The Leica M11 is the iconic photography company’s latest full-frame digital rangefinder camera, packing a 60-megapixel image sensor into an all-metal body, along with a range of refinements over the previous M10. It also will also cost an eye-watering but Leica-typical $8,995 (without a lens) when it goes on sale later this month, yet it shuns features like image stabilization, video recording and even autofocus. And that’s kind of the point. Leica fans won’t buy this camera based on whether it ticks enough boxes on a spec list.
The M11 is beautiful and so much of me loves it. A part of my brain gets excited just picking up a Leica, let alone taking it out on a shoot. If I received it as a present I’d take it out around Edinburgh as often as I could, and when I part with my test model I’ll look on in envy at anyone I see carrying one around.
Check out the $8,990 Leica M11 from all angles
But after having spent a few weeks with a prerelease model, I have to admit, it’s not for me. There is a lot I like about it. The build quality is superb, for one. Its all-metal construction feels incredibly sturdy — not to mention premium enough to go a long way toward justifying that price. It’s slightly slimmer and lighter than the previous M10 , but it’s still got a satisfying heft when you hold it. You can access the SD card slot from within the battery compartment, rather than having to unscrew and remove the whole baseplate, as was the case on the M10, a definite improvement.
There’s an optical viewfinder and a bright, sharp 3.0-inch LCD screen on the back for accessing the menus and using live view (yes, it has live view). There are also menus that I found to be easy and intuitive to navigate, even when shooting quickly on location. The battery life is superb; even after a full day of shooting, often using live view, I had over a quarter of the battery remaining. You can then either recharge it in an external cradle (supplied) or within the camera via a USB-C cable connected to the port on the camera’s underside.
All about image
Leica sent the M11 paired with its M-mount 35mm f/2 lens ($3,795) which was great for a day out and about Edinburgh, and I am really pleased with many of my shots. Images can be pin-sharp, with beautiful bokeh behind your subject when shooting with the aperture wide open.
Leica M11 digital rangefinder camera put to the test in beautiful Edinburgh
A neat new feature is the ability to select different image resolutions even when shooting in DNG raw format. You can opt to shoot at the full 60MP for the biggest image size, knock it down to medium (36MP) for a smaller, more manageable file size or down to small (18MP).
But rather than simply use all of the sensor’s pixels and scaling to the desired size, as most cameras do, for the smaller sizes the M11 combines multiple pixels into a “superpixel,” increasing the amount of light it can gather. As a result, the camera can achieve broader dynamic range (up to 15 stops) for better low-light performance at medium and small than it can when shooting at its maximum resolution. I didn’t find the difference to be particularly noticeable in my shots, but under high-contrast conditions it might be more apparent.
Like any high-end camera, it takes time to familiarize yourself with its quirks. The auto white balance tended to be cool and the metering delivered unexpectedly underexposed shots, particularly when shooting shooting landscapes with brighter skies (in aperture priority with multi mode and letting the camera automatically set ISO and shutter speed). Both issues are easily remedied with some trial and error to find your optimal settings or to adjust in software like Adobe Lightroom.
It’s a Leica
Some Leica owners and photography purists might say becoming a better photographer includes shooting photos with inexact focus, unexpected exposures and white balance, visible shake and so on partly because it helps you learn from mistakes, find your limits and get accustomed to the personality and quirks of your camera.
There’s something to be said for slowing down and taking your time over your images, something I practice frequently with my landscape and macro photography. But I couldn’t part with almost
$13,000 (with the lens) for a camera that’s missing modern features I’ve come to rely on in both my professional and personal work. Autofocus that can lock on a subject in milliseconds so I know I’m not going to miss that crucial moment. That can shoot 4K video. That offers the slow shutter speeds I can get with in-body stabilization, ultra-fast continuous-shooting and and — forgive me — a flip-out screen for shooting at awkward angles. The same reasons I’d hesitate to recommend it to many photographers, even if they do have the money for it.
