MP 0.72vs ZV-E1
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.
Video Creators, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
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
ZV-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
Quick take: The zv-e1 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | MP 0.72 (2003) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,850 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 35mm film | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | — | 12.1MP |
| Video | — | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Manual focus rangefinder — coupled 0.72× viewfinder | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | ~1fps (manual film advance) | 10fps |
| Battery Life | Effectively unlimited — battery powers meter only | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 600g (body only) | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 138 × 77 × 38mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder, 0.72× magnification, 28–135mm framelines | None — screen only |
| Screen | None | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 recommended) | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | None | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | MP 0.72 | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Low Light | — |
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