Leica M9 vs Sony A7 III

Following is a thorough review of the Leica M9 versus Sony A7 III, both Pro Mirrorless cameras by manufacturers Leica and Sony. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the M9 (18MP) and A7 III (24MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor measurements (Full frame).

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The M9 was released 9 years earlier than the A7 III which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Leica M9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A7 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the M9 matches up vs the A7 III for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Leica M9 and Sony Alpha A7 III. The complete galleries are provided at Leica M9 Gallery and Sony A7 III Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Leica M9 provides outside measurements of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) while the Sony A7 III has specifications of 127mm x 96mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Contrast the Leica M9 versus Sony A7 III in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Following is a front view size comparison of the M9 vs the A7 III.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the M9 and A7 III is 79 and 63 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to see the gap in sensor sizes simply by seeing specs. The image below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the M9 and A7 III.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions but not the same MP. You should anticipate the Sony A7 III to provide more detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged M9 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.