Leica SL vs Sony A9

The Leica SL (Typ 601) and the Sony Alpha A9 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2015 and April 2017. Both the Leica SL and the A9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica SL		Sony A9
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 50-50,000		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (4400k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1440k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		20 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		650 shots per battery charge
147 x 104 x 39 mm, 847 g		127 x 96 x 63 mm, 673 g

Check Leica SL offers at
ebay.com
Check A9 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica SL (Typ 601) and the Sony Alpha A9? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Leica SL and the Sony A9 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Leica SL. Moreover, the A9 is markedly lighter (21 percent) than the Leica SL. 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the Leica SL gets 400 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL4 battery, while the A9 can take 650 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A9 can be charged via the USB port, 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. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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 SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
2.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
8.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R V	131 mm	97 mm	82 mm	723 g	530	Y	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The A9 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the Leica SL, 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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 A9 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.

Even though the Leica SL has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the Leica SL has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 5.94μm for the A9), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the A9 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the Leica SL, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Leica SL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The A9 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Leica SL (Typ 601) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the Leica SL is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 uses a Stacked BSI-CMOS imager. 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A9 has a markedly higher DXO score than the Leica SL (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.1 bits lower color depth, 0.1 EV of lower dynamic range, and 0.9 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
2.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
5.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
6.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
7.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
8.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
9.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
10.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
11.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
12.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
13.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
14.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
15.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
16.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
17.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
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 two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Leica SL offers a higher resolution than the one in the A9 (4400k vs 3686k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Leica SL and Sony A9 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
2.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
7.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A7R V	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	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 A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Leica SL, but is missing on the A9 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 SL has 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 Leica SL writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both the Leica SL and the A9 support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s) on the first slot and UHS-I cards (104 MB/s) on the second one.

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 SL (Typ 601) and Sony Alpha A9 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 SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Sony A7R V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the Leica SL has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Leica SL and the A9 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Leica SL was replaced by the Leica SL2, while the A9 was followed by the Sony A9 II. Further information on the features and operation of the Leica SL and A9 can be found, respectively, in the Leica SL Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Leica SL better than the Sony A9 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Leica SL (Typ 601):

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (4400k vs 3686k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.78x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• 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 October 2015).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.9 stops ISO advantage).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 11 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 147x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 174g or 21 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (650 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 10 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Leica SL and the Sony A9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Leica SL and the A9 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
2.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	4,895	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	5,999	amazon.com
8.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
9.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	92/100	..	..	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check Leica SL offers at
ebay.com
Check A9 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check Leica SL offers at
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