Leica M11vs Nikon Z9
Leica
Leica M11 (2022)
Starting from £7999 new
Best for Rangefinder enthusiasts & collectors
View Leica M11
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.
Professional Sports & Wildlife — Nikon Z9 (2021): The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
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 Z9 (2021)
- Professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism photographers
- Nikon D6 or D850 users making the final switch to mirrorless
- Those who need the fastest, most reliable AF Nikon has ever made
- Professionals who need a flagship body with no mechanical shutter
Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the nikon z9 is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica M11 (2022) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £7,999 | £5,499 |
| 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/30p 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) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g body only | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| 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, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica M11 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Documentary | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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