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Leica SL3vs A9

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Leica Leica SL3 Leica Leica SL3 (2024) Starting from £6499 new Best for Professional & luxury hybrid shooters View Leica SL3
VS
Sony A9 Sony A9 (2017) Starting from £1999 new Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography View A9

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.

Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.

↓ Full specifications below

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

A9 (2017)

  • Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
  • Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
  • Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
  • Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry

Quick take: The leica sl3 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Leica SL3 (2024)A9 (2017)
Price £6,499 £1,999
Sensor 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution 60.0MP 24.2MP
Video 8K/30p, 4K/60p, Apple ProRes 4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking
Stabilisation 7.5-stop IBIS IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops
Burst Rate 30fps electronic 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)
Battery Life 410 shots (CIPA) ~650 shots (CIPA)
Weight 875g body only 673g (with battery and card)
Dimensions 146.0 × 104.0 × 42.0mm 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.78" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)
Screen 3.2" fixed touchscreen 3.0" tilting touchscreen
Mount Leica L-mount Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards Dual SD UHS-II Dual SD UHS-II slots
Connectivity USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI
Genre Leica SL3A9
Portrait
9.0
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Vlogging & Video
9.0
4.0
Sports & Action
7.0
9.0
Wedding & Events
7.0
9.0
Travel
4.0
7.0
Wildlife
9.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side Leica SL3 prices → A9 prices →

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