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Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Comparison

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Sony A7R III

42 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony A7R III
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Leica M9

18 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CCD Sensor

Leica M9
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Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the A7R III and the M9, two Pro Mirrorless cameras from Sony and Leica. Sony A7R III was introduced to the market in October 2017 and Leica M9 was launched in September 2009. As you can see, M9 is 8 years older than A7R III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Sony A7R III and Leica M9 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7R III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-10-25
  • 42MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 32000 ( expands to 50 - 102400)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 3686k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 657g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha A7R II Compare

Leica M9 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-09-09
  • 18MP - Full frame CCD Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 80 - 2500
  • Leica M Mount
  • 2.50" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (rangefinder) viewfinder
  • 2.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 585g. 139 x 80 x 37 mm

Sony A7R III was replaced by Sony Alpha A7R IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha A7R IV vs Sony Alpha A7R III
Sony Alpha A7R IV vs Leica M9

Leica M9 was replaced by Leica M9-P. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica M9-P vs Leica M9
Leica M9-P vs Sony Alpha A7R III

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Sony A7R III and Leica M9 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Sony A7R III Sony A7R III
See at AMAZON
Leica M9 Leica M9
See at AMAZON
Sony A7R III
See at AMAZON
Leica M9
See at AMAZON
Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7R III over Leica M9
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Magnif.
0.78x vs 0.68x Larger Viewfinder
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 18 MP 133% more pixels
Max ISO
32.000 vs 2.500 1180% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3″ vs 2.5 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Resolution
1.440k dots vs 230k dots 526% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Battery Life
650 shots vs 350 shots 300 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Color Depth
26.0 vs 22.5 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.7 vs 11.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3523 vs 884 better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs None Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes (169. 6) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.1 Gen 1(5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject
CHECK A7R III PRICE


Reasons to choose Leica M9 over Sony Alpha A7R III
Weight
585 g vs 657 g 72 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
47.73µm2 vs 20.43µm2 133% larger pixel area
CHECK M9 PRICE

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7R III and Leica M9
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
Max Resolution
42 MP vs 18 MP Bigger prints and more details
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7R III and Leica M9
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7R III vs Leica M9: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Sony A7R III and Leica M9 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7R III has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 74 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.91″) and weighs 657 g (1.45 lb / 23.17 oz) (including batteries). Leica M9 has external dimensions of 139 x 80 x 37 mm (5.47 x 3.15 x 1.46″) and weighs 585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Sony A7R III and the Leica M9. Leica M9 is 16mm shorter and 37mm thinner than Sony A7R III but it is also 12mm wider.

Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Leica M9 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Sony A7R III and Leica M9.

Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Leica M9 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7R III and Leica M9.
Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Sony A7R III and the Leica M9 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Leica M9 is 72g lighter than the Sony A7R III but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A7R III and Leica M9 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

A7R III
M9
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7R III
M9
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

With its weather-sealed body, we believe that the A7R III has a big advantage over the M9 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7R III's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Leica M9's 2.5 screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Sony A7R III LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels. On the other hand, Leica M9 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7R III.


Sony A7R III vs Leica M9: Sensor Comparison

Sony A7R III has a 42.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. On the other hand, Leica M9 has a 18.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Sony A7R III's sensor provides 24MP more than Leica M9'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.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Leica M9 and Sony A7R III sensors lack anti-alias (Low-Pass) filters. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A7R III and M9 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Leica M9 Cameras


Sony A7R III and Leica M9 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A7R III and Leica M9 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, A7R III has scored 100, 31 points higher than M9.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7R III 100 26.0 bits 14.7 Evs 3523 ISO
Leica M9 69 22.5 bits 11.7 Evs 884 ISO
Sony A7R III vs Leica M9 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Sony A7R III has an advantage over the Leica M9. There are 205 lenses for the Sony A7R III's Sony E mount, but on the other hand, there are only 63 lenses for the Leica M9's Leica M lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A7R III has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization (IS) which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. A7R III's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Leica M9 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 0 lenses for Leica M mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Sony A7R III Lenses # of Leica M9 Lenses
Standard Zoom 19 (14 Full Frame) n/a
Standard Prime 34 (21 Full Frame) 16 (16 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 17 (12 Full Frame) 1 (1 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 61 (42 Full Frame) 32 (32 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 21 (19 Full Frame) n/a
Telephoto Prime 29 (22 Full Frame) 11 (11 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 10 (2 Full Frame) n/a
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) n/a
Macro Prime 9 (8 Full Frame) 2 (2 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) 1 (1 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 205 (142 Full Frame) 63 (63 Full Frame)

What types of Photography are Sony A7R III and Leica M9 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7R III and Leica M9 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 A7R III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Leica M9 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Check the Best Leica M Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica M9 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Street Photography
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Read the details

Check the Best Leica M Mount Lenses for Street Photography

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica M9 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
425 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Sports Photography
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Check the Best Leica M Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica M9 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
657g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
585g
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Leica M9 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Check the Best Sony E Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Check the Best Leica M Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

Sony A7R III vs Leica M9: 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 A7R III and Leica M9, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 A7R III and Leica M9 scores compare:

Sony A7R III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #10 out of 118 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #12 out of 1276 in all Cameras
Leica M9
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #129 out of 140 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #589 out of 1276 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Leica M9 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Sony A7R III.

Sony A7R III
Sony A7R III
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CHECK PRICE
Leica M9
Leica M9
CHECK PRICE
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Leica M9 vs Sony A7R III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7R III Leica M9
Brand Sony Leica
Announced 2017-10-25 2009-09-09
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CCD
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.9 x 24 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 861.60mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 42 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 7952 x 5304 5212 x 3472
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 2,500 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 80 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 425 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Leica M
Number of Available Lenses 205 63
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3.00" 2.50"
Resolution 1,440k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (rangefinder)
Viewfinder Resolution 3,686k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.68x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 2.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 None
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 657g 585g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 139 x 80 x 37mm
Battery Life 650 shots 350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 100 69
DxO Color Depth 26.0 22.5
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 11.7
DxO Low Light ISO 3523 884
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