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Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2

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Sony A7 III

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony A7 III
$1798.00

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Leica Q2

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

Leica Q2
$4995.00

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Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A7 III, which was introduced in February 2018 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Leica Q2, which was introduced in March 2019 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 47.0MP Full frame sensor. There is 13 months difference between A7 III and Q2 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger Q2, especially in sensor tech.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony A7 III and Leica Q2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7 III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-02-27
  • 24MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50-204800)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 650g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha 7 II Compare

Leica Q2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2019-03-07
  • 47MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 50 - 50000
  • 28 mm f1.70 Prime Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 3680k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 20.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 718g. 130 x 80 x 92 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Also known as Type No. 4889
  • Replaced Leica Q Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7 III and Leica Q2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7 III over Leica Q2
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Max ISO 51.200 vs 50.000 2% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points 693 vs 49 644 more focus points
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life 610 shots vs 370 shots 240 more frames with a single charge
Weight 650 g vs 718 g 68 g lighter
Microphone Port Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port Yes vs No better video control
Dynamic Range 14.7 vs 13.5 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO 3730 vs 2491 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area 35.50µm2 vs 18.49µm2 91% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range ±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Storage Slot 2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Real time Animal Eye AF Tracking Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Reasons to choose Leica Q2 over Sony Alpha A7 III
Max Sensor Resolution 47 MP vs 24 MP 95% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution 1.040k dots vs 922k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting 20.0fps vs 10.0fps 10 fps faster
Viewfinder Resolution 3680k dot vs 2359.296k dot 55% higher resolution
Color Depth 26.4 vs 25.0 higher color depth
Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7 III and Leica Q2
Wireless Connection Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection Yes vs Yes Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift vs Optical All the lenses are stabilized
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution 24 MP vs 47 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution 922k dots vs 1.040k dots Higher resolution screens
Environmental Sealing Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote Control Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Support for UHS Memory Cards UHS-II vs UHS-II Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7 III and Leica Q2
Built-in Flash No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2: 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 A7 III and Leica Q2 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7 III and Leica Q2. Sony A7 III is 3mm narrower and 18mm thinner than Leica Q2 but it is also 16mm taller. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Leica Q2 has a built-in lens but Sony A7 III doesn't. Once you put a lens on A7 III, its thickness will increase significantly.

Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7 III and Leica Q2.

Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7 III and Leica Q2.
Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7 III is 68g lighter than the Leica Q2 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on A7 III, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Both A7 III and Q2 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7 III and Leica Q2's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

On the other hand, Sony A7 III 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 Q2 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7 III.
Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7 III has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Leica Q2 has a 47.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Leica Q2's sensor provides 23MP more than Sony A7 III'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.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Leica Q2's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A7 III and Q2 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2 Sensor Size Comparison


Sony A7 III and Leica Q2 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
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.
What types of Photography are Sony A7 III and Leica Q2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7 III and Leica Q2 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 A7 III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Leica Q2 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 47.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica Q2 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.70
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica Q2 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
693 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 610 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Environmental Sealings
49 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
28 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica Q2 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
650g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
718g
Body Thickness 92mm
Read the details

Sony A7 III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Leica Q2 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 47.0MP
Environmental Sealings
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details


Sony A7 III vs Leica Q2: 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 A7 III and Leica Q2, 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 A7 III and Leica Q2 scores compare:

Sony A7 III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #12 out of 68 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #16 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Leica Q2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #1 out of 58 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #20 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Sony A7 III has a higher Overall Score than the Leica Q2. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that A7 III trails behind the Q2: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Leica Q2. If not, we recommend the Sony A7 III.

Sony A7 III
Sony A7 III
$1798.00

Leica Q2
Leica Q2
$4995.00

Leica Q2 vs Sony A7 III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7 III Leica Q2
Brand Sony Leica
Announced 2018-02-27 2019-03-07
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.8 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 852.04mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 47 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 8368 x 5584
Max Native Light sensitivity 51,200 ISO 50,000 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 204800 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 50 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 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 693 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E fixed lens
Number of Available Lenses 115 n/a
Lens Focal Range no lens 28 mm (1x)
Max Aperture no lens F1.7
Macro Focus Range no lens 17cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3 3"
Resolution 922k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots 3,680k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78 0.76
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Optical
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync no built-in flash 1/500s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 20.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 650g 718g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 130 x 80 x 92mm
Battery Life 610 shots 370 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 96 96
DxO Color Depth 25.0 26.4
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 13.5
DxO Low Light ISO 3730 2491
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