Leica M11 vs Sony A7R V

The Leica M11 (Typ 2416) and the Sony Alpha A7R V are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2022 and October 2022. The M11 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless, while the A7R V is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 60.3 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 60.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Leica M11		Sony A7R V
Rangefinder camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica M mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
60.3 MP – Full Frame sensor		60.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		8k/24p Video
ISO 64-50,000		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 2333k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
4.5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
700 shots per battery charge		530 shots per battery charge
139 x 80 x 39 mm, 640 g		131 x 97 x 82 mm, 723 g

Check M11 price at
amazon.com
Check A7R V price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica M11 (Typ 2416) and the Sony Alpha A7R V? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Leica M11 and the Sony A7R V. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M11 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the A7R V is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7R V is notably larger (14 percent) than the Leica M11. Moreover, the A7R V is markedly heavier (13 percent) than the M11. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Leica M Lens Catalog (M11) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7R V).

Concerning battery life, the M11 gets 700 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL7 battery, while the A7R V can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R V	131 mm	97 mm	82 mm	723 g	530	Y	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
3.		Leica Q3	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	743 g	350	Y	May 2023	5,995	amazon.com
4.		Leica M10-R	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
10.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
11.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
12.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R IVA	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Apr 2021	3,499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7S III	127 mm	97 mm	81 mm	699 g	600	Y	Jul 2020	3,499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	3,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A7R V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 57 percent) than the M11, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7R V is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 60.3MP, the M11 offers a slightly higher resolution than the A7R V (60.2MP), but the M11 nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 3.76μm for the A7R V) due to its larger sensor. However, the A7R V is a somewhat more recent model (by 9 months) than the M11, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The A7R V has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the M11, the A7R V has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (240MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Leica M11 (Typ 2416) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 64 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7R V are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
2.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
3.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
4.		Leica M10-R	Full Frame	40.9	7864	5200	none	25.3	14.3	2924	95
5.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
7.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
8.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
9.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
10.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
11.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
12.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
13.		Sony A7R IVA	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
14.		Sony A7S III	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/120p	23.7	13.9	2520	86
15.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
16.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
17.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The A7R V indeed provides for movie recording, while the M11 does not. The highest resolution format that the A7R V can use is 8k/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7R V has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), while the M11 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the A7R V has a higher magnification than the one of the M11 (0.9x vs 0.73x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica M11 and Sony A7R V in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
2.		Sony A7R V	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Leica Q3	5760	n	3.0 / 1840	tilting	Y	1/2000s	15.0/s	n	Y
4.		Leica M10-R	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
5.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
12.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony A7R IVA	5760	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7S III	9440	n	3.0 / 1440	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Leica M11 and the Sony A7R V both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The M11 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7R V uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A7R V features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M11 only has one slot. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Leica M11 (Typ 2416) and Sony Alpha A7R V and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A7R V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Leica Q3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Leica M10-R	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
5.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
11.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A7R IVA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7S III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A7R V (unlike the M11) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the M11 and the A7R V are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The M11 replaced the earlier Leica M10, while the A7R V followed on from the Sony A7R IV. Further information on the features and operation of the M11 and A7R V can be found, respectively, in the Leica M11 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R V Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Leica M11 better than the Sony A7R V or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Leica M11 (Typ 2416):

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2333k vs 2100k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (139x80mm vs 131x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 83g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (700 versus 530) on a single battery charge.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2022).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7R V:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 8k/24p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.73x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (57 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (9 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7R V is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M11 and the A7R V in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	8,995	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	92/100	..	..	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
3.		Leica Q3	5/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	May 2023	5,995	amazon.com
4.		Leica M10-R	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	..	4/5	Jul 2020	8,295	ebay.com
5.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
6.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	3,999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
10.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
11.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
12.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R IVA	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7S III	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	3,499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	3,499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check M11 price at
amazon.com
Check A7R V price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check M11 price at
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Check A7R V price at
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