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Leica M EV1

1bwana1
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p.86 #1 · Leica M EV1

stgrove wrote:
5-10 minutes out of the box and it's a keeper for me since I ALWAYS used my Viso2's on all M11's anyway. Seems a natural way to use an M11 for me. Now do I keep my M11P? For now, yes.

It sounds like you are the type of photographer Leica designed the M-EV1 for. For sure it will be better to use than an M11 with VisoFlex.

I see no reason to keep the M11-P. Congratulations on your new camera. It will bring you many years of wonderful photography.

Dec 26, 2025 at 07:16 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.86 #2 · Leica M EV1

Dec 26, 2025 at 07:36 PM

EMH2025
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p.86 #3 · Leica M EV1

After a couple of weeks in general I like the M11 EV1, the form factor for travel and for use with long lenses and/or fast ones like a noct is much better even though it is basically the same visual experience as M11P with a EV. An expensive indulgence but I do seem like it. I'll take on some trips over the next year and see what I think as a travel camera

One thing, not a big deal, but for Lightroom/Cobalt users it is necessary to get the EV1 base pack to use all the film emulations and cobalt for adjustments. The M11 rangefinder base pack does not work, Another little side expense of ownership. It is so easy to slide through the offerings to see what might work, a necessary upgrade I just completed as I was just using adobe's past two weeks and missed Cobalt. Fixed that.

Dec 27, 2025 at 01:10 PM

stgrove
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p.86 #4 · Leica M EV1

I generally go to ACR first and the PS if needed.

Dec 27, 2025 at 03:13 PM

EMH2025
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p.86 #5 · Leica M EV1

Doing slow shutter speeds with M11 EV1- As I continue to experiment with M11 EV1 I noted before I like the ergonomics, I added an Owlcrown thumb grip and it is stable and swings around well and seems in my hands to be more stable for hand hold, a good thing with no IBIS. Testing this to see how low can I go on shutter speed, not the easiest thing for a 70+ photographer, but in the spirit of old slow photography of 100 years ago when film was slow and lenses were mostly tiny. I have found I can do quite well at 1/50th with a tiny lens, E39s like an Elcan or colorskopers for 28 21, heavier lenses pose more problems, an apo 50 summicron is ok, something like a 1966 is not. Also tiny is good for balance. I like the predawn redder light when I could shoot with a tripod, but it is more a challenge (fun) hand held. This red light makes my Mexican fire stick plants glow for a few minutes before the dawn and is one of my tests. Attached pic is 1/50th hand held with LLL elcan. I have gone to 1/20 reasonably well, the trick seems to be fire off several shots for lucky imaging (an astronomy trick) and pick the best one, and all can be cleaned up a bit with Topaz if needed something not possible in film days. The second set shows the same image 1/25th sec with an elcan hand held (bottom) with and without Topaz sharpen (top), for this I just did the auto let Topaz select rather than work with it.

Can I live without IBIS I think so, might have been nice, but I think I can manage. The original Barnaks are hiking/adventure cameras pocket size, the M11 EV1 fits in my light parka pocket with a small lens attached as Barnak intended. If the camera is my left pocket, with something like an elcan I can easily put a color skoper or two and an extra battery in my right pocket and I am good to go. The Voigtlander 3.5 50 is another fairly small lens although disadvantaged for low light for daytime use it would be great, I can also go with my vintage 50 2.8 elmer collapsible and if daylight is even smaller in pocket.

Dec 30, 2025 at 10:16 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.86 #6 · Leica M EV1

For those shooting with the SL2/SL3 and EV1, which do you prefer if we ignore size and weight? How do the EVF and overall shooting experience compare for you?

Jan 04, 2026 at 07:54 PM

rji2goleez
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p.86 #7 · Leica M EV1

Fred Miranda wrote:
For those shooting with the SL2/SL3 and EV1, which do you prefer if we ignore size and weight? How do the EVF and overall shooting experience compare for you?

While I returned my EV1, I much prefer the EVF on the SL3. It feels brighter, sharper to me and doesn�t flicker when using M glass. The EV1 I had would flicker especially when zoomed in. None of that with the SL3.

Jan 04, 2026 at 08:07 PM

bcaslis
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p.86 #8 · Leica M EV1

I have no flickering problem with the EV1. I will say when zoomed in at maximum magnification, the EVF is very slow and jumpy but not flickering. The SL2 & 3 have a clearly superior EVF, but they are full size mirrorless bodies. If I'm going to use something that big, I have a Nikon Z8 which runs rings around any Leica SL body (sorry no offense, but it's the truth).

I like the EV1 for having a good EVF in a very small body. It's not the best but I never expected it to be.

Jan 04, 2026 at 11:08 PM

1bwana1
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p.86 #9 · Leica M EV1

Fred Miranda wrote:
For those shooting with the SL2/SL3 and EV1, which do you prefer if we ignore size and weight? How do the EVF and overall shooting experience compare for you?

