MP 0.72vs OM-3
Leica
MP 0.72 (2003)
Starting from £4850 new
Best for Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography
View MP 0.72
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography — MP 0.72 (2003): The purist's Leica — a fully mechanical 35mm rangefinder with no electronics bar the meter. Still built by hand in Wetzlar. The most honest camera ever made.
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
Who should buy what
MP 0.72 (2003)
- Serious film photographers who want the finest rangefinder ever made
- Street and documentary photographers who shoot Kodak Tri-X or HP5
- Leica M-mount collectors and long-term lens owners
- Photographers who value mechanical precision over electronic convenience
OM-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
Quick take: The om-3 is the most affordable; only the om-3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | MP 0.72 (2003) | OM-3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,850 | £999 |
| Sensor | 35mm film | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds |
| Resolution | — | 20.4MP |
| Video | — | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder — coupled 0.72× viewfinder | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | ~1fps (manual film advance) | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF |
| Battery Life | Effectively unlimited — battery powers meter only | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 600g (body only) | 414g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 138 × 77 × 38mm | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.72× magnification, 28–135mm framelines | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | None | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 recommended) | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | None | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | MP 0.72 | OM-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with MP 0.72
Camera family history