Decision tools · Compare
M11 Monochrom vs 1 J5
Quick take: The M11 Monochrom has the highest resolution at 60MP; the 1 J5 is the most affordable; only the M11 Monochrom is weather sealed.
Where the M11 Monochrom wins
- Resolution: 60.3MP
- Battery Life: ~700 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Landscape: 7.2 vs 3.9
- Architecture: 6.7 vs 3.4
Where the 1 J5 wins
- Cheaper new: £93 vs £8,500
- Burst Rate: 20fps
- Weight: 265g (with battery)
- Portrait: 3.9 vs 3.2
- Street: 6.7 vs 6.2
16 specs side by side·14 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.
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Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- M11 Monochrom 139 × 80 × 38 mm · 530 g
- 1 J5 98 × 60 × 32 mm · 265 g
The 1 J5 is 41 mm narrower, 20 mm shorter, 6 mm slimmer and 265 g lighter than the M11 Monochrom.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
M11 Monochrom — Black & White Photography: 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.
Who should buy what
M11 Monochrom (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | M11 MonochromLeica · 2023 | 1 J5Nikon · 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,500 | £93 usedBest |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 20.8MP 1-inch (CX) BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MPBest | 20.8MP |
| Video | No video | 4K UHD/15p, 1080p/60 |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Hybrid AF: 171 areas, 105 with phase detection; face detection, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 20fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA)Best | ~250 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 265g (with battery)Best |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 98.3 × 59.7 × 31.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | YesBest | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | None (rear screen only) |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Nikon 1 |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Single microSD slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, micro HDMI, 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 Monochrom
1 J5
Portrait
3.2/10
3.9/10
Street
6.2/10
6.7/10
Travel
3.6/10
6.1/10
Wedding & Events
2.0/10
2.9/10
Documentary
2.9/10
4.1/10
Sports & Action
2.4/10
4.5/10
Landscape
7.2/10
3.9/10
Wildlife
1.5/10
4.3/10
Casual
1.6/10
5.1/10
Food
3.0/10
4.6/10
Macro
3.8/10
3.4/10
Architecture
6.7/10
3.4/10
Astrophotography
5.9/10
2.6/10
Filmmaking
—
3.2/10
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 →
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