Leica SL3-S vs Sony A7R V

The Leica SL3-S and the Sony Alpha A7R V are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in January 2025 and October 2022. Both the Leica SL3-S and the A7R V are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 60.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Leica SL3-S		Sony A7R V
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		60.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/30p Video		8k/24p Video
ISO 100-50,000 (50 - 100,000)		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2333k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
30 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
315 shots per battery charge		530 shots per battery charge
141 x 108 x 85 mm, 852 g		131 x 97 x 82 mm, 723 g

Check Leica SL3-S price at
amazon.com
Check A7R V price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica SL3-S and the Sony Alpha A7R V? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Leica SL3-S and the Sony A7R V are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7R V is notably smaller (17 percent) than the Leica SL3-S. Moreover, the A7R V is markedly lighter (15 percent) than the Leica SL3-S. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the Leica SL3-S gets 315 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL6 battery, while the A7R V can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R V	131 mm	97 mm	82 mm	723 g	530	Y	Oct 2022	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
3.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
4.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	146 mm	107 mm	83 mm	931 g	510	Y	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z5 II	134 mm	101 mm	72 mm	700 g	330	Y	Apr 2025	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R IVA	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Apr 2021	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7S III	127 mm	97 mm	81 mm	699 g	600	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
17.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A7R V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 26 percent) than the Leica SL3-S, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7R V is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the A7R V offers a higher resolution of 60.2 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Leica SL3-S. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 6.00μm for the Leica SL3-S). Moreover, it should be noted that the Leica SL3-S is much more recent (by 2 years and 2 months) than the A7R V, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R V implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R V for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 47.5 x 31.7 inches or 120.7 x 80.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 38 x 25.3 inches or 96.6 x 64.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 31.7 x 21.1 inches or 80.5 x 53.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica SL3-S are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Leica SL3-S has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000, which can be extended to ISO 50-100000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7R V are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the Leica SL3-S is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7R V uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
2.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
3.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
4.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
5.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
6.		Leica SL2-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.1	3504	95
7.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
8.		Nikon Z5 II	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	4K/60p	25.4	14.8	3398	97
9.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
10.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
11.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
12.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
13.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
14.		Sony A7R IVA	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
15.		Sony A7S III	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/120p	23.7	13.9	2520	86
16.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
17.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A7R V provides a better video resolution than the Leica SL3-S. It can shoot movie footage at 8k/24p, while the Leica is limited to 6K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A7R V offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the Leica SL3-S (9440k vs 5760k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Leica SL3-S and Sony A7R V in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A7R V	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL2-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
7.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z5 II	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R IVA	5760	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7S III	9440	n	3.0 / 1440	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Leica SL3-S, but is missing on the A7R V is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Leica SL3-S and the Sony A7R V both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Leica SL3-S writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the A7R V uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Leica SL3-S and Sony Alpha A7R V and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A7R V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica SL2-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7R IVA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7S III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A7R V (unlike the Leica SL3-S) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the Leica SL3-S and the A7R V are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A7R V replaced the earlier Sony A7R IV, while the Leica SL3-S followed on from the Leica SL2-S. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Leica and Sony websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica SL3-S and the Sony A7R V? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Leica SL3-S:

• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2333k vs 2100k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 2 months of technical progress since the A7R V launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7R V:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (60.2 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8k/24p vs 6K/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 5760k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.76x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (131x97mm vs 141x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 129g or 15 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (530 versus 315) out of a single battery charge.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (26 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2022).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7R V is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Leica SL3-S and the Sony A7R V place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Leica SL3-S or the A7R V. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	92/100	..	..	Oct 2022	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
3.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
4.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2-S	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Dec 2020	US$ 4 899	amazon.com
7.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z5 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2025	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R IVA	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7S III	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
17.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Leica SL3-S price at
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Check A7R V price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check Leica SL3-S price at
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