Leica M11vs A1
Leica
Leica M11 (2022)
Starting from £7999 new
Best for Rangefinder enthusiasts & collectors
View Leica M11
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
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 Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
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
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a1 is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica M11 (2022) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £7,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | None | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 4.5fps | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | 700 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g body only | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 2.3" fixed TFT LCD | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II + 64GB internal storage | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica M11 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Documentary | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Leica M11
Camera family history