M11 Monochromvs Leica SL2
Leica
M11 Monochrom (2023)
Starting from £8300 new
Best for Black & White Photography
View M11 Monochrom
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.
Commercial, Landscape, Video — Leica SL2 (2019): Leica's most capable system camera — excellent for photographers who want L-mount glass access.
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
Leica SL2 (2019)
- Commercial photographers who want Leica quality with modern AF
- Filmmakers who want Leica glass with video capability
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the leica sl2 is the most affordable; only the leica sl2 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | Leica SL2 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £4,200 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | Full-frame CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 47.3MP |
| Video | — | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 20fps |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | 370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 835g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 146.0 × 107.0 × 80.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Leica L-Mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | 2× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C 3.1, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | Leica SL2 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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