Leaving aside form factor for me the SL3 provides a far superior M lens shooting experience. This is the result of a vastly superior EVF in terms of size, brightness, clarity, and visual resolution. IBIS provides a much more stable EVF experience as well as the ability to shoot at lower ISO for visibly better IQ in DR and noise in many circumstances. It also makes hand held shooting a 60mpx sensor more likely to result in sharper image. The better control layout and more programmable controls makes the haptics noticably better as well.

All of those advantages together makes for better results and a better shooting experience. Plus you then get the option for AF when wanted. Use small Sigma primes and you get a better experience than Q cameras and can swap focal lengths Q3 28 and Q3 43 in one package. Finaly, you also get the ability to shoot the APO-SL primes when you want the best FF IQ available. They are visibly better than any FF lenses made by any other manufacturer.

With the new 4.0 firmware the SL3 has evolved into a very compelling platform for super high IQ photography.

Jan 05, 2026 at 01:52 AM

tzhang4284
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p.86 #10 · Leica M EV1

I don't have a EV1 but have a M11 + Visoflex 2 (I don't use it often) and recently picked up the Leica SL3-S to use with AF and MF lenses. I was planning on heavily leaning on adapting M-mount lenses to use on the SL3-S but I find the shooting experience to be much worse due to the size and feel of the body. I find myself either just bringing the M11 or the SL3-S, the idea of mixing and matching is nice but not optimal.

In some ways, I find the EVF experience on the M11 easier to use over the SL3-S but the difference to me is minimal. My keeper rate is up by a bit on the SL3-S but I don't think it's meaningfully better than using the Visoflex 2 so I can't imagine the EV1 being any worse.

When my eyesight goes, i will probably replace the M11 with a EV1 or a future iteration of it. I keep the SL3-S mainly to use with APO SL primes now but I do believe M lenses are better on M cameras and SL cameras are for SL lenses.

Jan 05, 2026 at 03:39 AM

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p.86 #11 · Leica M EV1

bcaslis wrote:
I like the EV1 for having a good EVF in a very small body. It's not the best but I never expected it to be.

There is something off about spending $9K on a camera and not expecting it to be the best.

Perhaps this is a philosophical question - but shouldn't we expect it to be the best?
Or have we just become conditioned?

Jan 05, 2026 at 04:49 AM

1bwana1
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p.86 #12 · Leica M EV1

Desmolicious wrote:
There is something off about spending $9K on a camera and not expecting it to be the best.

Perhaps this is a philosophical question - but shouldn't we expect it to be the best?
Or have we just become conditioned?

But no camera is the inarguably the best in all categories. The EV-1 could be claimed to be the best in:

Native M mount camera bodies

Build quality

Leica style menu and haptics

Leica M workflow

So, it is the best at giving a Leica M experience with an EVF instead of a Range Finder.

But it is not the best EVF and doesn't have the best EVF manual focus aids in the industry.

Jan 05, 2026 at 05:26 AM

RustyBug
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p.86 #13 · Leica M EV1

1bwana1 wrote:
Leaving aside form factor for me the SL3 provides a far superior M lens shooting experience. This is the result of a vastly superior EVF in terms of size, brightness, clarity, and visual resolution. IBIS provides a much more stable EVF experience as well as the ability to shoot at lower ISO for visibly better IQ in DR and noise in many circumstances. It also makes hand held shooting a 60mpx sensor more likely to result in sharper image. The better control layout and more programmable controls makes the haptics noticably better as well.

All of those advantages together makes for...Show more →

I've long indicated that the SL platform is a very versatile one.

It'll never be the "best" at anything, except maybe being the "best" at everything. That meaning it isn't the best for M lenses. Nor, is it the best AF. But, it is the best for M and AF combined, and is certainly better weather sealed than an M.
I'm only on the SL2-S and have been waffling for the SL3 vs. SL3-S, so the recent AF firmware gains have my attention.

Is the SL platform the best M body experience ... nope. But, is it a good well rounded experience, yup.

Imo, the SL platform is more like a Summicron lens ... superb all-rounder. The M platform is more like a Summilux or Noctilux. There are more tradeoffs (i.e. no IBIS, etc.), and a bit more demanding in use. But when it comes together, and those demands are well-harnessed ... it is "different" in a way that folks find it to be "special" to them.

The M-EV1 (haven't used) seems destined to sit between the two. Maybe preferable to the Visoflex (except for the angle viewer when that is desired).

If I had to pick ONLY ONE camera body ... it would be an SL ... and (to Steve's point) I can load it with M's or SL's glass of all manner. Currently, I've got my Elmarit M 24 / 2.8 .... through the M APO 135/3.4 ... on up to the Siggy 500 / 5.6. Small primes, big tele's, versatile zooms, etc. Yeah, it's versatile, and while the "penalty" of not being an M body (cover glass difference) / form factor / etc. is there (to a degree), there is nothing about the SL that would restrict me so much that I MUST use an M instead.

