Leica M11 Overview | Images Weblog

Introduction

Ease of Use

The brand new M11 that Leica despatched us for assessment is the basic silver chrome model, which encompasses a full-metal housing product of magnesium with a brass high plate and black leatherette masking weighing in at 640 grams / 1.2 lb together with the battery.

In a departure from custom, the black model swaps out the brass high plate for aluminum, leading to it being 20% / 100 grams lighter than the basic silver mannequin. The black M11’s high plate additionally has a extra scratch-resistant coating than the silver version.

There may be nothing resembling a standard handgrip supplied with the digital camera in any respect, only a raised thumb-shaped relaxation on the rear. Having mentioned that, the solidity and weight of the silver M11’s construct implies that it did not really feel just like the digital camera would all of the sudden slip from our grasp at any level.

The highest plate of this model of the M11 is milled from a strong block of brass, floor and polished by hand in a painstaking 40-minute course of, which mixed with the full-metal, magnesium alloy chassis leads to an immensely strong feeling digital camera that goes a way a minimum of to justifying the sky-high price-tag.

Particular rubber seals present some safety towards mild showers and dirt, though Leica cease in need of claiming that the M11 is absolutely weatherproof.

The Leica M11 has a model new 60 megapixel full-frame BSI (BackSide-Illuminated) CMOS sensor developed particularly for the digital camera, a 50% improve on the decision supplied by final 12 months’s 40 megapixel M10-R mannequin.

Together with the most recent Maestro III picture processor, this enables the M11 to output 14-bit uncooked recordsdata with a claimed dynamic vary of as much as 15 stops, present an intensive ISO vary of 64-50,000, and shoot 60 megapixel photos at 4.5fps.

It additionally has a particular IR + UV reduce filter in entrance of the sensor which corrects even essentially the most indirect rays of incident mild and a brand new color filter array that provides extra pure color replica than earlier M-system cameras.

While 60 megapixels will undoubtedly be a giant draw for potential house owners of this digital camera, Leica have additionally sensibly offered two smaller 36 and 18 megapixel modes which assist keep away from among the processing and storage challenges of the the 60 megapixel mode whereas additionally boosting the burst capturing buffer occasions. As well as the smaller modes are claimed to additionally provide mproved dynamic vary and noise ranges due to the distinctive pixel binning course of.

So the M11 might be set to file 60, 36 or 18 megapixels DNG Uncooked photos, both utilizing the complete sensor space or alternatively incorporating a 1.3x or 1.8x digital zoom for the latter two modes, one thing that Leica are calling “Triple Decision Expertise”.

One other welcome change linked to the picture sensor is the way in which by which the M11 meters mild. Earlier fashions used a really foundation centre-weighted metering system when utilizing the digital camera in rangefinder mode, whereas the M11 moreover affords multi-field and spot metering in all modes, together with rangefinder mode, because it now makes use of the picture sensor for metering reasonably than the shutter curtain.

Talking of the shutter curtain, the M11 is the primary ever M-series digital camera to supply an digital shutter along with its conventional mechanical shutter. This permits it to supply a high shutter velocity of 1/16000th second along with the 1/4000th second velocity when utilizing the mechanical shutter, which in flip permits you to shoot each utterly silently with out vibration and in addition shoot at wide-open apertures in brilliant daylight utilizing the quickest Leica lenses with out having to make use of an ND filter.

The M11 is a really conventional digital camera that does not present any type of picture stabilisation, both within the digital camera physique or within the M-series lenses. Leica have made one key enchancment, although, which makes focusing in stay view mode simpler than earlier than, specifically the addition of digital stabilization to the magnified view when utilizing the the rear LCD or optionally available Visoflex 2 EVF.

Because the mannequin identify signifies, potential purchasers of the M11 get to avail themselves of round 50 instantly appropriate lenses in Leica’s present M vary – which it believes ought to enable photographers to totally exploit the potential for element denoted by that 60MP chip – plus many extra from the previous in addition to; because of the M-mount having been round since 1954.

Leica’s R sequence lenses can additional be used with the digital camera – albeit by way of an adapter accent. So there’s loads of very excessive ‘high quality’ glass that may be married to the sensor offered, do you have to already personal some or your finances can stretch to it.

Videographers will need to look elsewhere nonetheless, because the Leica M11 is a devoted stills digital camera with none facility for filming in any respect; main some commentators to opine that it seems like a digital camera from the Nineteen Fifties. However maybe, the ‘fashionable’ benefit of digital innovation apart, that’s largely the purpose.

