M11 Monochromvs OM-1
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.
Wildlife, Sport, Outdoor — OM-1 (2022): OM System's statement camera — class-leading weather sealing and the best IBIS in the business.
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
OM-1 (2022)
- Wildlife and bird photographers who need fast burst and pro weather sealing
- Outdoor photographers who work in challenging conditions
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the om-1 is the most affordable; only the om-1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | OM-1 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | Micro Four Thirds Live MOS stacked BSI |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | — | 4K 60fps 10-bit |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | 1053-point cross-type phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 7.0 stops (8 stops with sync IS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps mechanical, 50fps electronic, 120fps Pro Capture |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | 520 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 599g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 134.8 × 91.6 × 72.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF 0.83× 5.76M-dot |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M-dot |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C 3.1, HDMI, 3.5mm mic/headphone |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | OM-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | ||
| Travel | ||
| Casual | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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