Leica M11vs Nikon Z8
Leica
Leica M11 (2022)
Starting from £7999 new
Best for Rangefinder enthusiasts & collectors
View Leica M11
Nikon
Nikon Z8 (2023)
Starting from £3999 new
Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals
View Nikon Z8
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Rangefinder Enthusiasts & Collectors — Leica M11 (2022): 60MP of full-frame resolution in the thinnest digital M ever made — the M11 is the definitive expression of Leica's rangefinder tradition.
Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals — Nikon Z8 (2023): Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.
Who should buy what
Leica M11 (2022)
- Rangefinder photographers who want the pinnacle of the M system
- M10-R owners upgrading to the BSI sensor and simplified base plate
- Collectors and enthusiasts who want the most refined digital Leica M ever made
- Photographers who want to slow down and shoot with intention
Nikon Z8 (2023)
- Professional photographers who want Z9 capability in a smaller body
- Wildlife and sports shooters who want 8K RAW and 120fps burst
- Z6 III or Z7 II owners upgrading to pro-grade performance
- Hybrid professionals who need the best Nikon video and stills in one body
Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the nikon z8 is the most affordable; only the nikon z8 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica M11 (2022) | Nikon Z8 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £7,999 | £3,999 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | None | 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 4.5fps | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | 700 shots (CIPA) | 330 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g body only | 910g body only |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 2.3" fixed TFT LCD | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II + 64GB internal storage | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica M11 | Nikon Z8 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Documentary | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| 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