The size of the M11 are nearly similar to the earlier M10 mannequin, measuring 139 x 38.5 x 80mm – certainly, little or no has modified by way of the digital camera’s exterior design because the M10 was first launched 5 years in the past.

The entrance of the Leica M11 is adorned with the well-known purple Leica badge and brand instantly above the lens. High-left of the lens, if viewing the digital camera front-on, is an oblong porthole containing the standard AF help/self timer lamp.

A silver lens launch button is on the left-hand aspect of the lens mount, and over on the suitable is the very conventional frame-line choice lever, which lets you see the sphere of view of varied lenses with out really having to mount them on the digital camera (within the twin combos of 28+90mm, 35+135mm, 50+75mm).

The configurable perform button that was on the entrance of the M10 has been extra logically moved to the M11’s top-plate, alongside the shutter button, which when pressed shows a magnified view on the LCD display screen to help with exact focusing adjustment.

Squeeze the shutter launch button in single shot mode to take a most 60 megapixel decision photograph and the display screen immediately shows the resultant picture.

Take a high quality JPEG and Leica’s ‘DNG’ file model of Uncooked and the digital camera is not any noticeably slower, with the benefit of the DNG format that it may be opened instantly by Photoshop with none specialist conversion software program required.

Even higher, because of a beneficiant 3GB buffer reminiscence, the M11 is able to sequential capturing at as much as 4.5 frames per second at full 60mp decision for as much as 15 Uncooked recordsdata.

If you wish to shoot at 4.5fps for longer, dropping right down to M-DNG/36MP will increase the buffer to 30 Uncooked recordsdata, and down once more to S-DNG/18MP gives limitless capturing, even when capturing RAW.

The M11 has a devoted top-plate dial by way of which handbook changes might be made to the shutter velocity, starting from 8 seconds to 1/4000th of a sec, with Bulb and Auto choices too.

Naturally there’s a vacant hotshoe for an adjunct flash on high of the digital camera, which additionally accepts the optionally available Leica Visoflex 2, a 3.7 megapixel digital accent viewfinder when you favor to compose with an EVF.

The shutter launch button is threaded for a standard screw-in fast launch cable, and is encircled by the On/Off change, with the digital camera taking a couple of second to prepared itself for capturing.

The brand new M11 retains the top-mounted ISO setting dial over on the left of the digital camera, which is identical place that you simply’d discover the movie rewind lever on cameras just like the Leica M7.

It’s important to raise it as much as unlock it, which is a bit of awkward given its diminutive measurement, however does stop it from being by accident moved. Whereas this interrupts the basic rounded styling of the Leica M11’s design, it does imply that all the core capturing parameters might be set by way of exterior controls, without having to really flip the digital camera on and use its menu system, which makes for a really nice capturing expertise.

If you do want to make use of the digital camera’s essential menu, you will discover that it now very carefully follows the system used on the Leica SL2 and Q2 cameras. One press of the Menu button opens the customisable management panel which exhibits the present key digital camera settings with two rows of six icons displayed beneath, together with the final which then dives into the menu system correct.

In comparison with the multitude of choices that different producer’s cameras provide, the Leica M11’s essential menu is refreshingly pared again, with a mere 26 choices in whole. Annoyingly, though you may instantly work together with the management panel by way of the LCD display screen, you may’t additionally use the touch-screen interface to navigate by the menu or choose choices, as an alternative counting on the navigation wheel/arrows.

As a result of small measurement of the ISO dial, you may’t really entry all the out there ISO settings from it – as an alternative you may select instantly from 64-6400, or choose the M choice which might be configured to any one of many ISO settings, together with the upper ISO values. There’s additionally an A choice for Auto ISO when you favor to depart management to the digital camera.

The scale of the again plate LCD display screen is 3-inches and the decision is a decent 2.3 million pixels, bringing the M11 updated with the newest digital cameras.

With the 3-inch LCD display screen taking over about two thirds of the again plate, this leaves room for a column of three sq. buttons ranged down the left hand aspect of the display screen, while over on the proper hand aspect sits a well-known cross key/command pad model association.

The buttons on the left of the LCD are each clearly marked and immediately comprehended. From the highest we now have a Play button for reviewing beforehand captured photos, a configurable FN button which by default accesses the Reside View mode, and a Menu button for opening the customisable Favorites menu and and the Foremost Menu system.

Above the LCD display screen is the viewfinder, which is identical because the one on the M10, providing a magnification issue of 0.73x. The widest focal size that it covers is 28mm, so you will have to make use of the LCD display screen or purchase the optionally available EVF for wider-angle lenses.

