M11 Monochromvs MP 0.72
Leica
M11 Monochrom (2023)
Starting from £8300 new
Best for Black & White Photography
View M11 Monochrom
Leica
MP 0.72 (2003)
Starting from £4850 new
Best for Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography
View MP 0.72
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Black & White Photography — M11 Monochrom (2023): The M11 Monochrom is the finest black-and-white camera in the world. A 60MP sensor with no colour filter array produces sharpness and tonal depth no colour camera can match — combined with extended high-ISO performance. Manual focus, no video, and an extraordinary price make it a specialist instrument, but for dedicated B&W photographers it is unmatched.
Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography — MP 0.72 (2003): The purist's Leica — a fully mechanical 35mm rangefinder with no electronics bar the meter. Still built by hand in Wetzlar. The most honest camera ever made.
Who should buy what
M11 Monochrom (2023)
- Dedicated black-and-white photographers who demand the finest possible monochrome files
- Fine art and documentary photographers who work exclusively in B&W
- Leica M system users who want maximum monochrome image quality
- Astrophotographers — monochrome sensors excel at capturing fine star detail
MP 0.72 (2003)
- Serious film photographers who want the finest rangefinder ever made
- Street and documentary photographers who shoot Kodak Tri-X or HP5
- Leica M-mount collectors and long-term lens owners
- Photographers who value mechanical precision over electronic convenience
Quick take: The mp 0.72 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | MP 0.72 (2003) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £4,850 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 35mm film |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | — |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Manual focus rangefinder — coupled 0.72× viewfinder |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | ~1fps (manual film advance) |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | Effectively unlimited — battery powers meter only |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 600g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 138 × 77 × 38mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | Optical rangefinder, 0.72× magnification, 28–135mm framelines |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | None |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Leica M-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 recommended) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | None |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | MP 0.72 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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