Leica launches come, Leica launches go. But I am more enthusiastic about the new M11 than any previous digital M. Forget the 60 MP sensor and its fancy triple-size trick, concentrate instead on the changes which will help make the M11 the best M yet.
First, weight: The astonishing saving of 130g in comparison with the M10 is a huge deal. Fair enough, if you choose the brass-topped silver chrome camera you’ll save only 20g. But if you value lighter gear, the black-paint M11 is the one to go for. It’s even 50g lighter than the granddaddy of them all, the 70-year-old M3.
Second, better metering: Full-time off-sensor exposure metering which advance testers claim overcomes all the criticisms aimed at the previous system, with its tendency to concentrate on the centre of the frame, irrespective of setting. At least one beta tester reckons that auto exposure is now completely reliable and manual intervention will be unnecessary in most cases.
Third, an electronic shutter that allows exposure of 1/16,000 is a first for the M. While electronic shutters are now universal, even on entry-level cameras, the old rangefinder has struggled on for years with its 1/4000s mechanical shutter. Users of faster lenses will love the feature and, in most cases, ND filters will now be unnecessary.
Fourth, a really good electronic viewfinder: The rather ugly Visoflex 2 more than redeems itself in function. It provides the M11 with the same outlook as the Q2, which is a view not to be sniffed at. It’s sturdy, made from metal, and addresses the main functional complaint against the first Visoflex — that it wouldn’t stay put and was always tilting when not needed. With two small magnets to fix the finder at rest, the Visoflex 2 adds firm stops for tilting at 45 and 90 degrees. I don’t like external viewfinders, and this is a particularly prominent barnacle, but I’ll make an exception in the case of this M and this EVF.
And there’s more…
Then we have a bunch of very welcome additional tweaks to improve the camera. Without spoiling the traditional lines, which would have been sacrilege, Leica has added a quasi two-card storage system using fast in-camera memory, USB-C data and power capability, and a new Maestro III processor. The new battery, with 64% more capacity, can power up to 1,800 (non-live-view) rangefinder shots on one charge.
True, many will have mixed feelings over the disappearance of the bottom plate after 100 years. But much of this will be based on nostalgia rather than practicalities. Time for a change. The pop-out battery system of the T, SL and Q has always been a convenient and reliably feature in my book, so let’s welcome the M to the club.
I also approve of the decision to bring the controls and menu into line with those of the SL2 and Q2. This makes switching between any of Leica’s full-frame cameras a breeze.
And did I mention that 60MP sensor with its “Triple Resolution Technology”? It’s probably the reason most people will upgrade to the M11 and it’s a welcome new direction. But there is much more to consider with this particular upgrade.
Major advance
All in all, this is a major advance for the M. What you see is much the same, but what you get is a big surprise. Yet I’ll come back to weight. I find it astonishing that Leica could pare 20% from the M10, and all while retaining the feeling of dense mass and solidity that is a feature of all Ms. Nothing feels flimsy about the M11 and, as Jonathan Slack will point out in his review of the camera here on Macfilos, the new bottom design actually enhances this feeling of solidity because it gives greater rigidity to the body.
Twenty per cent is a weight saving worth having. The M11, combined with the Visoflex 2, must now be the (digital) camera of choice for all M-lens users. Could it be the M-with-EVF that many people have been asking for? The accepted alternative for mirrorless focusing up to now has been the SL2 because of its amazing viewfinder. But it’s a heavy beast at 905g (including the necessary M adapter). By comparison, the black-paint M11 and Visoflex weigh 220g less at 685g. And that’s before you’ve factored in the much smaller size of the M; it is entirely in harmony with the smaller M lenses and there is no need for the bulky adapter. It’s all just, well, harmonious.
Of course, the SL2 combination is considerably cheaper. While the M11 and Visoflex combination costs £8,100, the SL2 and M adapter can be had for less than £6,000. Yet if you are an M-lens aficionado, the M11 now provides the best overall shooting experience, offering excellent EVF viewing alongside the simple pleasures of the traditional rangefinder which, in most circumstances, is quick and effective.
The M11 has put new life into the rangefinder and I believe it will be even more successful than the M10. There is certainly enough fresh about it to prompt an upgrade even now, without waiting for the M11-P to filter through.
Strangely, though, the decision to differentiate the black and silver-chrome versions by weight (if not by price) will lead to a change in buying preferences. Black has always been the most popular choice, but the silver version has proven to be a winner on the used market, probably because of relative scarcity. That will change because a 20% weight saving is not to be sniffed at. Many buyers of the more traditional silver camera will be swayed towards the black-paint body on weight alone. Others will put up with the extra weight in order to savour that hidden brass.
Where there’s black there’s brass
Paradoxically, the holy grail of M finishes has always been black paint over a brass top plate. It’s surprising the factory didn’t capitalise on this by giving the brass top plate to the black version. But perhaps that would be too predictable. In any case, it gives them a chance to produce a black-paint brass version as an extra model in the future. Will we see an M10-B?
