Leica SL3vs A7 IV
Leica
Leica SL3 (2024)
Starting from £6499 new
Best for Professional & luxury hybrid shooters
View Leica SL3
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional & Luxury Hybrid Shooters — Leica SL3 (2024): Leica's most capable mirrorless — 60MP, 30fps burst, 8K ProRes, and 7.5-stop IBIS with L-mount's growing lens ecosystem.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Who should buy what
Leica SL3 (2024)
- Leica photographers who want autofocus full-frame in the L-mount system
- SL2 owners upgrading to 60MP and improved autofocus performance
- Professionals who want Leica build quality with L-mount lens versatility
- Photographers who want to share lenses across Leica, Sigma, and Lumix bodies
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The leica sl3 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7 iv is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Leica SL3 (2024) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,499 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p, Apple ProRes | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 7.5-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 410 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 875g body only | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 146.0 × 104.0 × 42.0mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.78" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Leica SL3 | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — |
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