M11 Monochromvs ZV-1 II
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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt pocket.
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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the zv-1 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £649 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | — | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 292g |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | None |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Family & Everyday | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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