Leica SL2vs A9 II
Sony
A9 II (2019)
Starting from £3299 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & photojournalism
View A9 II
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 Sports, Wildlife & Photojournalism — A9 II (2019): The A9 II polished the A9's groundbreaking formula — 20fps blackout-free, improved subject tracking, and a LAN port made it the professional sports standard.
Who should buy what
Leica SL2 (2019)
- Commercial photographers who want Leica quality with modern AF
- Filmmakers who want Leica glass with video capability
A9 II (2019)
- Sports photographers who need 20fps with reliable eye and body tracking
- Photojournalists who need LAN transfer and instant wireless file delivery
- Wildlife photographers who want the fastest Sony AF in a proven body
- A9 owners who need the improved ergonomics, weather sealing, and Ethernet
Quick take: The leica sl2 has the highest resolution at 47mp; the a9 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica SL2 (2019) | A9 II (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,200 | £3,299 |
| Sensor | Full-frame CMOS 35mm | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 47.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition | 693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps | 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | 370 shots (CIPA) | ~500 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 835g (body only) | 678g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 146.0 × 107.0 × 80.5mm | 128.9 × 96.4 × 77.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L-Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C 3.1, HDMI full-size | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet (LAN), HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica SL2 | A9 II |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Leica SL2
Camera family history