M11 Monochromvs A5100
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.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): 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)
- 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)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a5100 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £200 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | — | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | — | None |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | None |
| 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 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video |
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