Leica has announced a new addition to the M-series of retro-stylish rangefinder cameras. The M11 retains the overall look but comes with versatile new sensor technology, a high-resolution touch panel, a big battery and some internal storage.
The latest in a line of rangefinder cameras that stretches right back to the 1950s, the M11 features a new 60-MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and Maestro III image processing engine combination that enables what Leica is calling Triple Resolution Technology.
This means that photographers can opt for RAW or JPEG format images to be recorded at either 60, 36 or 18 megapixels while always making use of the full sensor area – giving the option of unlocking the camera's full potential at full resolution or taking advantage of faster performance, longer burst lengths and smaller file sizes at lower resolutions.
Other key specs include 15 stops of dynamic range, light sensitivity of ISO64 to 50,000, and an electronic shutter speed of up to 1/16,000 of a second. The camera also comes with a new color filter array for the promise of better color reproduction, as well as an IR+UV cut filter for oblique light correction. And multi-field metering in rangefinder mode allows "photographers to concentrate even more on their subject, and less on light metering."
The camera is compatible with M-System glass but also offers up to 1.8x digital zoom too. It comes with 64 GB of internal storage plus a slot for SD card media, and can simultaneously save files to both storage locations.
There's a 2.3-million dot touchscreen panel around back that supports 100 percent of the sRGB color space and puts out 800 nits of brightness, with physical controls arranged on either side for improved ergonomics and efficiency. The camera doesn't sport an electronic viewfinder of course, but a Visoflex 2 EVF can be optioned in – which offers a 3.7-million-dot resolution, offers full-frame viewing and can tilt by 90 degrees.
The M11 is available in a silver-chrome finish with a brass top plate at 640 g (22.5 oz) or in a black finish with scratch-resistant aluminum top plate that tips the scales 100 grams lighter. Leica hasn't included a base plate on either flavor, offering users direct access to the 1,800-mAh battery and the SD card slot. That battery is reported to offer a 64 percent capacity increase over the previous generation, and rather than restricting the camera to a proprietary charger, it and can be topped up using any USB-C charger.
The Leica M11 is on sale now for a cool launch price of US$8,995.
Product page: M11