Articles
Leica announces the screen-less M11-D range finder camera
DPReview News |
| Image: Leica |
Leica has announced the M11-D, a camera in the M11 family that omits a rear display, opting to put an ISO dial in its place. The company says the lack of a display will help users focus on "the elementary aspects of pictorial design such as composition, aperture, shutter speed and ISO."
Underneath the display-less back plate, though, the M11-D is still a modern digital camera. It has a 60MP sensor, with enough cache to shoot five full-resolution images per second, 256GB of internal storage, and the ability to use UHS-II SD cards up to 2TB in size. The camera also includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that you can use to connect it to a smartphone, and USB-C for data transfer and charging.
 |
| Image: Leica |
The M-11D also includes Leica's 'Content Credentials' system, which will let people verify whether the images taken with it have been edited and, if so, what changes have been made.
This isn't the first time Leica has produced a digital camera without a screen and marketed it as a purer photography experience. There was a similar model in the M10 family as well. Like its predecessor, the M11-D also eschews the iconic red Leica badge on the camera's face, instead opting for what looks like a black flathead screw. Instead, the Leica name is engraved on the top plate.
The M11-D is available for preorder, at a list price of $9,395. That's a $400 price premium over the regular M11, which includes a display for navigating menus and reviewing your shots. However, the M11 only includes 64GB of onboard storage, so the upcharge isn't just for the screen delete.
Press Release:
The New Camera in the Leica M-System Combines an Analogue Photography Experience with a Digital Workflow
Like no other, the Leica M-System is a synonym for legendary quality “Made in Germany”. Since the introduction of the Leica rangefinder system in 1954, the world’s best photographers have appreciated Leica M-Cameras and Lenses for their unique image quality and the intuitive handling, for their masterful manufacture and their value preservation. Up to the present day, the Leica M has remained true to its iconic design and the focus on the essential without compromise. Of course, the same applies to the latest camera in the M11 family: the Leica M11-D. By doing without a display on the back, photography with the Leica M11-D focuses on the elementary aspects of pictorial design such as composition, aperture, shutter speed and ISO. In place of the display, there is a big ISO dial on the back of the camera. When it comes to functionality, however, the new M11-D does not sacrifice anything. With distinct customisability, modern connectivity and hardware-based authenticity technology, which was first introduced into the camera market with the M11-P as Leica Content Credentials, the M11-D proves to be a perfect combination of classic range-finder photography and state-of-the-art camera technology. With its clean lines, the matt black painted surfaces and the absence of the red Leica logo, the new M11-D also stands for maximum understatement in the timeless Leica product design.
The M11-D enables images with a resolution of either 60, 36 or 18 MP. With a cache of 3 GB, continuous shooting of up to 5 pictures per second with 60 MP is possible. The internal memory with 256 GB provides ample space for the images. In addition, the powerful battery makes sure that the M11-D is always ready at the crucial moment. The new member of the particularly compact full-frame system lies comfortably in the hand. With just 540 grams (incl. battery), it undercuts its predecessor by 120 grams.
The M11-D is extremely convenient to use and as an M-Camera, it also opens up the world of the unsurpassed M-Lenses and provides access to all M fixed focal lengths made since 1954. In combination with the full-frame sensor with Triple Resolution Technology, which has been exclusively designed for the Leica M11 family, as well as an ISO range from native ISO 64 to ISO 50,000, the Leica M11-D achieves brilliant image results with excellent noise performance even in low light.
Although the Leica M11-D transfers the analogue experience to the digital world, it does not confine itself to that. Each photographer decides for themselves at what time the digital workflow is to be integrated into the work with the M11-D. The new M-Camera offers seamless connectivity via Bluetooth or direct cable connection. As a certified “Made for iPhone® and iPad®” product, it provides a particularly fast and comfortable connection to iOS devices.
Further settings can be made with the Leica FOTOS app on the smartphone. Thus, the connection with the app enables an easy photo transfer, remote control and geotagging. In addition, pictures can be checked and assessed in the Leica FOTOS app on iOS or Android devices independently from the camera. Adjustments such as the white balance and the choice between the file formats DNG and JPEG can also be made in the app. Once saved in the Leica FOTOS app, the M11-D adopts the settings permanently. In this way, the new M-Camera can be customised to the desired requirements.
Thanks to the hardware-based Leica Content Credentials technology, the new M11-D helps to protect the authenticity of digital images. The technology is based on the framework described by the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) and the open technical standard of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). Thus, the authenticity of the pictures taken with the M11-D can be checked at any time with a freely available tool or at https://contentcredentials.org/verify.
Alongside the new M11-D, two matching high-quality leather accessories are available. One is a black protector, specifically designed for the M11-D with a cutout for the mechanical ISO dial on the camera's back. The other is a carrying strap available in black and cognac, crafted from a single piece of leather, suitable for all M-Series cameras.
The Leica M11-D will be available globally at all Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorised dealers starting now. The retail price will be €9,350.00 including VAT.
