M11 Monochromvs OM-3
Leica
M11 Monochrom (2023)
Starting from £8300 new
Best for Black & White Photography
View M11 Monochrom
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
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.
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the om-3 is the most affordable; only the om-3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | OM-3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £999 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | — | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 414g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | OM-3 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 →
More comparisons with M11 Monochrom
Camera family history