Ah, the best Leica cameras. Expensive, yes. But there’s something undeniably and classically cool about that red dot and the sleek, perfectly engineered cameras that wear it. The brand has earned and retained its cachet among serious photographers for decades, who wouldn’t settle for less than the best cameras for photography.
We review Leica cameras just as we do new releases from other brands. We know very well that their prices exclude them to all but the most well-heeled enthusiasts – meanwhile, the rest of us aspire to own one, as the experience of shooting with a Leica is like nothing else. Whether a compact Q camera, a digital rangefinder like the M11, or an L-mount mirrorless model, they all ooze style and quality.
The list below includes not just the best new Leica cameras, but also a few previous-generation options that have undergone price reductions. If you are ready to splurge on a Leica but not sure which model would suit you best, there’s a helpful explainer on how to buy the best Leica camera at the bottom of this page. However, if you already know what you are looking for and ready to dive in, you’ll find the highest-rated Leica cameras tested by our review team below – so, let’s get a closer look.
The best Leica cameras: quick list
- Best Leica rangefinder: Leica M11 – Buy now
- Best Leica compact: Leica Q3 43 – Buy now
- Best Leica mirrorless: Leica SL3 – Buy now
- Best Leica for black & white: Leica M11 Monochrom – Buy now
- Best Leica compact zoom: Leica D-Lux 8 – Buy now
- Best film Leica: Leica MP – Buy now
For the best deal on Leica cameras: not only will you find the best Leica camera, but also some of the best camera deals, as our ‘Buy now’ buttons are set to automatically take you to the best prices from trusted retailers. There is a list of other retailers below each camera, so you can find the right deal for you.
Why you can trust Amateur Photographer
We spend many hours testing every product we recommend, in detail, in a variety of situations and shooting scenarios, and only use experts for our reviews, so you can be sure that you’re getting the best products. Find out more about our expert writers.
Best overall
Best Leica rangefinder: Leica M11
Amateur Photographer verdict
Resembling the previous M10 rangefinder, on the inside the Leica M11 is in fact a complete redesign; with clever variable-resolution shooting and a sublime rangefinder experience.
- Excellent image quality
- Good battery life
- Beautiful design and ergonomics
- Manual focus only
At a glance:
- Rangefinder
- 60MP full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor
- DNG raw at 60MP, 36MP or 18MP
- 4.5 fps continuous shooting
- $9,840 / £7,900 (body only)
For lovers of minimalism in camera design, the Leica M series is a classic. The latest digital iteration of a series that harks back all the way to 1955 brings a number of number of innovations in a sleek and traditional body.
It has a 60 megapixel sensor – great, but which can eat up a lot of processing power. To speed things up a little, you can output raw files at 36 or 18 megapixels instead, allowing you to choose the best resolution for a situation.
We found in our review that, like other M series cameras before it, the M11 uses an ultra-robust design which is simply lovely to look at; as well as to use. Using a rangefinder takes a bit of getting used to – manual focusing via the viewfinder doesn’t always yield perfect results, particularly if you’re used to shooting with more modern techniques, but it’s special when you nail it.
We found that the M11 produced superb images, and if you really do want the best of the best – and have the budget to go with it – this camera surely sits at the top of many a photographer’s wish list.
Two notable stablemates from the M11 lineup are the recent (September 2024) Leica M11-D with a large ISO dial replacing the rear LCD screen, and the Leica M11-P: the firm’s first camera with Content Credentials hardware added.
Read our full Leica M11 review.
Best Leica compact
Best Leica compact: Leica Q3 43
Amateur Photographer verdict
The addition of a superb 43mm f/2 lens elevates the Leica Q3 43 to new heights. It’s a stunning camera that produces sensational image quality – at a price.
- Superlative new 43mm f/2 lens
- Superb raw image quality
- Extremely robust build
- Engaging dial-led controls
- Excellent viewfinder
- Leica Looks make for more interesting JPEGs
- Screen only tilts up and down
- JPEG output still isn’t great
At a glance:
- 60.3MP full-frame sensor
- 28mm f/1.7 optically stabilised lens
- ISO 50-100,000
- Up to 15 fps shooting
- $7,380 / £5,900
The original Leica Q3, which like its predecessors sported a 28mm f/1.7 lens, was extremely impressive; we considered it the best compact camera around. Now the firm has decided to mix things up, with this version that sports a brand-new 43mm f/2 lens – the Leica Q3 43.
Don’t be perturbed by that odd-sounding 43mm focal length. Why not something more familiar, like 35mm or 50mm? The idea is that 43mm is equal to the diagonal of the sensor, and lenses of this ilk bring a particularly natural-looking perspective to images. Many photographers – including our own – prefer lenses in the 40-45mm region to either 35mm or 50mm.
Shutter speeds are available from 120sec to 1/2000sec using the in-lens mechanical shutter, extending to 1/16,000sec with the electronic shutter. For long exposures, you get a handy ‘T’ mode, which is far more convenient than the usual Bulb option; one press of the button starts the exposure and a second ends it.
Leica also exploits the 60MP sensor to offer a genuinely useful Digital Zoom that crops into the image to match familiar focal lengths. The image area is indicated by a frameline in the viewfinder, with the camera saving both a cropped JPEG and full-size raw file alongside (with the crop embedded into its metadata). You get 60mm, 75mm, 90mm, 120mm and 150mm options giving 31MP, 20MP, 14MP, 8MP and 5MP files, respectively. You can see how these look in the slideshow below.
The Q3 43 should be better suited to subjects such as environmental portraiture, street shooting, and general family photography. But the original Q3 would arguably be the better choice for landscapes, cityscapes, and travel photography.
Read our full Leica Q3 43 review.
Best Leica mirrorless
Best Leica mirrorless: Leica SL3
Amateur Photographer verdict
The best Leica mirrorless camera you can buy, the Leica SL3 brings once again that 60MP resolution, along with an amazingly robust build quality and well-designed UI.
- Superb image quality
- Bomb-proof build
- Phase-detect autofocus
- Battery life not the best
- Some odd control placements
At a glance:
- Mirrorless
- 60MP full-frame sensor
- ISO 50-100,000 (extended)
- Up to 15 fps continuous shooting (5fps with C-AF)
- 8K 30fps video shooting
- $7,485 / £5,920 body-only
Powerful enough to stand toe-to-toe with the biggest and best full-frame cameras (good news, since it’s more expensive than any of them), the Leica SL3 packs in the same 60MP sensor with phase-detect autofocus as the Leica Q3. This means it’s got that same brilliant blend of high speed and outstanding image quality. Its mirrorless body is built like a tank, shaped like an SLR and rated to IP54 for its weatherproofing and water protection (it’ll handle spray but not submergence).
Its various upgrades and features make the SL3 a more serious player in the pro mirrorless market than its predecessors in the SL series ever were. Yes, the Sony A7RV can do all the same stuff for less money, but the SL3 is markedly more pleasant to use. The Nikon Z9 may be better for action, but there’s a certain prestige in turning up to a job holding a Leica. The L-mount lens selection is excellent now and, given that the SL3 can also use M-mount and legacy R-mount Leica lenses, you’ll never lack quality glass.
Read our full Leica SL3 review.
