M11 Monochromvs Z5
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.
Entry-Level Full-Frame & Dslr Switchers — Z5 (2020): The most affordable route into full-frame Z — dual card slots, IBIS, and a capable sensor at an accessible price.
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
Z5 (2020)
- DSLR photographers switching to full-frame mirrorless for the first time
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame image quality on a tighter budget
- Photographers stepping up from APS-C who don't need fast burst or 4K
- Z5 II shoppers on a budget — the original Z5 is now excellent value used
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the z5 is the most affordable; only the z5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | Z5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £999 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 24.3MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p (with crop), 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Hybrid AF — 273 phase-detect points, eye/subject detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 4.5fps |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 590g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 134 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.8× magnification |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Nikon Z mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | Z5 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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