M11 Monochromvs ZV-E1
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.
Video Creators, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
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-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
Quick take: The m11 monochrom has the highest resolution at 60mp; the zv-e1 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | M11 Monochrom (2023) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £8,300 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 60.3MP Full-Frame Monochrome BSI CMOS (no colour filter array) | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 60.3MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | — | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder (no autofocus) | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~700 shots (CIPA) | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification | None — screen only |
| Screen | 2.3" touchscreen LCD, 2.33M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | M11 Monochrom | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Low Light | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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