Upgrade Guide
Leica M11→Leica SL2
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the M11. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the SL2
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Burst rate20fps vs 4.5fps
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution47MP (down from 60MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | M11 | SL2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.3 | ||
| Street | -1.2 | ||
| Travel | -1.0 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.9 | ||
| Documentary | +3.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | +3.1 | ||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Wildlife | +3.4 | ||
| Casual | +1.3 | ||
| Food | +0.9 | ||
| Macro | +1.6 | ||
| Architecture | +0.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.2 | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | M11 | SL2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £7,999 | £4,200 | |
| Released | 2022 | 2019 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) | Full-frame CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 60MP | 47MP | ↓ |
| Video | No video | 5K 30fps, 4K 60fps, 1080p 180fps | |
| Autofocus | Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) | Contrast-detect AF, AI-based scene recognition | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 4.5fps | 20fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | 700 shots (CIPA) | 370 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 530g (body only) | 835g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | |
| Screen | 2.3" fixed TFT LCD | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.10M-dot | |
| Mount | Leica M-mount | Leica L-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot + 64GB internal storage | 2× SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See M11 and SL2 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the SL2 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the M11
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Camera family history