Leica M11-V leak suggests controversial camera could be the cheapest M series yet

Leica M11-V could be the most affordable M series model yet
New leak claims it will have 64GB of internal storage and 60MP full-frame sensor
Electronic viewfinder set to replace iconic rangefinder

A new leak may have revealed the interesting features we can expect from the upcoming Leica M11-V – and has also seemingly confirmed that it will be the legendary manufacturer’s first M series model to come without the iconic rangefinder component.

Leica Rumors has posted what appears to be a marketing information page about the rumored camera which, if genuine, supports previous claims that the M11-V would be replacing a rangefinder with an electronic viewfinder.

This is likely to be a controversial decision among Leica aficionados – potentially the camera world’s most vocal, dedicated and opinionated fanbase. After all, the “Messsucher” (the German word for a combined rangefinder and viewfinder) is what gives the M series its name.

I’ve already written an op-ed pre-emptively opining the rangefinder’s loss, but looking at this recent leak has left me much happier about the M11-V launch – because it looks set to be Leica’s most affordable M series model yet.

A view to a cheaper M series?

The Leica M11 camera on a wooden table — The current Leica M11, part of a legendary series of digital cameras that utilizes a rangefinder for composing shots and manual focusing. (Image credit: Leica)

The rangefinder mechanism is the most expensive component on a Leica M camera, so replacing it with an electronic viewfinder will greatly reduce production costs.

Add in the fact that the leak says the camera will offer just 64GB of built-in memory (the existing Leica M11-P, by comparison, has 256GB storage), and it seems that we’re looking at an ‘entry-level’ Leica M. I put the term in quotation marks because I believe it’ll still be a premium camera, just like any camera with the red dot logo – but I still think it’ll be affordable by Leica M standards.

The leak says the Leica M11-V’s EVF will be 5.7MP in resolution and 0.5-inches in size, with a 0.76x magnification and diopter compensation.

It also mentions a new FN button for viewfinder control (probably to select different frame sizes via digital zoom), a “puristic” design (clean lines, due to the lack of a rangefinder window), the Maestro III image processor and a 60MP full-frame BSI sensor – the same core imaging setup as the one found on the standard Leica M11, then.

The leak also states that the M11-V will be manufactured in Germany, lest fans worry about Leica outsourcing production to the Far East to save money.

The decision to drop the rangefinder on the Leica M11-V won’t be universally popular, but if it puts the M series within the range of more consumers it may ultimately prove to be a wise one.

Of course, many will claim that it isn’t a real M series camera without that rangefinder, but I’m looking forward to finding out for myself how this camera feels to use.