- The next camera in Leica’s M series could be the first of its kind with an EVF
- It could be the smallest, lightest and most versatile Leica M-Series camera
- Rumors suggest that it will be launched later this year
Now here is a rumor of Leica with many potential avenues to navigate – Leica apparently works on a new camera in the M series which will abandon the experience of the rangefinder for which the series is famous, in favor of an electronic viewfinder (EVF) .
The details recently shared by Leica’s rumors are rare, leaving me with a lot of questions – so let’s explore where Leica could go with this new potential model.
Leica’s M series, both analog and digital models, uses an optical rangefinder to compose and manually concentrate the shots, using a divided image guide difficult to master the clear focus on your subject. It is not for everyone, but Leica’s telemeter is the soul of the series, a shooting experience that you cannot find elsewhere (in addition to the Pixii rangefinder).
In practice, an EVF will be much more useful than a rangefinder – you will get an overview of the exhibition and the extremely useful “focus” development development tool. Such a change in design should make this smallest and lightest Leica digital camera the smallest and lighter camera to date, and also the cheapest.
Rumors suggest that it is not a new generation Leica M12, but a new series in Mounta’s Mounta M ecosystem. A camera in the M series with EVF looks very much like a compact premium leica Q3 / Q3 43 (see above), but with an interchangeable lens support. I loved testing the Leica Q3, but it is an experience of the camera quite different and modern compared to the M. series
A new dawn for Leica’s M series?
The exchange of the rangefinder for an electronic viewfinder can look like a small change, but it would mark the largest design overhaul that Leica’s M series has ever seen. This would also carry the unique sale argument of Leica – the experience of the rangefinder.
Some believe that telemers are stuck in the past – an experience of manual shooting with a unique divided image need concentration skills. For others, the experience of the rangefinder is exactly the challenge they appreciate, a charm that they cannot obtain elsewhere (despite the Pixii, which is the only other digital timer on the market).
Consider the possibilities of a camera in the M series with an EVF. If it is indeed a camera in the M series, it will use the Mount M of Leica, for which there are many manual objectives available, both costly Leica options and cheaper third alternatives. The lenses are tiny and are suitable for what could potentially be the smallest camera in Leica’s M series.
When I imagine the Mystery M-Series camera as Q3 with Leica M-Mount, my mind turns into a functionality that Q3 has that the M series is lacking: autofocus. Could a new Leica M camera become automatic? The objective of the lens would need a fresh overhaul, and the new automatic development objectives should be manufactured, but it seems plausible, even if it would mark a new direction for Leica.
Then there is the Leica SL series to consider, the latest generation being the Leica SL3. It is a complete digital reflex style camera with Mount, with automatic skills. There is an attractive case for a compact m-series style camera with an EVF and the Mount L equipped by the autofocus.
However, rumors indicate an M serial model with an EVF, a particularly large touch screen and no rear buttons, and I do not expect the seismic changes to be imagined above. It will probably also be a manual camera only at the focus, by making the best party of the assistance tools that an EVF offers, and probably the last 61 MP sensor of Leica. Stabilization of the image in the body would be a useful addition, but again, doubtful.
What is the most exciting direction you think that Leica could take her M series with her next launch? Let us know in the comments below.
