Industry News: Leica officially announces the Leica M11

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Wetzlar, January 13th 2022. The new Leica M11 combines the experience of traditional rangefinder photography with contemporary camera technology, delivering maximum flexibility to every photographer. Featuring an exclusive triple resolution sensor, expanded ISO range, dual memory options, extended battery life and a streamlined and intuitive menu system; the Leica M11 represents a new benchmark in digital photography as the most flexible M-System camera in Leica’s history.

At the heart of the M11 is a full-frame BSI CMOS sensor with Triple Resolution Technology. Raw image files in DNG and JPEG format can be recorded at 60, 36 or 18 megapixels, always using the full sensor area. The 60-megapixel option delivers unprecedented image quality and detail resolution, utilizing the full optical potential of Leica’s...

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jam05

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Let's reopen a can of worms: can a file be 'raw' if it's not the full resolution of the sensor? I guess technically if you were skipping pixels or lines, but I imagine they're actually downscaling? In which case it's not really raw, right?
RAW by pure definition has nothing to do with the amount of the sensor is being used. This is not the only image application that has multiple resolutions. Comsumer camera manufacturers make more money selling and marketing single resulution cameras. And many cameras don't even use the full capabilities of the sensor yet still. Nothing groundbreaking here. At least in the technology area.
 
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jam05

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Let's reopen a can of worms: can a file be 'raw' if it's not the full resolution of the sensor? I guess technically if you were skipping pixels or lines, but I imagine they're actually downscaling? In which case it's not really raw, right?
RAW by pure definition has nothing to do with the amount of the sensor is being used. This is not the first nor only image application that has multiple resolutions. Comsumer camera manufacturers make more money selling and marketing single resulution cameras. And many cameras don't even use the full capabilities of the sensor yet still. Nothing groundbreaking here.
 
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jam05

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Active Pixel and multiresolution sensors have been in existence since 2005. Nothing ground breaking or NEW. Simply a niche option and in many cases not cost effective from a marketing standpoint for most camera manufacturers. Why sell one camera with multiresolutions when one can sell many more at single resolution only? Presently Leica is a very niche camera brand.
 
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slclick

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And the insanely high price is...?
I was waiting for this and selling kidney jokes of course. I can't see myself ever having one but I have a couple associates with M10's and Monochroms and they are retired persons with no kids college tuition to pay off. One can dream. Gorgeous camera, dialed in ergonomics and simplicity, insane specs...can't wait to see images from these. Oh, it's $8995 USD
 
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ethanz

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I was waiting for this and selling kidney jokes of course. I can't see myself ever having one but I have a couple associates with M10's and Monochroms and they are retired persons with no kids college tuition to pay off. One can dream. Gorgeous camera, dialed in ergonomics and simplicity, insane specs...can't wait to see images from these. Oh, it's $8995 USD
The R1 will be a bargain ;)
 
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Let's reopen a can of worms: can a file be 'raw' if it's not the full resolution of the sensor? I guess technically if you were skipping pixels or lines, but I imagine they're actually downscaling? In which case it's not really raw, right?
I sort of agree, raw data should mean just that, data directly from each pixel on the sensor. They say (at least on dpr) that the sensor is not quad Bayer or anything like that, and that the smaller formats are not line skipped. I don't know enough of the DNG file format to be able to deduce how they are going to store the data. Feels a bit stupid to generate mock Bayer data from oversampled pixel data, as they probably would have to de-mosaic it first anyway. But if it is the only way to store all the required data for maximum image quality, in a standard fashion, then be it.
 
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RAW by pure definition has nothing to do with the amount of the sensor is being used. This is not the first nor only image application that has multiple resolutions. Comsumer camera manufacturers make more money selling and marketing single resulution cameras. And many cameras don't even use the full capabilities of the sensor yet still. Nothing groundbreaking here.
If you took a readout of a section of the sensor (ie a crop), that would be more raw than if you took the whole output and downsized it though, right? Because in the latter case none of the output pixels equates to a 'real' pixel on the sensor, rather an average of more than one?

(I know this is nothing new but I'm feeling mischievous).
 
