retrofocus wrote:
I don't think there will be "disappointment" among M users/fans - you simply continue what you are using - the M rangefinder. Some M users might see the EV1 as step up especially those who have eyesight problems which might be overcome with the EVF and diopter change option. But since the focusing seems to provide no step up from traditional EVF based focus technology, the EV1 will occupy a niche market within the M user group.
I own 2 M bodies M-11P/M11M- I am beyond disappointed.
This shows a complete lack of innovation and a 9K money grab from Leica-
Its a flat out JOKE at this point......There better be a firmware update today saying just kidding, we actually did innovate and put in a world class newly designed MF aid to take the Leica M into the next 100 years.
tzhang4284 wrote:
Not sure why anyone expected this to be more than a M11 without a rangefinder window - the rumors on this has been consistent for a while.
They're clearly taking a testing the waters approach to this - probably will see how it sells in the market and decide whether to invest in a EVF2. Probably looking at overall M-camera sales and Q-camera sales and see what it does to the rangefinder M sales. I expect it to sell well to certain demographics.
I do think the next version could have a lot more features if they do invest in this line. Focus confirm, in-camera phase detect AF etc... I'm sure Leica and Panasonic has the tech to do all this. I do hope they change the design - definitely a bit weird and ugly which matters for a Leica camera....Show more →
Outside of the rumors website and user wish lists and ever increasing expectations all over the threads/forums, this is what the original LSI conference asked for. In fact, the original concept was to replace the RF mech with the Visoflex 2. In the end looks like Leica decided they could use the higher resolution Q3-like EVF instead.
The M-EV1 was just released. IMO that means it's in it basic form and will be further tweaked perhaps with some new functionality in time via firmware updates. I don't however expect much in the way of Nikon/Canon like MF aids will ever be added to the M-EV1. Chances are Leica has a few of their own improvement possibilities in the works for future firmware updates, particularly as user feedback starts to come in.
LBJ2 wrote:
Outside of the rumors website and user wish lists and ever increasing expectations all over the threads/forums, this is what the original LSI conference asked for. In fact, the original concept was to replace the RF mech with the Visoflex 2. In the end looks like Leica decided they could use the higher resolution Q3-like EVF instead.
The M-EV1 was just released. IMO that means it's in it basic form and will be further tweaked perhaps with some new functionality in time via firmware updates. I don't however expect much in the way of Nikon/Canon like MF aids will ever be added to the M-EV1. Chances are Leica has a few of their own improvement possibilities in the works for future firmware updates, particularly as user feedback starts to come in. ...Show more →
The first improvement, which won’t be seen until the M12 is a next generation faster, more efficient Maestro Chip. Until then, there is only so much that can be done in firmware.
This is great for people who have fading eyesight (me) or use wide angle lenses (me sometimes). Don't know that it's worth the price of entry for me given the predictably high cost and limited use cases. I seem to be able to RF focus the lenses I use the most often on my M (35, 50, 75 with the 1.4x magnifier) and can use live view for other wider lenses like my 21. If there comes a time when my eyes can't get consistent results with the RF, I will seriously consider an M11 EV1.
But I'm glad they made this while preserving their commitment to the older RF. It would be nice if automakers could do something similar (e.g., continue to offer smaller cars with manual transmissions alongside their bloated automatic SUVs with a million driver assistance nannies), but I understand that Leica's ability to retain the old while modernizing in a separate product variant is unique to it.
Outside of the rumors website and user wish lists and ever increasing expectations all over the threads/forums, this is what the original LSI conference asked for. In fact, the original concept was to replace the RF mech with the Visoflex 2. In the end looks like Leica decided they could use the higher resolution Q3-like EVF instead.
For me, the main problem is the price. Why does it cost so much more than a Q3?
I'm kind of relieved I'll be happy with my Q2m and M10.
panos.v wrote:
Here we have it then. Leica makes an EVF camera. And suddenly it is just like any other EVF camera. The only thing that it offers over something a lot cheaper is native M mount.
Maybe that is the limit of EVF cameras:
- You can have a normal view which is subject to DOF issues if you're stopped down.,.oh wait mechanical aperture
- You can have focus peaking
- You can have some zoom in variation
Maybe that is all that can be without AF.
The real quesiton though is:
What does the little patch window do? Decoration only? I don't see it doing anything else.
My guess is that it guesses at aperture and reports that in the viewfinder. If it is no better at that than the M10 or M11, it will be pretty useless.
mgscheu wrote:
For me, the main problem is the price. Why does it cost so much more than a Q3?
