MP 0.72vs A7R
Leica
MP 0.72 (2003)
Starting from £4850 new
Best for Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography
View MP 0.72
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
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
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | MP 0.72 (2003) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,850 | £349 |
| Sensor | 35mm film | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | — | 36.4MP |
| Video | — | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder — coupled 0.72× viewfinder | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | — | None |
| Burst Rate | ~1fps (manual film advance) | 4fps |
| Battery Life | Effectively unlimited — battery powers meter only | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 600g (body only) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 138 × 77 × 38mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.72× magnification, 28–135mm framelines | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | None | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 recommended) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | None | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | MP 0.72 | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| 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