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Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 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 SL2

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

Leica SL2
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Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A7R III and SL2, two Pro Mirrorless cameras from Sony and Leica. Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Sony A7R III has a 42.0 MP and Leica SL2 has a 47.0 MP resolution. Sony A7R III was introduced to market in October 2017 and Leica SL2 was launched in November 2019. As you can see, A7R III is 2 years older than SL2. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

We can expect this to be a close match up because both models are ranked amongst the best in Pro Mirrorless cameras. Out of 53 cameras in this class, Sony A7R III is ranked #6 with an overall score of 94 and Leica SL2 is ranked #5 with an overall score of 94.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 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 Tilting Screen
  • 3686k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps 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 7R II Compare

Leica SL2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2019-11-06
  • 47MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 50000
  • Leica L Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.2" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5760k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 20.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (DCI) - 4096 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 835g. 146 x 107 x 42 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Leica SL Compare

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 SL2

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7R III over Leica SL2
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Number of Focus Points
425 vs 225 200 more focus points
Battery Life
650 shots vs 370 shots 280 more frames with a single charge
Weight
657 g vs 835 g 178 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
20.43µm2 vs 18.49µm2 10% 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
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
425 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters
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


Reasons to choose Leica SL2 over Sony Alpha A7R III
Max Sensor Resolution
47 MP vs 42 MP 11% more pixels
Max ISO
50.000 vs 32.000 56% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
2.100k dots vs 1.440k dots 45% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
20.0fps vs 10.0fps 10 fps faster
Viewfinder Resolution
5760k dot vs 3686.4k dot 56% higher resolution
Max Video Resolution
4096 x 2160 vs 3840 x 2160 Higher Resolution Video
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes (187) vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7R III and Leica SL2
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection
Yes vs Yes Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
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
42 MP vs 47 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 3.2" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.440k dots vs 2.100k dots High resolution screens
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
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
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs Yes Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot
2 vs 2 Extra Storage Slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-II vs UHS-II Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7R III and Leica SL2
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2: 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 A7R III and Leica SL2 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 SL2 has external dimensions of 146 x 107 x 42 mm (5.75 x 4.21 x 1.65″) and weighs 835 g (1.84 lb / 29.45 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2. Sony A7R III is 19mm narrower and 11mm shorter than Leica SL2 but it is also 32mm thicker.

Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2.

Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2.
Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7R III is significantly lighter (178g ) than the Leica SL2 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 A7R III and Leica SL2 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
SL2
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7R III
SL2
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both A7R III and SL2 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Leica SL2's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A7R III's 3 screen.

On the other hand, Sony A7R III LCD screen 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 SL2 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A7R III.
Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2: 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 SL2 has a 47.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Maestro III processor.

Leica SL2's sensor provides 5MP more than Sony A7R 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.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Leica SL2 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 moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A7R III and SL2 sensor size comparison.

Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 Cameras


Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 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.

Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2 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 A7R III has an advantage over Leica SL2. There are 133 lenses for Sony A7R III's Sony E mount, on the other hand there are only 39 lenses for Leica SL2's Leica L lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. A7R III's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards whereas SL2's IS system is rated upto 5.5-stops.

Lens Type # of Sony A7R III Lenses # of Leica SL2 Lenses
Standard Zoom 12 (9 Full Frame) 5 (5 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 19 (10 Full Frame) 8 (7 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 7 (6 Full Frame) 3 (3 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 44 (28 Full Frame) 10 (10 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 9 (7 Full Frame) 5 (5 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 19 (15 Full Frame) 6 (6 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 9 (2 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) n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 133 (86 Full Frame) 39 (37 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
24 - 70mm 886gr 1543gr 136mm Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic S Pro 24-70mm F2.8 Lens Panasonic S Pro 24-70mm F2.8
24 - 70mm 935gr 1770gr 140mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
70 - 200mm 1480gr 2137gr 200mm Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic S Pro 70-200 F2.8 O.I.S. Lens Panasonic S Pro 70-200 F2.8 O.I.S.
70 - 200mm 1570gr 2405gr 209mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 50mm F1.4 Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.4
50mm 778gr 1435gr 108mm Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic S Pro 50mm F1.4 Lens Panasonic S Pro 50mm F1.4
50mm 955gr 1790gr 130mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM
16 - 35mm 680gr 1337gr 122mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art Lens Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art
14 - 24mm 795gr 1630gr 131mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
24 - 105mm 663gr 1320gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS Lens Panasonic S 24-105mm F4 Macro OIS
24 - 105mm 680gr 1515gr 118mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
100 - 400mm 1395gr 2052gr 205mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Lens Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS
100 - 400mm 1135gr 1970gr 197mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7R III and Leica SL2 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 SL2 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 47.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica SL2 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Leica SL2 for Sports Photography

GOOD
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
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
225 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Leica SL2 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
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
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
835g
Body Thickness 42mm
Read the details

Sony A7R III for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Leica SL2 for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 47.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7R III vs Leica SL2: 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 SL2, 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 A7R III and Leica SL2 scores compare:

Sony A7R III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #6 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Leica SL2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #5 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony A7R III
Sony A7R III
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Leica SL2
Leica SL2
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Leica SL2 vs Sony A7R III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7R III Leica SL2
Brand Sony Leica
Announced 2017-10-25 2019-11-06
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.9 x 24 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 861.60mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 42 megapixels 47 megapixels
Max Resolution 7952 x 5304 8368 x 5584
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 50,000 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO 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 425 225
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E Leica L
Number of Available Lenses 133 39
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3 3.2"
Resolution 1,440k dots 2,100k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 3,686k dots 5,760k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.78x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/1/40000 secs
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
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 4096 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 657g 835g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 74mm 146 x 107 x 42mm
Battery Life 650 shots 370 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 100 not tested
DxO Color Depth 26.0 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 3523 not tested
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