Is a new Leica body on the way?

by IR Staff

posted on Friday, September 6, 2024 at 10:26 a.m. EDT

Although Leica occupies a relatively small share of the camera market, its products are always eagerly awaited by professional photographers around the world. And with the latest reports suggesting that the Leica M11-D could be released before the end of September 2024, fans of this premium camera brand have something else to add to their wishlist.

Rumors about the release date of the Leica M11-D

This report comes from the aptly named website Leica Rumors, which followed up on previous reports of the M11-D’s development by claiming that we could get an official announcement in the coming week. After delays – the launch was originally scheduled for May of this year – we’re now being told to prepare for a September 12 release date for the Leia M11-D.

There have been many leaks about this camera, including snapshots of the manual and technical information, but official information is scarce. Leica is generally good at keeping its products under wraps until the official unveiling, so you can expect to get all the information about this digital camera from the date mentioned above.

Leica M11-D Possible Specifications

But what do we know ahead of this launch? Thanks to the leaks mentioned earlier, there is some key information about this camera, a mix of some key specs and general information about the design. So here’s what we know:

Thanks to the leaked manual mentioned above, we can assume that Leica’s M11-D follows in the footsteps of the M11 rangefinder camera series. The M11-D features a huge 60MP camera and maintains the series’ typical high level of detail, meaning images can be cropped massively without losing the details. Despite being a digital camera, the M11 series lacks video capabilities. Likewise, the M11-D still doesn’t appear to have built-in image stabilization.

Another unique feature of the M11 range comes in the form of Leica’s M bayonet mount system. This lens mount has been around since the 1950s, and every Leica M camera has been fitted with it. Although the lens choice is quite large – and can be supplemented with converters – this is a limiting system in many ways. Given the increasing popularity of the L-mount, we’re not sure how much sense there is in continuing to develop the M-mount…

Speaking of limitations, the other specs aren’t particularly impressive. With a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s, the M11-D is a quarter of the speed of the base M-11 and on par with the Sony a6400, and an ISO threshold of 3200 makes for poor low-light photography capabilities. Considering that a used Leica M11 can easily sell for $6,500, we can expect a high price for the new M11-D. But what does the new Leica camera have to offer with such specs?

Leica’s strength has always been its premium quality and design. Unlike other camera brands, Leica places great emphasis on design quality: every Leica camera is something worth celebrating. Professionals love Leica cameras for their design, and although their applications are niche, they are ideal for them. Street, portrait and fashion photographers in particular love the M11 and will likely love this camera too because of its design.

With that in mind, here is the leaked design of the M11-D, courtesy of Leica Rumors:

As you’d expect, the M11-D retains the features of the original M11, with a few notable exceptions. An ISO dial has been fitted in place of a touchscreen on the back, and the SLR-style transport lever has been removed entirely, suggesting a simpler, but still elegant, take on the M11.

However, there is still a lot we don’t know about the M11-D in the meantime. Any additional internal features Leica may have tweaked, or adjustments to battery life or physical weight are equally plausible. We’ll have to wait and see what the camera maker has in store for us.

The Leica M11-D’s release date is apparently imminent, and fans of this stylish camera brand have reason to be excited. Leica cameras are like Swiss watches or fine wines: expensive and niche, but highly sought after by people who value quality. We’re excited to see what this next camera has in store for us, even if it means shelling out a few months’ rent…