Leica SL2vs A7 III
VS
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.
All-Round Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
Who should buy what
Leica SL2 (2019)
- Commercial photographers who want Leica quality with modern AF
- Filmmakers who want Leica glass with video capability
A7 III (2018)
- Enthusiast photographers upgrading from APS-C for the first time
- Working photographers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Anyone who shoots in low light regularly
- Hybrid shooters needing both stills and video performance
Quick take: The leica sl2 has the highest resolution at 47mp; the a7 iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica SL2 (2019) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,200 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | Full-frame CMOS 35mm | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 47.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 370 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 835g (body only) | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 146.0 × 107.0 × 80.5mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Leica L-Mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C 3.1, HDMI full-size | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica SL2 | A7 III |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — |
More comparisons with Leica SL2
Camera family history