In much the same way an enthusiast will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the joy of driving a classic sports car that lacks traction control, power steering, built-in telemetry, cruise control or even airbags, Leicas are for photographers for whom the experience is as important as getting the shot. It’s for that special subset of photographers who want Leica’s trademark image quality and because of its lack of those modern features. Who’ll appreciate the M11 for exactly what it is.
Leica M11 key specs
- 60.3-megapixel full-frame image sensor
- UHS-II SDXC cards up to 2TB supported
- 64GB internal memory
- USB-C battery recharging and data transfer
- Leica M-mount lens compatibility
- 540g weight (black model, with battery)
- Optical rangefinder viewfinder
- 2.95-inch LCD display
- ISO speeds from 64-50,000
- Shutter speed from 1 hour to 1/16,000 (with electronic shutter)
- 4.5 frames per second burst mode
- 1,800-mAh battery
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Das Wesentliche
- Compact digital rangefinder system camera
- Full-frame BSI CMOS sensor with Triple Resolution Technology
- Maestro III Processor
- 64 GB internal memory
- ISO 64 to 50.000
- Electronic shutter featuring a shutter speed of up to 1/16000 of a second
- Multi-field metering in rangefinder mode
- USB-C-port
- Apple “Made for iPhone and iPad” certified
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“The new benchmark in rangefinder photography”
The Leica M11 combines traditional rangefinder photography with innovative, contemporary camera technology. This newly developed masterpiece offers a choice of image resolution and numerous innovations that result in a vastly superior user experience. The M11 provides maximum flexibility, the highest image quality and timeless build and design; the perfect tool for expressing your individual artistic vision.
Expand your creative freedom
The M11 is entirely re-engineered providing the latest state of the art technology: An exclusively designed Full-frame BSI CMOS Sensor with triple resolution technology grants you the choice to produce raw image files in DNG format and JPEGs at 60, 36 or 18 megapixels, always using the full sensor area. The 60-megapixel option delivers unprecedented image quality with maximum print and cropping potential, whereas the lower resolutions enable faster camera performance, even greater dynamic range, extended burst lengths, and smaller files.
Dual Memory
In addition to the SD card slot, the camera is equipped with a generous internal storage capacity of 64 gigabytes. You can save your image files simultaneously onto two different storage media and benefit from a high level of data security.
Express your artistic vision with accuracy while staying truly flexible
The M11 has a sensitivity range of ISO 64 to 50,000; it records at 14-bit colour depth and has a dynamic range of up to15 stops. This opens up entirely new areas of photography and delivers exceptional imaging performance even in difficult lighting conditions, especially while shooting with fast lenses in very bright light conditions.
Thanks to a new colour filter technology on the sensor, the camera also offers an improved, more natural colour reproduction. With the new electronic shutter, exposure times up to 1/16,000s are now possible. This feature enables you to shoot in bright sunny conditions with wide open apertures, and eliminates shutter sound entirely for even more discretion.
Better battery performance
The battery stores 64% more energy compared to the predecessor, and combined with the camera’s more efficient operation, allows for considerably longer shooting sessions with a single charge. The new USB-C port on the bottom plate enables you to keep your battery charged through any suitable USB-C cable, or by using a third party battery power bank when you are on the go.
Silver chrome & black paint finish
The black paint version features a top plate made of high-quality aluminium with a scratch resistant coating, resulting in a body that is approximately 20% (100 grams) lighter than its silver chrome counterpart. The silver chrome variant features a classic brass top plate and weighs in at 640 grams.
Easy, fast and reliable connectivity
The M11 is an Apple “Made for iPhone and iPad” accessory and as such, offers unique abilities with the included Leica FOTOS cable; the cable supports quick connection to Leica Fotos App and ensures a fast and sustainable workflow. New features such as Geotagging, accessing images via Bluetooth connection and increased transfer rates will be available through a new firmware version in the second half of 2022.
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