- The rangefinder-style Esquisse Camera is set for launch in Q4 of 2026
- It’ll pack a Micro Four Thirds sensor and lens mount
- Dimensions and weight are similar to those of a Ricoh GR III
Despite a growing demand for compact and pocket cameras, most of the big brands continue leaving that market well alone. Step in the privately-funded French startup, Esquisse Camera.
It’s a concept currently in the prototype development stage with a projected launch and delivery in Q4 of 2026, but the initial Esquisse Camera mockups and potential features got plenty of photographers excited when they appeared online yesterday.
We’re looking at a clean Leica-like minimalist rangefinder-style camera with a Micro Four Thirds sensor and lens mount, that’s a similar size to a Ricoh GR IV (like a deck of cards). Depending on which lens you whack on it, this could be a genuinely pocketable camera.
Many are already drawing comparisons to the widely-admired Panasonic Lumix GM5 (from 2014), a tiny MFT camera that Panasonic no longer makes despite the pleas of its admirers.
Being a Ricoh GR IIIx user and priced out of buying a Leica, I can certainly see the appeal of such a camera, which is projected to cost between 1,500-2,000 USD / GBP.
There’s still much to be decided regarding the Esquisse Camera’s design and features, but let’s take a quick run through of what we already know and how photographers are responding to the concept so far.
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Well, if Panasonic won’t…
Esquisse Camera is focused on creating a high-quality, minimalist small camera that looks the part, and the mockups, while obviously not final, are a promising start.
The rangefinder-style, weather-resistant aluminum body features just three exposure dials on the top, two function buttons, one playback, and a clickwheel. A 3.69m-dot EVF is tucked into the corner, while a 3-inch touch display dominates the rear, which indicates just how small the camera will be.
It will measure 105×70×35mm – that’s a twinge bigger than a Ricoh GR III – and weigh a total of 350g (without a lens attached).
We don’t need to factor in the additional weight of a battery and memory, because those components are internal. That’s right, a non-removable battery and 256GB internal memory.
The thinking behind an internal battery is keeping the design as clean and solid as possible, but the early response is that such a design choice will be a dealbreaker for some. Meanwhile, photos from the internal memory can be shared via USB or wirelessly, but there’s no memory card slot, like in the Sigma BF.
This will be a photography-only Micro Four Thirds camera, shooting 20MP stills and no video, with ‘lightning-quick autofocus acquisition’.
In essence, we’re looking at a tiny, premium-quality Micro Four Thirds rangefinder that could be a fun Leica and Fujifilm alternative as an everyday carry. Côme Courteault of Esquisse Camera told me:
‘Our vision is to create a camera that combines the timeless shooting feel of a Leica M, the pocketability of a Ricoh GR, and the modern performance of today’s Micro Four Thirds system.’
This won’t be the first rangefinder-style camera to come out of France – check out the manual focus only Pixii. However, it could be the most accessible.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on this project and how the camera develops. Will a hotshoe mount be added? Will there be any U-turns on any aspects of the concept already shared? I’m excited to see more!
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