That said, I've always maintained that the best optical performance of an M lens is on an M body ... including the elliptical microlenses, etc. And, with an M, I get a threaded cable release option that isn't in the SL.

But, I still find the SL platform to be the most versatile (with its micro-penalties) of all.

What does that have to do with the M-EV1 directly ... not much, really. Just some perspective on where the M > EV1 > Q > SL lands the EV1, does include some perspective on the M / Q / SL.

Right now, I've got one SL, two M's and one Q ... all are different, yet all share some kindred aspects, too.

I figure the EV1 (no experience with, yet) slots among them.

YMMV

Jan 05, 2026 at 08:24 AM

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p.86 #14 · Leica M EV1

1bwana1 wrote:
So, it is the best at giving a Leica M experience with an EVF instead of a Range Finder.

So it is the best in a category of one? And above, you explained that you found the SL3 to be better to shoot with M lenses.
What is the M experience then? Not the rangefinder, not the lenses, just the size of the body?

Jan 05, 2026 at 08:51 AM

1bwana1
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p.86 #15 · Leica M EV1

pmeheut wrote:
So it is the best in a category of one? And above, you explained that you found the SL3 to be better to shoot with M lenses.
What is the M experience then? Not the rangefinder, not the lenses, just the size of the body?

There are many EVF mirrorless cameras with MF capabilities and various focus aids. None of them provide an experience overall asclose to the classic M experience as the EV-1. So no it is not a category of one.

Jan 05, 2026 at 10:40 AM

pmeheut
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p.86 #16 · Leica M EV1

1bwana1 wrote:
There are many EVF mirrorless cameras with MF capabilities and various focus aids. None of them provide an experience overall asclose to the classic M experience as the EV-1. So no it is not a category of one.
You still do not answer: what is the classic M experience when it comes to the EV-1 except for its size?
Maybe the price?

Jan 05, 2026 at 11:00 AM

1bwana1
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p.86 #17 · Leica M EV1

pmeheut wrote:
You still do not answer: what is the classic M experience when it comes to the EV-1 except for its size?
Maybe the price?

Lots. Control layout, menu structure and naming, workflow, sensor, processor, color, IQ. In fact everything about an M11 except using an EVF instead of a Range Finder. No other camera offers that.

Jan 05, 2026 at 11:20 AM

LBJ2
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p.86 #18 · Leica M EV1

Jan 05, 2026 at 12:17 PM

pmeheut
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p.86 #19 · Leica M EV1

1bwana1 wrote:
Lots. Control layout, menu structure and naming, workflow, sensor, processor, color, IQ.

Ok. Once again, we will agree to disagree because for me the M experience has really nothing to do with these but much more with the fact that I can use any camera from the M3 to the M11 and get the same "feel".
In fact, menu structure and naming is not something I use in the field, workflow is the same for any camera, Leica or not, sensor can be found in other brands, processor is nothing special and color changes from one digital M to the other.

Jan 05, 2026 at 01:03 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.86 #20 · Leica M EV1

rji2goleez wrote:
While I returned my EV1, I much prefer the EVF on the SL3. It feels brighter, sharper to me and doesn�t flicker when using M glass. The EV1 I had would flicker especially when zoomed in. None of that with the SL3.

---------------------------------------------

1bwana1 wrote:
Leaving aside form factor for me the SL3 provides a far superior M lens shooting experience. This is the result of a vastly superior EVF in terms of size, brightness, clarity, and visual resolution. IBIS provides a much more stable EVF experience as well as the ability to shoot at lower ISO for visibly better IQ in DR and noise in many circumstances. It also makes hand held shooting a 60mpx sensor more likely to result in sharper image. The better control layout and more programmable controls makes the haptics noticably better as well.

All of those advantages together makes for...Show more →

Good to hear your experiences with both cameras. I've shot with the SL2 for many years and was really impressed with its EVF. Not just the resolution and magnification, but the clarity which it made shooting a really pleasant experience. IBIS was great for stabilizing images, and the EVF made precise focusing easy, which added a lot to the overall experience as well.

I tried the SL3, and for some reason the viewfinder didn't feel as good as the SL2. Maybe it's the slightly lower magnification, or it was a bit jumpy with more artifacts when magnifying. I'm not sure if Leica fixed this, but I kind of gave up on it. The SL2's used prices made me reconsider one again.

I've heard there have been a lot of firmware improvements since I sold mine a couple years ago, so I'm excited to try it out. I will mostly adapt M-lenses, but I definitely want at least one SL-APO AF lens. My second favorite was the 35mm f/2, but my favorite wasn't an APO...it was the best 50/1.4 I've ever shot: the SL 50/1.4 Summilux.

Jan 05, 2026 at 02:10 PM

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