M11 Monochromvs A7S II
Leica
M11 Monochrom (2023)
Starting from £8300 new
Best for Black & White Photography
View M11 Monochrom
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S II
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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market 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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7s ii is the most affordable; only the a7s ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £799 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports | — |
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