Leica SL2vs A1
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Commercial, Landscape, Video — Leica SL2 (2019): Leica's most capable system camera — excellent for photographers who want L-mount glass access.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
Leica SL2 (2019)
- Commercial photographers who want Leica quality with modern AF
- Filmmakers who want Leica glass with video capability
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the leica sl2 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica SL2 (2019) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,200 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | Full-frame CMOS 35mm | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 47.3MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | 370 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 835g (body only) | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 146.0 × 107.0 × 80.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L-Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C 3.1, HDMI full-size | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica SL2 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Leica SL2
Camera family history