The Leica M11 encompasses a thumb-operated customisable command dial over on the high proper which with a single push by default permits you to set the publicity compensation, with adjustable settings starting from an ordinary -3EV to + 3EV. This dial additionally zooms into the magnified stay view and magnifies photos in playback mode.

Three totally different focusing aids are offered on the Leica M11 – auto magnification (x3 or x6), focus peaking and auto magnification plus focus peaking. With the larger display screen scale and better decision we discovered it simpler to precisely decide pin sharpness than on earlier Leica digital cameras.

The set of un-marked cross keys on the suitable of the LCD display screen strikes the magnification loupe freely across the body for even higher evaluation of sharpness, both on the LCD or the Visoflex digital viewfinder.

Within the centre of the cross-keys we discover an un-marked button which acts like an ordinary ‘show’ button. A press of this in seize mode removes the icons for the capturing mode in play, variety of pictures remaining, battery life, focus and metering mode from the display screen to supply a clearer view of the topic.

The left and proper hand flanks of the M11 are devoid of any options save for metallic lugs for attaching the shoulder strap.

The bottom of the Leica M11 has a screw thread that is completely inline with the centre of the lens mount, with the catch protected battery compartment housing each the equipped BP-SCL7 1800mAh lithium-ion battery, good for round 700 pictures in accordance with the CIPA Normal when utilizing the stay view mode and a whopping 1700 pictures by Leica’s estimation when solely utilizing the optical rangefinder, and the SD card slot alongside it.

Eagle-eyed readers and avid Leica followers will be aware that the M11 has reasonably controversially omitted the standard detachable base plate in favour of a devoted compartment which gives extra direct entry to the battery and UHS-II SD card, one thing that purists could not like however which does undoubtedly assist to hurry up the digital camera’s operation.

Along with the SD card slot, the Leica M11 affords a beneficiant inner storage capability of 64 gigabytes, with the choice to make use of it both sequentially, as a backup, and even for recording Uncooked recordsdata to at least one and JPEGs to the opposite.

Alongside is a model new USB-C slot that enables the digital camera to be charged utilizing most USB-C chargers and out within the subject utilizing an exterior powerbank. The M11’s battery may also be charger externally by way of the devoted USB-C Leica charger that is offered within the field.

The opposite essential profit supplied by the USB-C port is the power to to ascertain a wired connection between the Apple “Made for iPhone and iPad” licensed M11 and an iPhone or iPad utilizing the offered Leica FOTOS cable.

This routinely opens the Leica FOTOS app which gives all the identical performance that is out there by a wi-fi connection, simply with the added reliability and elevated velocity of the bodily cable.

The primary caveats are that the Leica USB-C to Lightning cable clearly solely works with Apple iOS gadgets and never Android, and Leica’s distinctive cable can solely be used with the M11 and never for charging or syncing different Lightning gadgets.

The Leica M11 options built-in Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR/LE and dual-band 2.4/5Ghz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wave2 Wi-Fi 5 connectivity for wirelessly connecting to different gadgets reminiscent of a smartphone, pill or laptop.

You’ll be able to simply switch your photos and in addition management the digital camera remotely by way of the free Leica Fotos app, which, amongst different features, permits distant setting of the shutter velocity and aperture. The app additionally permits you to ship your photos to social networks or electronic mail them, with extra options on the way in which later in 2022 by way of a firmware replace.

Picture High quality

All the pattern photos on this assessment have been taken utilizing the 60 megapixel Massive setting, which produces a median picture measurement of round 20Mb for JPEGs and 85Mb for RAW recordsdata.

The Leica M11 recorded nonetheless photos of fantastic high quality in the course of the assessment interval.

This digital camera produces noise-free JPEG photos at ISO 64 as much as ISO 1600, with some noise showing at ISO 3200. The quicker settings of ISO 6400 by to 12500 are nonetheless usable, though we would recommend avoiding each ISO 25000 and 50000 if in any respect attainable. The corresponding Uncooked recordsdata have a lot much less apparent color artifacts however are noticeably much less sharp than their JPEG equivalents.

The evening {photograph} was excellent, with the utmost shutter velocity of 60 minutes permitting you to seize sufficient mild in each scenario, and the Movie Types, though restricted in quantity and customisability, do assist you to rapidly change the look of JPEG recordsdata.

