Leica M11 vs S2

The Leica M11 (Typ 2416) and the Leica S2 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2022 and September 2008. The M11 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera, while the S2 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a full frame (M11) and a medium format (S2) sensor. The M11 has a resolution of 60.3 megapixels, whereas the S2 provides 37.5 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Leica M11		Leica S2
Rangefinder camera		Digital single lens reflex
Leica M mount lenses		Leica S mount lenses
60.3 MP – Full Frame sensor		37.5 MP – Medium Format sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 64-50,000		ISO 80-1,250
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 2333k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.5 shutter flaps per second		1.5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
139 x 80 x 39 mm, 640 g		160 x 120 x 80 mm, 1410 g

Check M11 price at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica M11 (Typ 2416) and the Leica S2? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Leica M11 and the Leica S2 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M11 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the S2 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica S2 is considerably larger (73 percent) than the Leica M11. Moreover, the S2 is substantially heavier (120 percent) than the M11. 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 M11 gets 700 shots out of its Leica BP-SCL7 battery, while the S2 can take .. images on a single charge of its Leica BP-PRO1 power pack. The power pack in the M11 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	US$ 8 999	amazon.com
2.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
3.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
5.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	US$ 5 195	ebay.com
6.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10-R	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 8 299	ebay.com
10.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
11.		Leica Q3	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	743 g	350	Y	May 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica S1	339 mm	214 mm	119 mm	2500 g	..	n	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
13.		Leica S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
14.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
16.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
17.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The M11 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 61 percent) than the S2, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Leica M11 features a full frame sensor and the Leica S2 a medium format sensor. The sensor area in the S2 is 56 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 0.8. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Leica M11 offers a higher resolution of 60.3 megapixels, compared with 37.5 MP of the Leica S2. 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 3.79μm versus 6.00μm for the S2). However, it should be noted that the M11 is much more recent (by 13 years and 3 months) than the S2, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. 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 Leica M11 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M11 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 47.6 x 31.6 inches or 121 x 80.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 38.1 x 25.3 inches or 96.8 x 64.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 31.8 x 21.1 inches or 80.7 x 53.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica S2 are 37.5 x 25 inches or 95.3 x 63.5 cm for good quality, 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for very good quality, and 25 x 16.7 inches or 63.5 x 42.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Leica M11 (Typ 2416) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 64 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica S2 are ISO 80 to ISO 1250 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the M11 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the S2 uses a CCD 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
2.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
3.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	25.2	14.2	2821	94
5.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
6.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
7.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
8.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
9.		Leica M10-R	Full Frame	40.9	7864	5200	none	25.3	14.3	2924	95
10.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
11.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
12.		Leica S1	Medium Format	26.4	5140	5140	none	..	..	..	..
13.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
14.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
16.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
17.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The M11 and the S2 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the M11 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the S2 (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the S2 has a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.73x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Leica M11 and Leica S2 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
2.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
3.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
5.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M10-R	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
10.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Leica Q3	5760	n	3.0 / 1840	tilting	Y	1/2000s	15.0/s	n	Y
12.		Leica S1	optical	n	none / none	none	n	..	0.01/s	n	n
13.		Leica S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
16.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
17.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M11 has a touchscreen, while the S2 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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, the M11 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 M11 has 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 M11 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the S2 uses Compact Flash or SDHC cards. The S2 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M11 only has one slot. The M11 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the S2 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 M11 (Typ 2416) and Leica S2 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 M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
9.		Leica M10-R	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
10.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
11.		Leica Q3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica S1	-	- / -	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13.		Leica S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
14.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
17.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the M11 offers wifi support, while the S2 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Leica S2 (unlike the M11) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The M11 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Leica. In contrast, the S2 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the S2 was succeeded by the Leica S Typ 006. Further information on the features and operation of the M11 and S2 can be found, respectively, in the Leica M11 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica S2 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Leica M11 and the Leica S2? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Leica M11 (Typ 2416):

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (60.3 vs 37.5MP) with a 27% higher linear resolution.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 96%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2333k vs 460k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.5 vs 1.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x80mm vs 160x120mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 770g or 55 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (61 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 13 years and 3 months of technical progress since the S2 launch.

Advantages of the Leica S2:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.86x vs 0.73x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2008).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M11 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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.

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 M11 or the S2. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	US$ 8 999	amazon.com
2.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	US$ 22 999	ebay.com
3.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
4.		Leica M-E Typ 240	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2019	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
5.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	US$ 5 195	ebay.com
6.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
8.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10-R	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	..	4/5	Jul 2020	US$ 8 299	ebay.com
10.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
11.		Leica Q3	5/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica S1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 1996	US$ 21 499	ebay.com
13.		Leica S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	US$ 18 999	ebay.com
14.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	US$ 21 949	ebay.com
15.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 16 599	ebay.com
16.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	US$ 24 499	ebay.com
17.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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