewfinder
Screen None — no rear LCD by design3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots
Mount Leica M-mount — compatible with all M lensesSony E-mount
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storageSingle SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot
Connectivity USB-C, Wi-Fi, BluetoothMicro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
M11-D
A5100
Portrait
5.1/10
5.4/10
Street
5.8/10
7.0/10
Travel
5.3/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
2.8/10
3.5/10
Documentary
2.2/10
4.1/10
Sports & Action
2.0/10
4.7/10
Landscape
6.2/10
5.0/10
Wildlife
2.0/10
5.5/10
Casual
2.1/10
5.2/10
Food
4.0/10
5.9/10
Macro
3.3/10
5.2/10
Architecture
6.2/10
5.2/10
Astrophotography
5.6/10
4.7/10
Vlogging & Video
—
4.8/10
Fun & simple
—
4.9/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

Next
More comparisons with M11-D
Camera family history