MP 0.72vs A1 II
Leica
MP 0.72 (2003)
Starting from £4850 new
Best for Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography
View MP 0.72
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship 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
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The mp 0.72 is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | MP 0.72 (2003) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,850 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 35mm film | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | — | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder — coupled 0.72× viewfinder | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | — | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | ~1fps (manual film advance) | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | Effectively unlimited — battery powers meter only | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 600g (body only) | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 138 × 77 × 38mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.72× magnification, 28–135mm framelines | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | None | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 recommended) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | None | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | MP 0.72 | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| 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