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Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Comparison

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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
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Leica M Typ 240

24 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica M Typ 240
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Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A7S and M Typ 240, two Pro Mirrorless cameras from Sony and Leica. Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Sony A7S has a 12.0 MP and Leica M Typ 240 has a 24.0 MP resolution. Sony A7S was introduced to market in April 2014 and Leica M Typ 240 was launched in September 2012. There is 19 months difference between A7S and M Typ 240 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A7S, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Leica M Typ 240 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-09-17
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Leica M Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (rangefinder) viewfinder
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 680g. 139 x 80 x 42 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Leica M Typ 240

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Leica M Typ 240
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder Magnification
0.71x vs 0.68x Larger Viewfinder
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
409.600 vs 6.400 6300% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.230k dots vs 920k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 1 More accurate viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 3.0fps 2 fps faster
Weight
489 g vs 680 g 191 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Low Light ISO
3702 vs 1860 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
71.24µm2 vs 36.50µm2 95% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone


Reasons to choose Leica M Typ 240 over Sony Alpha A7S
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Battery Life
500 shots vs 360 shots 140 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth
24.0 vs 23.9 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.3 vs 13.2 higher dynamic range

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S and Leica M Typ 240
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S and Leica M Typ 240
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7S has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz) (including batteries). Leica M Typ 240 has external dimensions of 139 x 80 x 42 mm (5.47 x 3.15 x 1.65″) and weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240. Leica M Typ 240 is 14mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Sony A7S but it is also 12mm wider.

Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240.

Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240.
Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S is significantly lighter (191g ) than the Leica M Typ 240 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7S
M Typ 240
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7S
M Typ 240
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both A7S and M Typ 240 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

On the other hand, Sony A7S features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Leica M Typ 240 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7S.
Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7S has a 12.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Leica M Typ 240 has a 24.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Leica M Typ 240's sensor provides 12MP more than Sony A7S's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the A7S and M Typ 240 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 Cameras


Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, A7S has scored 87, 3 points higher than M Typ 240.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7S 87 23.9 bits 13.2 Evs 3702 ISO
Leica M Typ 240 84 24.0 bits 13.3 Evs 1860 ISO
Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Sony A7S has an advantage over Leica M Typ 240. There are 128 lenses for Sony A7S's Sony E mount, on the other hand there are only 59 lenses for Leica M Typ 240's Leica M lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 31 lenses for Sony E mount and 0 lenses for Leica M mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Sony A7S Lenses # of Leica M Typ 240 Lenses
Standard Zoom 12 (9 Full Frame) n/a
Standard Prime 18 (9 Full Frame) 15 (15 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 7 (6 Full Frame) 1 (1 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 42 (26 Full Frame) 31 (31 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 9 (7 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Prime 18 (14 Full Frame) 10 (10 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 8 (1 Full Frame) n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) n/a
Macro Prime 8 (7 Full Frame) 1 (1 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) 1 (1 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 128 (81 Full Frame) 59 (59 Full Frame)

What types of Photography are Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Leica M Typ 240 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica M Typ 240 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica M Typ 240 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Low Light ISO
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Focus Points
Read the details

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica M Typ 240 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
680g
Body Thickness 42mm
Read the details

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica M Typ 240 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7S vs Leica M Typ 240: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A7S and Leica M Typ 240 scores compare:

Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #39 out of 86 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #71 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Leica M Typ 240
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #77 out of 126 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #345 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Sony A7S is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica M Typ 240 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony A7S
Sony A7S
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Leica M Typ 240
Leica M Typ 240
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Leica M Typ 240 vs Sony A7S Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S Leica M Typ 240
Brand Sony Leica
Announced 2014-04-06 2012-09-17
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 855.62mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 5952 x 3976
Max Native Light sensitivity 409,600 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 25 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Leica M
Number of Available Lenses 128 59
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3 3"
Resolution 1,230k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (rangefinder)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 1
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.68x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 3.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 489g 680g
Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48mm 139 x 80 x 42mm
Battery Life 360 shots 500 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 87 84
DxO Color Depth 23.9 24.0
DxO Dynamic Range 13.2 13.3
DxO Low Light ISO 3702 1860
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