Leica M11vs A6500
Leica
Leica M11 (2022)
Starting from £7999 new
Best for Rangefinder enthusiasts & collectors
View Leica M11
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
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.
Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography — A6500 (2016): The first Sony APS-C with IBIS — the A6500 added in-body stabilisation, touch AF, and a far deeper buffer to the A6300's already strong formula.
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
A6500 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want IBIS in a compact weather-sealed E-mount body
- A6300 owners who need the stabilisation or touch AF the A6300 lacked
- Street and documentary photographers who want a capable compact with weather sealing
- Sony E-mount shooters looking for a capable used body at an accessible price
Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica M11 (2022) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £7,999 | £649 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | None | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 4.5fps | 11fps |
| Battery Life | 700 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g body only | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 2.3" fixed TFT LCD | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II + 64GB internal storage | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica M11 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| 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