The M11 certainly isn’t for everyone. It remains a niche product that occupies a parallel universe to almost every other camera on the market. You can buy excellent mirrorless cameras for a fraction of Leica’s hefty price; you can spend weeks leaving fatuous forum comments on how Leicas are a waste of money. It’s certainly hard to justify an M unless you are in love with the rangefinder concept. Yet despite the attractions of live-view focus, there’s just something about manual focus with the Leica M.
What do you think? Are you out of love with the rangefinder? Are you happy with your M9 or M10? Or do you think this is the significant upgrade that will prompt you to get out your credit card?
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I woUtd like to translate this one into Italian as well and publish it on the l-passion-forum.com as well. Could you share the terms. Thanks.
Thanks. I have emailed you on this.
“the holy grail of M finishes has always been black paint over a brass top plate.”
THIS. In my mind this finish is as much a part of the M DNA as the rangefinder. Why Leica would deviate from that is a mystery to me. So there are a handful of special edition black paint M10-r cameras to fight over. That is a travesty to me.
The problem is, from Leica’s point of view, that giving everyone what they might want (black paint and brass top plate) would devalue the currency. Soon, it would become less desirable because it had become common. We can’t win ’em all, I suppose.
I will also caution to not use the electronic shutter under artificial light (LED type) as I was getting horizontal black lines across the image. It looks like I was taking pictures through Venetian Blinds! I spoke to Jono about this, and he confirmed this is a problem. I don’t believe it is a problem with Tungsten light sources, only fluorescent type and newer LED lamps. Better to keep the shutter set to Hybrid.
Generally, if you use a shutter speed s-l-o-w-e-r than the alternating current rate (..so in Europe that’s slower than 1/50th of a second, and in the US or Japan slower than 1/60th of a second, the lines should disappear, as you’ll be capturing more than one cycle of the a/c mains flicker, and so you should have a fully illuminated picture.
However, I think Mike’s ‘1st Look’ article – though I may be wrong – mentioned that it takes 1/10th of a second for a full scan to be done of the CMOS ‘electronic shutter’ from top to bottom (..really? ..that long? ..surely not!..) and – if so – you’d need a shutter speed slower than 1/10th of a second to avoid having dark bars. [1/10th of a second? REALLY?!]
(Whoops: what went wrong there? ..ah no second [i] to end the italics ..sorry! ..and my name gathered the “..if I had to use only an M”. Mustn’t do this any more with a cup of tea in my hand!)
The new M11 quite honestly sounds fantastic. The things that I found most inconvenient about the M in general were 1) no close focusing 2) ND filters required when shooting wide open 3) subpar metering. 1 has been addressed (albeit only with a $8K lens…) and 2-3 have been addressed in the M11. This is great! The battery life on the M11 also sounds fantastic. The only thing is, an M11 with an APO 35mm (that allows close focusing) will set you back $17K plus taxes… ouch!!!
“..an M11 with an APO 35mm (that allows close focusing) will set you back $17K plus taxes… ouch!!!..” ..tried the 50mm Dual Range? Great lens, close-ish focusing to .5 metre (about the same result as using the 35mm at .3 metre).
Or there are the Voigtländers which focus close (though you need Live View (or the EVF) to see when you really are in focus instead of guessing), or the 90mm macro (the older one is, of course, cheaper than the later one). Or, of course, just step back and use a longer lens.
That 35 APO Summicron is an eye watering £6,700, even more than the “legendary” 50mm APO. And three times more than the excellent 75mm APO. It seems that every new lens scales new heights in price. As you say, there are other lenses out there. I have both the 50 and 75 APOs and like them very much, but much as I would love to have the new 35mm, I can’t justify the cost. Am I being cynical when I wonder if price is much of the attraction: Expensive, therefore must be the best?
“..Expensive, therefore must be the best?..” ..I’m sure that’s a good part of the intentional ‘Exclusive’ appeal.
But 35mm generally doesn’t appeal to me – I ‘inherited’ a 35mm Summaron (with goggles) from my father-in-law (along with his M3, 50mm and 90mm) but the only other 35mm I have is a cut-price ex-demo f2.5 ‘Summarit’ with beautiful bokeh, which was going cheap at the Leica shop when it was in cobbled Bruton Place (..and what a silly out-of-the-way place that was for a Leica shop ..like the Paris one; hidden away where no-one would find it).
For me, though, 35mm isn’t wide enough – not nowadays – and not close enough, although in the 1950s it would</> generally have been sufficiently wide for most people.
I do have a 75mm APO here, but I’m always in two minds about it; I think I actually prefer the (much cheaper) 75mm f2.5 ‘Summarit’ ..more contrasty, shorter ‘throw’ and easier to use, with absolutely no flare!
I could easily live with just a 21mm and a 75mm – if I had to use only an M.
These days I tend to prefer 28mm because I’ve got used to it on the Q and Ricoh. But I agree with you on wider lenses, although the only opportunities I have are the wide end of the Lumix 20-60, 24-105 and Leica 24-90. I’d like a wider prime, though. Foolishly, I sold my 21mm Leica Super Elmar which is a great little lens.
