M11 Monochromvs Lumix S5 II
Leica
M11 Monochrom (2023)
Starting from £8300 new
Best for Black & White Photography
View M11 Monochrom
Lumix
Lumix S5 II (2023)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Hybrid video & photography
View Lumix S5 II
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.
Hybrid Video & Photography — Lumix S5 II (2023): Phase-detect AF changed everything for Lumix — the S5 II delivers exceptional hybrid performance with 6K video and genuine full-frame value.
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
Lumix S5 II (2023)
- Hybrid photographers who want phase-detect AF for the first time on a Lumix S body
- Video creators who want 6K and reliable subject tracking in a full-frame body
- S5 owners upgrading to the most significant Lumix full-frame update in years
- L-mount photographers who want the best value full-frame Lumix available
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the lumix s5 ii is the most affordable; only the lumix s5 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | Lumix S5 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 24.2MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | — | 6K/30p, 4K/60p, C4K/60p, V-Log |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS (up to 6.5-stop with OIS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 30fps electronic / 7fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 740g body only |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 134.3 × 102.3 × 90.1mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | 0.76" OLED EVF, 3.68M dots |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Leica L-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.1, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | Lumix S5 II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| 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