Noise

ISO sensitivity might be set between ISO 64 and ISO 50000 in full-stop increments. Listed here are some 100% crops which present the noise ranges for every ISO setting, with JPEG on the left and RAW on the suitable.

JPEG	RAW
ISO 64 (100% Crop)	ISO 64 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 1600 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)	ISO 3200 (100% Crop)
ISO 6400 (100% Crop)	ISO 6400 (100% Crop)
ISO 12500 (100% Crop)	ISO 12500 (100% Crop)
ISO 25000 (100% Crop)	ISO 25000 (100% Crop)
ISO 50000 (100% Crop)	ISO 50000 (100% Crop)

Movie Types

Leica’s Movie Types are preset combos of various sharpness, distinction and saturation settings, for JPEGs solely. The Leica M11’s 5 out there Movie Types are proven beneath within the following sequence, which demonstrates the variations between them. You too can tweak the preset types to be able to create your personal specific look, though you may’t create model new ones.

Normal

Vivid

Pure

Monochrome

Monochrome Excessive Distinction

Pattern Photos

This can be a collection of pattern photos from the Leica M11 digital camera, which have been all taken utilizing the 60 megapixel Massive JPEG setting. The thumbnails beneath hyperlink to the full-sized variations, which haven’t been altered in any approach.

Pattern RAW Photos

The Leica M11 permits customers to seize RAW and JPEG format recordsdata. We have offered some Leica RAW (DNG) samples so that you can obtain (thumbnail photos proven beneath are usually not 100% consultant).”

Product Photos

Conclusion

It’d look nigh-on-identical to each different digital M-series mannequin that has been launched, however relaxation assured that because of all of the under-the hood enhancements, the brand new M11 is one of the best ever Leica M digital rangefinder.

Having mentioned that, that is nonetheless an extremely area of interest product that is not going to win over too many new converts. A manual-focus solely, non-video capturing, 4.5fps rangefinder digital camera with no picture stabilisation appears like advertising and marketing insanity at a time when different producers are dashing to create all-in-one mirrorless hybrids that may shoot high-resolution stills at 30fps utilising cutting-edge AF algorithms and file 8K video too, however the M11 has greater than sufficient chops and appeal of its personal to not solely survive, however positively prosper in a fast-changing market.

The brand new 60 megapixel sensor on the coronary heart of the Leica M11 pulls off the enviable trick of out-performing the 40 megapixel M10-R with out introducing undesirable noise, even when capturing at full decision, while providing much more dynamic vary than its most up-to-date predecessor. And for many who don’t need the inevitable storage and processing overheads of the headline-grabbing 60MP mode, Leica have thoughtfully included 36 and 18 megapixel modes, both with or and not using a digital crop utilized.

Bodily adjustments to the M11 are so few and much between that you simply’d be hard-pushed to inform the distinction between it and any of the M10 fashions – if it ain’t broke, go away it nicely alone appears to be Leica’s smart mantra.

One change which will displease some die-hard customers however which we predict is definitely a giant enchancment is the detachable baseplate, or reasonably the shortage of 1. Current on each M-system digital camera since time started, Leica have taken the very courageous determination to interchange it with a detachable battery as an alternative, immediately making it a lot simpler and faster to alter the battery and reminiscence card that is situated inside the similar compartment, in addition to making tripod mounting extra handy.

The brand new battery affords longer battery life than earlier fashions – as much as 1700 pictures when you do not use stay view – and the addition of USB-C charging makes certain that it is best to by no means run out of juice even on an all-day expedition. Likewise, the 64Gb of built-in reminiscence is a nice-to-have characteristic for these awkward occasions once you neglect to suit a reminiscence card.

Worth for cash is all the time troublesome to attain when reviewing a Leica – most individuals will have a look at the £7,500 / $8,995 price-tag and assume its insanity that the M11 prices considerably greater than a Canon EOS R5, Nikon Z9 or Sony Alpha A1, the present cream of the mirrorless crop – however Leica M house owners will most likely be happy that the M11 solely prices barely greater than 2020’s M10-R, regardless of all the latest hikes in semi-conductor and transport prices.

Finally the Leica M11 is an extremely refined, pared-back device that is strictly for stills photographers who favour a barely slower strategy to their craft. We will not actually see it increasing the M-series userbase, regardless of being one of the best ever Leica M digital digital camera, however for die-hard followers it is nicely value upgrading from any of the totally different flavours of the M10-series.

Foremost Rivals

Listed beneath are among the rivals of the Leica M11.

Overview Roundup

Critiques of the Leica M11 from across the net.

Specs

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