Leica M11-D rumours confirmed thanks to leaked user manual
It’s no secret that Leica’s flagship full-frame digital rangefinder cameras, the M11 and M11-P, will soon be getting a new sibling, the M11-D. Now, Leica Rumors, which has been sharing updates on the upcoming model so far, has just confirmed all the rumours, thanks to a leaked quick start guide (see below) containing all the pertinent details.
To recap, the concept behind the ‘D’ version of the digital M series — first introduced with the M10-D in October 2018 — is to provide a stripped down interface that effectively brings the shooting experience as close as possible to that of a film camera. This means that the M11-D, like the M10-D, will have no touchscreen to preview the photos in live-view or post capture, and consequently no controls for menu settings either.
Instead, as the leak confirms, the back of the camera will have an ISO dial. The M10-D used the same space for an exposure compensation dial and the on/off switch. Another confirmed change from the M10-D is that the controversial fold-out thumb rest, designed to look like a film advance lever, is gone. One can, of course, buy an accessory thumb rest that attaches to the hot shoe. This being an M11, the detachable base plate has also been replaced by a lever to remove the slot-in battery.
With only the essential controls – shutter speed and ISO – available on the camera body, the M11-D will appeal to the most purist (and well-heeled) photographers who want the same experience as with an analog M-series camera. The Leica FOTOS mobile app can be used to adjust all other settings, to get a live view or to preview the photos taken. The optional Leica Visoflex 2 electronic viewfinder accessory can also be used for the latter two functions.
On the inside, the new version is the same as the M11-P, with a 60 MP full frame sensor, Leica’s Maestro III processor and 256 GB of internal storage. The M11-D is now expected to launch this month. Pricing details are not yet available, but for reference, the M11-P launched at $9,195 (which has since dropped on Amazon), and even with the missing touchscreen, one shouldn’t expect a significant drop in price.
Source(s)
