The Leica M EV1 breaks with tradition, and I’m all for it
Mirrorless icon swaps analogue rangefinder for an EVF
Has Leica, long considered the last bastion of analogue photography, just had its “when pigs fly” moment? Not quite – but the new Leica M EV1 is a huge shakeup for the long-running mirrorless camera lineup. It’s the first to ditch the optical rangefinder for an electronic viewfinder.
Lifelong Leica traditionalists needn’t despair, as it’ll be joining the existing range of M cameras with rangefinders rather than replacing them. The M EV1 will have less of a learning curve, but still play nicely with the extensive lineup of M-mount lenses. Manual focus isn’t going anywhere, either – leaving the Leica Q3 unopposed in the fixed lens class.
The high resolution, 5.7m-dot viewfinder can display shutter speed, ISO and exposure value if you want it – or hide them if you don’t. It’ll also show exactly what the sensor sees, which will make focusing a lot easier when using long telephoto lenses or ultrawide glass than a traditional M camera’s rangefinder framelines.
A rocker dial on the front of the camera can toggle 1.3x and 1.8x digital zoom, while focus peaking highlights and focus zoom settings also lower the barrier for entry compared to other M cameras. Naturally there’s also a 2.95in touchscreen LCD for composing shots and tweaking controls – if you want the full retro experience, there’s always the M11-D.
The M EV1 is based on the Leica M11, with the same 60.3MP full-frame sensor that can drop to 36MP or 18MP in-camera while still using the full sensor area. It’s good for 4.5fps continuous shooting, has 64GB of built-in memory (plus aUHS-II SD card slot), and a battery good for around 244 shots on average. There’s Wi-Fi and LE Bluetooth on board, as well as geotagging through the Leica Fotos app.
It’s a Leica, so naturally what looks like metal and leather are metal and leather. The body is a magnesium aluminium alloy, and the diamond pattern on the grip marks it out from a rangefinder M.
The Leica M EV1 is hitting Leica stores worldwide now, along with authorised dealers. Expect to pay $8995/£6840/€7950.00 to take one home – and don’t forget to put an extra $460/£340/€395 aside for the matching hand grip. Oh, and the cost of an M-mount lens.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