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cayenne

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I was waiting for this and selling kidney jokes of course. I can't see myself ever having one but I have a couple associates with M10's and Monochroms and they are retired persons with no kids college tuition to pay off. One can dream. Gorgeous camera, dialed in ergonomics and simplicity, insane specs...can't wait to see images from these. Oh, it's $8995 USD
If you shop around a bit, you can get one less that MSRP....I got my M10M less than MSRP fro PopFlash out in California. They were really nice to work with.

While there are some interesting things on the M11 vs the M10...there are some puzzling things.

The first that caught my eye...was that the black model, the one that is generally more desired, is not made of brass, but instead is aluminum.
They are actually saying "Yay...it is lighter".
I don't get that, one of the things that is desirable about the M cameras is that they have a definite "heft" to them, they feel like quality in a small package. And for previous models, the ones with black paint, having that brass underneath is desirable as the camera ages and the paint on the edges of things begins to wear off and you see the golden brass show through...."brassing" as they call it.

I like the solid feel of my M10M in my hand...I dunno if I'd be as happy if felt lighter and cheaper in Al.

The change of the bottom is interesting and if you don't ever have a QR plate or L bracket on your camera, it will be quite a bit faster to change batteries.

I use a RRS L-Bracket on mine, it actually replaces the old bottom plate....I don't see any L-Brackets for the M11 avoiding having you have to remove it each time you want to change a battery or SD card.

The larger sensor seems to be interesting, but....with this camera not having IBIS...I'm wondering if it will be difficult to shoot at slower speeds with such a large sensor?

Well, I have my M10M...I bought it for the special qualities you get with a true monochrome camera, so I'm likely done with buying Leica cameras. I supposed if I came up with a smoking deal on say Leica Q2, I might spring for one of those to have as a small, easy to carry color camera to go along with my B&W camera....

I have that, my GFX100, and my old standby 5D3 Canon. I"m saving on the sidelines...trying to decide between a R5...or seeing what the R1 will look like....

Its a fun time to have camera GAS that's for sure.....so many new toys...er......tools to choose from!!
:)
 
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scottburgess

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Congratulations to Leica's video team for creating the ultimate cure for insomnia.

To my sensibility, the unshaven old host reading note cards is about all you need to see: this is your grandfather's camera. A camera reborn of its own corpse like Colin Robinson, something to laugh at before changing the channel. If you want a landscape 35mm camera exclusively, and money is no matter but status totems are, perhaps this is for you as I have no doubt it will capture wonderful images and even more wonderful bragging opportunities. Many of us moved past this long ago.

If Leica gifted me a kit, I'd sell it, buy an R3, and use the difference to cover the taxes.
 
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slclick

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(heading to the Haberdasher for my ascot as we speak...that I can afford)

fwiw, as Canon and competitors cameras formerly never came close to the cost of Leicas, that chasm is rapidly shrinking.

I also have found that generally speaking, those without hands on experience with Leicas, especially the newest M series enjoy a good razzing of the brand and it's stereotypical buyers and those with time spent with one in hand truly appreciate the camera and like Cayenne, can verbalize the shooting experience and imho, make the comedic genius non users come across as sophomoric. My late Father in Law had one and even with his middling amount of technique and experience, his images were stellar. Just imagine what I could have created with a proper bequeathing. Lol.
 
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Jethro

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I also have found that generally speaking ... those with time spent with one in hand truly appreciate the camera and like Cayenne, can verbalize the shooting experience
I'm interested in understanding that shooting experience. I look at the images, and see a much smaller camera than what I'm used to (I have quite large hands), no front grip, no tilty-flippy screen (which I use all the time), and seemingly a lack of physical controls. And (again I presume) not the type of AF I'm used to. Is there a particular combination of sensor / lenses that provides such a good experience and results? I get that it looks great, and there is always a psychological sense of enjoying more using something which is well crafted and beautiful.

I recall the mono version that came out a few years ago was well received - because there was no added colour filter over the base mono sensor. I can undertand how that can produce noticeably different results out-of-camera.
 
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I sort of agree, raw data should mean just that, data directly from each pixel on the sensor.

With that definition none of the latest Canon cameras got "real" RAW. As example 1DMK3, R5 and R6 all applies noice reduction to the data at lower ISOs before creating the RAW file. R3 does the same but on all ISOs. Some cameras do more than others before creating the RAW file, but it's still as raw as you can get the data out from the camera.
 
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