Leica has announced a new Leica M line replacing the M9 rangefinder. The new M will come with the company's first full-frame 24MP CMOS image sensor and ISO range of 200 to 6,400. It also becomes the first M capable of movie shooting - capturing 1080p footage at 25 or 24 FPS and accepts the same plug-in EVF as used by the X2. While it retains the classic M-series "look", the rear now features a 920k dot 3" LCD with Gorilla Glass cover and live view. Availability is scheduled for early 2013 with a retail price of $6,950.

The "stripped-down" Leica M-E model available at the end of the month comes with 18-megapixel full-frame CCD sensor and a 2.5" 230k dot LCD for $5,450.

"In every respect, the new Leica M is the most innovative and versatile model the modern M-System has ever created. Looking to the future, the Leica M is the first in a long line of Leica rangefinder cameras to feature a completely new development in sensor technology; the Leica Max CMOS image sensor. This 24 MP, full 35 mm format sensor was designed and constructed in collaboration with CMOSIS especially for the camera and its use with M- and R-Lenses. This new development successfully transfers the characteristic advantages of CCD sensors, such as natural and brilliant color rendition and impressive reproduction of details, to a CMOS sensor."

For more details, visit Leica's website

Any ISO 6400 shots public yet? Any idea on AA? Battery lifetime?

I wonder how the M lenses will adjust from 1.3 crop (vignetting, etc...)...

LizWangPhotog wrote:
I wonder how the M lenses will adjust from 1.3 crop (vignetting, etc...)...

Errr... M9 was already Full Frame...

Haha, I've only shot M lenses briefly on my Fuji XPro. Never mind...

I will just never understand the logic behind the Leica elitism and their price strategy. I appreciate the build quality and the glass and everything but the pricing is just ridiculous considering the tech and the alternatives that you could buy for $6950 plus the additional $2-8k+ per lens. Woof

Then don't buy it?

It seems like a lot of other pople are buying them quite well.

What alternative has rangefinder and LV in the same body?

The same could be said for Ferrari's elitism. Yet, people still buy their cars even though the job could be done through far less expensive means.

i wonder how used M9s will fare now?

Leica attracts a lot of jealousy from people who cannot afford or cannot justify the expense. It has always been like that. It will always be. Thus is human nature. And I'm not a Leica owner... yet.

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2206260/photokina-2012-leica-will-never-release-an-affordable-m-camera-managers-say

Oops, so am I jealous, or maybe I just don't understand a lot of marketing "truths"?
Even worse, could be both.
I could easily solve this if I gave them my money.

Pretty please, not again the whole "Leica is for snobs and is overpriced crap" drivel that every...single...Leica...thread deteriorates to.

We get it, you love your dSLRs, they get the job done.

There are plenty of people who happily submit to the high-priced RF concept that Leica offers.

Don't like it? Don't buy it.

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask, but with the introduction of the new M and it still using an external EVF, can someone explain why a rangefinder system is preferable? I've never had the opportunity to use one, and it seems like rangefinder is the worst option for cameras today.

Optical viewfinders on an SLR views through the lens, so you can have precise framing, focus, and depth of field, though they require some calibration.

Electronic viewfinders on mirrorless cameras (particularly Sony's OLED) are bright and offer 100% exact framing, show the exposure accurately, can overlay the image with additional information, offer a magnified view for the most accurate focus possible (as it reads off the sensor) and don't black out when taking an image.

Rangefinder doesn't show focus, framing, or depth of field through the lens, exhibits parallax error and can be blocked by bigger lenses. They require extremely precise calibration between the lens and the body - something even Leica struggles to do at the prices they charge.


Is it just the heritage of the company / nostalgia, status, or is there something I am missing?

photo.guy wrote:
Is it just the heritage of the company / nostalgia, status, or is there something I am missing?

As of today, no EVF is even close to a good optical viewfinder. The vf in a Leica M offers a large, bright view, is great for precise focusing and doesn't have any shutter black-out. It's also possible to see what's happening outside the frame.

Ofc as technology advances the optical viewfinder becomes less and less attractive. As someone said, a RF is not necessarily better, but it's different. I'd urge anyone to take the chance to use a RF.

But what Leica does here, and no other manufacturer will ever do, is to combine the amazing OVF with all the advantages of a EVF. That's both unique and awesome, literally eating the cake and having it too.

rwalshphoto wrote:
I will just never understand the logic behind the Leica elitism and their price strategy. I appreciate the build quality and the glass and everything but the pricing is just ridiculous considering the tech and the alternatives that you could buy for $6950 plus the additional $2-8k+ per lens. Woof

I think a case could be made that you just described the Canon 1DX and the L-lens line-up. And Leica is a tiny little company compared to Canon. They should be proud that they can make anything priced competitively with the big dogs, much less anything as high quality.

JonasY wrote:
As of today, no EVF is even close to a good optical viewfinder.

Certainly in enjoyment. Although I really like the VF-2 for my E-PL3, and really enjoy using it, there is just no comparison, what so ever, to the joy I get from using my D800, or especially Rolleiflex 6008i.

VladiD wrote:
Pretty please, not again the whole "Leica is for snobs and is overpriced crap" drivel that every...single...Leica...thread deteriorates to.

We get it, you love your dSLRs, they get the job done.

There are plenty of people who happily submit to the high-priced RF concept that Leica offers.

Don't like it? Don't buy it.


Exactly. Geez...

Let me start by saying that I wish I could afford buying Leica stuff, the IQ is what it is, but is just not for me. Those who can afford it, great, enjoy it, and thanks for sharing your images.

When I saw that new CMOS sensor and the movie shooting capability, my first thought was, wow, I really would like to see a video taken with this thing. I hope they are able to keep with the same IQ with this new sensor.

I have an X100. Isn't that a rangefinder with LV, Optical and Electronic Viewfinders? It has an APS-C sensor, so not full frame, but it's pretty reasonably priced.
I get the Leica cost, so I'm not jumping into that argument, but there are alternatives out there.
Just like a Corvette is an alternate to a Ferrari, Leica has competition like the X100. I'm just pointing out the alternatives, as some folks are questioning that.