Leica first introduced its M10 rangefinder digital camera again in January 2017, and the corporate has since launched a number of variants of the digital camera since. Most just lately, the M10-R added a 40-megapixel sensor to the to the digital camera, an enormous step up over the 24-megapixel one discovered within the authentic M10. But at this time, Leica is able to go away the M10 lineup behind and transfer to a very new digital camera, the Leica M11.

Well, “totally new” is perhaps a stretch. It’ll look acquainted to anybody who has seen Leica’s well-known lineup of rangefinder cameras earlier than, and it nonetheless makes use of Leica’s M mount for lenses, however the firm has put in sufficient new options to justify giving it a brand new identify. First and foremost is a brand new 60-megapixel full-frame sensor, making this digital camera an enormous improve for anybody who might need bought the unique M10 again in 2017. The so-called “triple resolution” sensor can shoot at both 60, 36 or 18 megapixels in DNG RAW or JPG. Notably, Leica says it will shoot utilizing the total sensor space when taking pictures at a decrease decision, fairly than cropping the picture down. But these pictures may free some sharpness due to pixel binning or line skipping that happens when utilizing the total sensor to shoot at a decrease decision. .

Shooting at decrease decision, although, will naturally save space for storing and in addition provide prolonged burst taking pictures. The ISO on this digital camera ranges from 64 all the way in which to 50,000, a cease greater than the 100-50,000 vary provided on the M10 collection. The ISO on this digital camera goes from 64 all the way in which to 50,000, a cease greater than the 100-50,000 vary provided on the M10 collection.

Speaking of storage, the M11 has 64GB of onboard storage, which lets photographers storage pictures each on the interior reminiscence in addition to an SD reminiscence card. Leica additionally redesigned the underside plate of the digital camera to supply faster entry to the SD cart slot and battery. There’s additionally a USB-C port proper within the backside of the digital camera, which makes charging the battery and transferring footage to a pc a bit simpler. That’s a reasonably widespread characteristic nowadays, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a welcome addition to the M11. Leica additionally says that the M11’s 1,800mAh battery shops 64 % extra energy than the battery on older fashions

As with the M10 collection, the M11 makes use of Leica’s optical rangefinder and guide focus solely. But the 3-inch again display screen, which it’s also possible to use as a viewfinder, has 2,332,800 pixels, greater than double the 1,036,800 pixels on the M10. In one other concession to trendy know-how, the M11 has each a mechanical and an digital shutter. 

The commonplace mechanical possibility can shoot at speeds as much as 1/4000th of a second, whereas the digital shutter goes as much as a whopping 1/16,000 of a second. Perhaps most importantly, the digital shutter will likely be completely silent, one thing that avenue photographers ought to respect. The M10-R had an “extra silent” mechanical shutter, however you may’t beat a immobile digital shutter in case you want completely quiet operation.

Leica is providing two fashions: an all-black M11 and a black and silver possibility. The latter makes use of a brass prime plate and as such weighs in at 640 grams, 100 grams greater than the all-black fashions. To save weight, that digital camera has an aluminum prime with a scratch-resistant coating. Regardless of which end you favor, the M11 is wildly costly, in step with Leica custom. It prices $8,995 with out a lens, the identical worth because the M10-R. 

Given the quite a few enhancements right here, it’s good that Leica didn’t enhance the value additional, however — as we stated after we checked out the M10-R — Leica rangefinders are as a lot a standing image as they’re a images software. We stated the M10-R was the king of that class in 2020, however now it appears the M11 has taken the throne. The M11 is offered to order now.