Since the launch of the first Pixii in 2020, the French company has been offering the only digital rangefinder camera in the world that is not manufactured by Leica. However, the camera is equipped with a smaller APS-C sensor. Pixii is now improving on this, as the brand new Pixii Max uses a 24.5 MP full-frame sensor.
A special feature of the sensor is the option of recording RAW files in black and white. The camera has a Leica M bayonet so that the same Leica lenses can be used that are compatible with the Leica M11 alongside numerous lenses from third-party suppliers such as Zeiss and Voigtländer. The new wide-angle viewfinder can display frames for 28 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm lenses, but in comparison to Leica M cameras, the frame lines for 75 mm, 90 mm and 135 mm lenses are absent.
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The big advantage of the Pixii Max compared to cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix S9 is the integrated rangefinder, which enables fast, precise manual focus and can mirror exposure parameters directly into the field of view. Just like the Leica M11, the Pixii Max also does without autofocus. Furthermore, the camera has no display at all, although photos taken can be viewed via the corresponding smartphone app.
A disappointing aspect is that the Pixii still does not have an SD card reader. Photos are instead saved on either 32 GB or 128 GB of internal storage. Anyone who already owns a Pixii with an APS-C sensor can send the camera to the manufacturer and have it upgraded to the new full-frame sensor and viewfinder; Pixii has not yet confirmed the price for this service.
Price and availability
The Pixii Max (A3410) can be pre-ordered on the manufacturer's website (note: the product page is currently being updated and so may not be available) from Friday, July 5. At launch, the basic model with 32 GB flash storage will cost EUR 3,999 ($4,315), while Pixii will charge EUR 4,249 ($4585) for the variant with 128 GB storage. These prices do not include the 19% VAT. The cheaper model with a smaller APS-C sensor will continue to be available.