The Leica M11 is one of the few digital cameras with the rangefinder label that fits the traditional definition of the category, with its classic viewfinder and split image style manual focusing. But, reports are suggesting that Leica could be about to change the most iconic part of the M11 series and give the rangefinder an electronic viewfinder instead.
Leica M11-V rumors have been swirling for months – but a recent purported leak suggests a list of specs for the rumored camera. Leica has not confirmed the existence of such a camera nor confirmed any specifications.
But while the Leica M11-V may still be firmly situated in rumor territory, there’s a reported feature that has Leica M series fans divided: the switch from the classic rangefinder viewfinder to an electronic one. The unverified spec leak suggests that the viewfinder will be a half-inch screen with focusing aids and a diopter for adjustments.
But, if the leak is accurate, the list of features outside of that viewfinder seems to closely match other M-11 series cameras, which feature a full-frame 60MP sensor. If the M11-V is indeed true and not the made-up ramblings of the internet, I suspect the camera is going to be an addition and not a replacement, serving as an alternative for some users. Such a camera sounds like it would fit in with the likes of the Leica M11-P, M11-D, M11, and M11 Monochrome. That may be a relief to Leica M fans who say an M11 with an EVF feels like a mistake.
The Leica M11 series is one of the few modern rangefinder cameras that actually fit the historical definition of the classic camera type. A true rangefinder uses a viewfinder that lines up two images to focus. When the images overlap correctly, the image is in focus.
A number of digital cameras move the viewfinder over to the corner in order to create a more compact design, but cameras like the Sony A7C II only look like a rangefinder. Others like the Fujifilm X100VI use hybrid viewfinders that include a traditional split image focusing mode along with more modern modes.
The rangefinder design is arguably what sets the M11 apart from other full-frame digital cameras. As Leica explains it, “The iconic Leica M-Camera uses state-of-the-art technology, focusing only on the features essential for photography.” The Leica M11 is, essentially, a camera with both state-of-the-art technology and stripped-down features designed to get back to photography’s roots while still delivering high-resolution digital images.
The classic rangefinder sped up manual focusing by quickly indicating when an image is in focus using the split images that overlap. But the optical viewfinder uses hatch marks to indicate what the lens sees when using different focal lengths, which can be a challenge when working with longer lenses and trying to see that image line-up in just a small section of the viewfinder. Another argument is that electronic viewfinders, which often support a wider range of manual focus aids, can be easier to use for some photographers, such as those with eyesight limitations.
The M11 could already gain those advantages by adding on the Visoflex 2, a viewfinder accessory that uses the camera’s hot shoe slot. But, using such an accessory adds to the size of the camera and takes up the hot shoe.
While the rangefinder design is part of why the Leica M series is so legendary, not all Leica M cameras are true rangefinders. The film Leica MD series, first launched in 1963, didn’t have viewfinders at all; Leica’s modern take is the Leica M11-D, which lacks a playback screen but keeps the viewfinder.
With the Leica M11-V still situated firmly in rumor territory, a number of questions remain. My biggest one? The price. Lecia says that “the mechanical rangefinder in every M-Camera is made by hand at the Leica factory in Germany using over 100 parts.” Installing an electronic viewfinder sounds a bit simpler.
Leica and budget are rarely used in the same sentence, but I wonder if a Leica M11 with an electronic viewfinder may be less expensive? Or, perhaps, since the camera eliminates the need for the $955 / £650 / AU$1,370 Visoflex 2 accessory, Leica could argue for a higher price point instead.
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