"Legendary" camera launching next week, teases Leica

Leica teaser
(Image credit: Leica Rumors)

Leica is teasing that a new camera will be launched next week, but it won't be any old camera – it's being called "uma lenda reinventada" or "a reinvented legend". 

Okay, it won't be any old camera – though 'reinvented legend' does suggest that it will be an old camera of some sort, being given new life. The company did, after all, recently resurrect the Leica M6 film camera, so we could be seeing another beloved old body brought back to the market. 

• The best Leica cameras span everything from compacts to medium format monsters

The information comes courtesy of an email blast from Leica (as shared by the folks at Leica Rumors) with a save the date notice for April 15 – which, curiously, is a Saturday, not usually a day on which cameras are launched. Let alone legendary ones.

The outlet notes that the announcement date will likely vary by time zone, with April 14 being noted by its other sources – so the camera could be announced in some regions on Friday. 

The Leica teaser, as shared by Leica Rumors (Image credit: Leica Rumors)

So what could we be seeing from Leica? What constitutes a legendary camera, given that the Leica badge alone makes almost every body it graces feel legendary? 

There are plenty of possibilities. Our own Leica aficionado (read: addict), Sebastian Oakley, mused last month what cameras could be on the way next year, to mark the 70th birthday of the Leica M. 

"What I could see happening is Leica reproducing the Leica M3. In fact, it wasn't so long ago that Leica was still making the M3 from new old parts, and also reconditioning used M3s for owners… One has even turned up on eBay that was completely rebuilt by Leica in 2013, and by the look of it Leica still has parts to keep these awesome film cameras going."

Could we see a new M3 next week? I bet I know at least one person who would be in line to buy one!

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out our Leica M11 review, along with the best Leica M lenses and the best Leica SL lenses.

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James Artaius
Editor

The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-Photo: The Nikon MagazineDigital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.