I'm kind of relieved I'll be happy with my Q2m and M10.
Well, there is a good side in all of this - lesser high-in-demand M cameras will go for a lower, more affordable price used in a few years. I have some hope that the EV1 will fall into such category.
RustyRus wrote:
I own 2 M bodies M-11P/M11M- I am beyond disappointed.
This shows a complete lack of innovation and a 9K money grab from Leica-
It’s a flat out JOKE at this point......There better be a firmware update today saying just kidding, we actually did innovate and put in a world class newly designed MF aid to take the Leica M into the next 100 years.
Unrealistic expectations are on you and me.. not Leica. We were not the target audience. They produced a camera without spending much money on development and I suspect that they are looking for a very small niche audience.
M12 without innovation will be a big disappointment and would be Leica’s fault.
It is way too early to give any educated opinion for me about this announcement. I haven't been following this thread at all, but I guess we all knew an EVF Leica M was coming some day.
I started shooting Leica with a M6 TTL and 35/2 ASPH Summicron towards the end of the 90's, or was it early 2000? It has been a love/hate story ever since, because I actually don't SEE BETTER with the rangefinder. I don't zone focus, I don't shoot from the hip, I don't do street photography. But I do love some of the images that I've been able to produce using Leica M and their outstanding lenses, as well as with the Q-series (owned all models up to the Q3 43).
I think it is great that there is a choice now. Purists will continue to love and use the rangefinders. New customers/users are now invited to the fold, thus the Leica tent got bigger, which is nothing but a good thing IMO.
I will certainly go and test this one out, and perhaps one day, I'll be lucky enough to own a Leica M + lenses again.
tzhang4284 wrote:
Not sure why anyone expected this to be more than a M11 without a rangefinder window - the rumors on this has been consistent for a while.
Because when looking at Canon's and Nikon's manual focus assist implementations, we probably have assumed that Leica, being the stallward guardian of the manual focusing experience, will release something even more advanced. If you follow Leicarumors site, you probably have seen various mockups of what that could have been.
Instead, they released the laziest MF assist implementation imaginable: a magnifier+edge highlighting. This turns the EV1 into, literally, the worst focusing camera in the world. It doesn't autofocus, and its manual focus is of the most basic type.
old-gregg wrote:
Instead, they released the laziest MF assist implementation imaginable: a magnifier+edge highlighting. This turns the EV1 into, literally, the worst focusing camera in the world. It doesn't autofocus, and its manual focus is of the most basic type.
Ouch!
Oct 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
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old-gregg wrote:
Because when looking at Canon's and Nikon's manual focus assist implementations, we probably have assumed that Leica, being the stallward guardian of the manual focusing experience, will release something even more advanced. If you follow Leicarumors site, you probably have seen various mockups of what that could have been.
Instead, they released the laziest MF assist implementation imaginable: a magnifier+edge highlighting. This turns the EV1 into, literally, the worst focusing camera in the world. It doesn't autofocus, and its manual focus is of the most basic type.
The problem with adding Nikon/Canon type focus assist is that you need a sensor with phase detect sites on the sensor and the M11 sensor doesn't have phase detect, so they would have had to use a different sensor for this camera. They obviously decided not to do that and I suspect they won't in the future either.
I further think that if you really like that type of focus assist, that you will also really like auto focus (AF). This camera is for a different type of shooter. One who is willing to manual focus and shoot more slowly. Despite the lack of focus assist the camera will still work very well with still or slow moving subjects. Focus assist might help with things moving a little faster, but once you are shooting such things, AF is a huge help and there is great AF for such subjects these days.
The camera will still be pretty unique in being this small and having such a large and likely very nice looking EVF, and of course you can use it with all those M lenses out there without any concerns whatsoever. I think it will find an audience. Not a huge audience, but I think it will sell reasonably well.
Well I will keep the M11 and my Sony A7CR with Kolari modification.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I'm really trying to stay positive, but even after all the buildup, this still feels a bit like an April Fools joke... The missing viewfinder is hard to ignore, especially since we're so used to that classic design. Replacing it with a blank space and leaning on outdated focusing tools just feels lazy and uninspired. And with the ISO dial gone too, maybe they just assumed most users would stick to auto anyway.
Leica: "You Belong Here."
I'm definitely not the target audience that "belongs" to this. Still, I hope it finds its audience and does well for Leica.
