Decision tools · Compare
M11 Monochrom vs A5100
Quick take: The M11 Monochrom has the highest resolution at 60MP; the A5100 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 5.0
- Architecture: 6.7 vs 5.2
Where the A5100 wins
- Cheaper new: £102 vs £8,500
- Burst Rate: 6fps
- Weight: 224g (body only)
- Portrait: 5.4 vs 3.2
- Street: 7.0 vs 6.2
16 specs side by side·15 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.
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- M11 Monochrom 139 × 80 × 38 mm · 530 g
- A5100 110 × 63 × 36 mm · 283 g
The A5100 is 29 mm narrower, 17 mm shorter, 2 mm slimmer and 247 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.
A5100 — Casual & Travel: The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
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
A5100 (2014)
is the right camera for you if…
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | M11 MonochromLeica · 2023 | A5100Sony · 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,500 | £102 usedBest |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MPBest | 24.3MP |
| Video | No video | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | — | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 6fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA)Best | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 224g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | YesBest | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | No viewfinder |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Micro USB, 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
A5100
Portrait
3.2/10
5.4/10
Street
6.2/10
7.0/10
Travel
3.6/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
2.0/10
3.5/10
Documentary
2.9/10
4.1/10
Sports & Action
2.4/10
4.7/10
Landscape
7.2/10
5.0/10
Wildlife
1.5/10
5.5/10
Casual
1.6/10
5.2/10
Food
3.0/10
5.9/10
Macro
3.8/10
5.2/10
Architecture
6.7/10
5.2/10
Astrophotography
5.9/10
4.7/10
Vlogging & Video
—
4.8/10
Fun & simple
—
4.9/10
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 →
Next
More comparisons with M11 Monochrom
Camera family history