M11 Monochromvs Lumix S5
Leica
M11 Monochrom (2023)
Starting from £8300 new
Best for Black & White Photography
View M11 Monochrom
Lumix
Lumix S5 (2020)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for Professional video & hybrid shooting
View Lumix S5
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.
Professional Video & Hybrid Shooting — Lumix S5 (2020): The S5 is an outstanding video camera that also takes excellent stills. 10-bit 4K/60p, dual native ISO and 6.5-stop IBIS in a weather-sealed body is a compelling package. The contrast-detect AF is its main weakness vs Sony and Canon — but for controlled shooting it doesn't hold it back.
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 (2020)
- Videographers who need 10-bit colour science in a full-frame body
- Photographers who shoot video as a second discipline
- Studio photographers who want full-frame IBIS at a lower price
- L-mount system users building a versatile kit
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the lumix s5 is the most affordable; only the lumix s5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | Lumix S5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | — | 4K/60p 10-bit V-Log/HLG, 5.9K anamorphic, 1080p/180p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Contrast AF (DFD Technology), face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | — | 6.5-stop IBIS (dual IBIS with Lumix S lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 7fps mechanical, 9fps electronic (AFS) |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 714g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 132.6 × 97.1 × 81.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.84M dots |
| 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 (USB 3.2 Gen 1), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | Lumix S5 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with M11 Monochrom
Camera family history