M11 Monochromvs A7S
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.
Astrophotography & Low-Light — A7S (2014): The original A7S pioneered the concept of a camera optimised entirely for low light. Its 12.2MP sensor has enormous photosites — extraordinary high-ISO performance that still holds up. Lacking IBIS and limited to 1080p internally (4K requires external recorder), it is a specialist tool. For astrophotography, event videography, or any scenario where light is genuinely scarce, it remains outstanding.
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 (2014)
- Astrophotographers
- Low-light event videographers
- Filmmakers needing clean high-ISO footage
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7s is the most affordable; only the a7s is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | A7S (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £600 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 12.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 12.2MP |
| Video | — | 1080p/60p internal, 4K via HDMI (external recorder) |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Phase-detect / contrast-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | — | None |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 474g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | Electronic, 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 (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Multi/Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | A7S |
|---|---|---|
| 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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