MP 0.72vs A7S II
Leica
MP 0.72 (2003)
Starting from £4850 new
Best for Street, Documentary & Reportage Film Photography
View MP 0.72
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S 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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The a7s ii is the most affordable; only the a7s ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | MP 0.72 (2003) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,850 | £799 |
| Sensor | 35mm film | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 12.1MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder — coupled 0.72× viewfinder | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | ~1fps (manual film advance) | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | Effectively unlimited — battery powers meter only | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 600g (body only) | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 138 × 77 × 38mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.72× magnification, 28–135mm framelines | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | None | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 recommended) | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | None | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | MP 0.72 | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports | — |
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