- Leica M11-V could be the most affordable m-series model yet
- New leakage claims it will have 64 GB of internal storage and 60MP full frame sensor
- Electronically Seeking set to replace iconic rangefinder
A new leak may have revealed the interesting features we can expect from the upcoming Leica M11-V and has also apparently confirmed that it will be the legendary manufacturer’s first M-series model that comes without the iconic rangefinder component.
Leica Rumors has published what seems to be a marketing information page about the rumored camera that, if real, supports earlier claims that the M11-V would replace a distance meter with an electronic viewfinder.
This is likely to be a controversial decision among Leica -Aaficionados – potentially camera’s world’s most vocal, dedicated and meaningful fanbase. After all, “Messsucher” (the German word for a combined range and seeks) what gives the M series its name.
I have already written an up-up preventative that pronounced Rangefinder’s loss, but looking at this recent leak has left me much happier about the M11-V launch-Fordi it seems to be Leica’s most affordable M series model yet.
A view of a cheaper M series?
The Rangefinder mechanism is the most expensive component of a Leica M camera, so replacing it with an electronic viewfinder will greatly reduce production costs.
Add the fact that the leak says the camera will offer only 64 GB of built-in memory (the existing Leica M11-P by comparison has 256 GB of storage) and it looks like we look at an ‘entry-level’ Leica M. I put the expression in quotes because I think it will be a Premium camera, like any camera with Red Dot Logo but still think it will be, with Leica Mards.
The leak says Leica M11-V’s EVF will be 5.7MP in solution and 0.5 inches in size with a 0.76x magnification and diopter compensation.
It also mentions a new UN button for search control (probably to select different frame sizes via digital zoom), a “purist” design (clean lines due to the lack of a spacer window), the Maestro III image processor and a 60mp full-frame BSI sensor-the same core image found on Standard Leica M11, then.
The leak also says that the M11-V will be manufactured in Germany so that fans do not worry that Leica outsourcing production to the Far East to save money.
The decision to drop the spacer on the Leica M11-V will not be universally popular, but if it puts the M-series in the field of more consumers, it may eventually prove to be a wise.
Of course, many would argue that it is not a real M -series camera without that rangefinder, but I look forward to finding out what this camera feels to use.