I just ordered the Voigtlander Ultron 28mm II, it seems to get quite a lot of praise… About the SEM 21m, it is also the only lens that I regret selling, I did that when I got into the SL system, I regretted that for about 6 years, and last weekend I bought it again, first (and hopefully last) time that I buy a lens twice…
Hi David, I am truly a 35mm focal length kind of guy, and I am really looking for an MFD of 30cm, for me that is a game changer, I know there are Voigtlander lenses out there with an MFD of 50cm, I didn’t think there were any with an MFD of 30cm but perhaps I am wrong…
Looks good and the weight saving is fantastic! I’m still glad I bought an SL2s though because Leica have added all the new features but haven’t fixed the big Achilles heel of the M cameras which remains. The viewfinder easily going out of whack with use.If they could redesign the rangefinder to eliminate this, I’d be all over this camera. All the improvements are impressive though bearing in mind it still looks like an M.
An I collect my Silver M11 tomorrow at 11am. So I will make my conclusion about it person.
Much as expected. The multi-area metering, which has been a long outstanding issue, looks better and the choice of image sizes is also good. Robin Sinha has just done an excellent job of explaining the advantages/disadvantages of the different sizes in terms of dynamic range and noise. The Visoflex now has a magnet to keep it level, so I will no longer need to use Blu Tack. The one item which I have been talking about for about 8 or more years now is exposure compensation. I would like this to be done through a wheel on top with visible markings like a lot of other cameras. I prefer to have this done before I raise the camera to my eye. This suits my way of working, but, I suppose, you can’t have everything. The other thing is that the UK price is now significantly higher than the Euro-Zone price (c 600 Euros), so I won’t be buying my one from the UK, even if I can get a duty/VAT free ex UK price.
I believe the camera will sell well, not least because of the outstanding quality of the M lenses. This remains the single most important USP for the Leica M series.
William
hallo
where can i find the comment od Ronbin Sinha?
Thanks
Why not use the ‘Search’ box at the top right, the one with a magnifying glass symbol, and type ‘Sinha’ there?
As David says, you can search. Here is a link to all the articles mentioning Robin Sinha
https://www.macfilos.com/?s=robin+sinha
Yes 20 grams lighter than M10. The Queen will be happy
If I were her, I’d go for the black one and save 130g…
That’d be just apotheosis. But I think she’ll wait for the platinum edition. Pure joy! Will it be released soon, Mike
That will be a great present for Leica Ambassadors, right?
YES !! Has to be a PLATINUM model … and nothing less !! And with a platinum lens to match!
Of course. Nothing less than Noctilux f0.95 ASPHERICAL PLATINUM edition
FAR better metering (..off the sensor..) and no blown highlights ..that’ll please Jono!
Leica Camera AG could consider presenting an M11 to HM Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee … it’s lighter than her M3 and she’d likely use it.
What a good idea… I will suggest to Jason Heward at Leica UK.
One really big advance: stabilisation of Live View ..meaning that when you zoom in with Live View – for really accurate focusing! – the image no longer bounces around, thereby limiting the usefulness of Live View!. ..Hooray! ..At last!
Yes, I wondered about this at first and I’m not sure I mentioned it in the articles. But at this morning’s press conference Robin Sinha explained it well. It should be a big help when using longer lenses, so, as you say, a welcome advance.
I think the new M11 is exactly what was needed, and very for me specially such our no longer needing to remove the base plate, and in general I like everything about this camera other than for its new EVF which is far too expensive and as others have said, also far too ugly.
That all said though I for one will admire from afar but will not be buying, and mostly not because as with the M10 I strongly believe this camera does need to be used with the EVF, especially so as to be able to use longer lenses and as such the SL2 or even the SL2-S are far more suited for all areas of photography including with M lenses.
.
“..an electronic shutter that allows exposure of 1/16,000 is a first for the M. While electronic shutters are now universal, even on entry-level cameras, the old rangefinder has struggled on for years with its 1/4000s mechanical shutter..”
But it remains to be seen – maybe it’ll be shown at 5pm – whether this electronic shutter suffers from ‘rolling shutter’ ..that’s to say, whether or not vertical lines do actually stay vertical if the camera, or what you’re shooting, moves while shooting ..you know; like M. Lartigue’s famous photo of the racing car, with its sloping wheels, which were then copied in thousands of cartoon films!
(It’s usually a fault seen mainly in video, but can also affect stills photos if the camera, or subject, is moving.)
Jono says it does and I also saw Steve Huff mentioning this. You will see in the review tomorrow that it is fine for slow/still pictures but has the problem with fast-moving subjects.
..Ah, so rolling shutter may be evident with moving subjects, or if the camera’s moving ..but preferably NOT for “fast moving action”, as Joshua Jackson (photographer) says.
But maybe I’m raising a very small point.
I’m sure you are right. I was wording loosely.