Leica M11: Field Review and Operational Analysis

Leica M11. The new digital M.

It’s finally here. The digital Leica M we’ve all been waiting for ever since digital became the standard. It’s here—a true professional tool. Let me explain. I’m a photographer who has been using the Leica M for a long time. To be precise, since the film-based Leica M6. Later, I bought the M240 (MP) as my first digital Leica M. After that came the splendid M10-P, and finally this little marvel: the Leica M11. Black.

Leica M11 Voigtländer 28mm f/2 Ultron Mark 2

Leica M11 Voigtländer 28mm f/2 Ultron Mark 2

This beauty represents a massive leap forward, even surpassing the Leica M9, the world’s first full-frame rangefinder camera. Leica has improved everything, from the ergonomics—thanks to a lighter weight and a slightly different grip for the right thumb that rests on the back of the camera—to the overall design. This is the first interchangeable-lens camera with built-in internal memory (64 GB), and finally we have an M with dual memory card slots. Having a backup is always a good idea when working—it provides an extra layer of security. The black version (made of aluminum) weighs about the same as the old film Leica M cameras (540 grams). The silver version weighs 100 grams more, as it is made of brass, a heavier material. Personally, I find that these 100 grams less make the black version of the Leica M11 much more balanced. On the other hand, the silver version is more elegant. The choice is yours. This camera is also the first digital model equipped with true pixel binning technology. This means you can shoot your photos in RAW at 18, 36, or 61 MP.

A quick technical chat.

The camera is exceptionally well-built, very sturdy, and beautifully finished. The optical viewfinder is huge, direct, and extremely bright. The rangefinder has been further improved and refined compared to previous M models. It’s significantly more accurate. I can focus more easily, even at full aperture, with extremely fast lenses.

The interface is beautifully designed, and it’s so well integrated into the entire Leica lineup that they’ve achieved what once seemed impossible. You can take a look at photos of the camera both above and just below this paragraph. There are very few buttons and just a single control dial. You might say: that’s easy with a camera that has a minimalist, old-school design and manual focus to boot. And you’d be right. But the point is that all Leica cameras currently in production boast the same simplicity and the same controls. It’s incredible, but the principle is the same on my Leica Q2 Monochrom or on the Leica SL2S, a modern mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses and autofocus (there’s just one extra button on the top plate and two extra buttons on the front of the camera body). And incredibly, the same goes for the menu. It’s just as simple and straightforward, with few pages to scroll through… and only two sub-levels for a few specific items. I believe this demonstrates that interfaces must be designed and built by those who truly understand the craft. And that the solution isn’t to leave users to configure cameras with dozens of buttons and menus spanning over 150 pages. The worst interface, from this perspective, is undoubtedly Sony’s, and it’s a terrible “reputation” that has been their hallmark for years now. I’ve worked with Sony cameras for years; I was one of the first in Italy to do so, so I know what I’m talking about. This is one of the reasons I switched to Leica—certainly not the most important one, but still. But let’s get back to the Leica M11.

This new “M” model introduces a host of new features and conveniences. For starters, it’s fully compatible with iPhones and iPads. Transferring files is a breeze with the new app (Leica FOTOS), whether wirelessly or using the included cable. As previously mentioned, you can shoot in RAW at 18, 36, or 61 MP. The exposure meter and white balance are now read directly from the sensor, ensuring new modes and greater precision and versatility than before. Unfortunately, stability isn’t quite perfect at the moment. It will be refined with a firmware update. Some errors occur in specific situations with the current firmware, version 1.3.0. The Dual Gain and BSI sensor is truly amazing. I’ve never seen a camera with such a high-resolution sensor that offers such an extensive dynamic range while simultaneously delivering such outstanding performance at higher ISO sensitivities. Speaking of ISO sensitivity, the base ISO of 64 and the electronic shutter with a minimum speed of 1/16,000 of a second allow you to shoot in broad daylight even with ultra-bright lenses wide open. Unfortunately, the camera does not have an IP certification rating like other Leica cameras (IP 52 for the Leica Q2 Monochrom or IP 54 for the Leica SL2/SL2S).

Leica M11. Vatican City. — Leica M11. Rome. An example of the impressive color quality at around ISO 16,000. Voigtlander 35 f/1.2 Mark 3.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I took this photo (above). I've always been used to working with high-end cameras—fantastic cameras. But the Sony A7R4, the only other 60-megapixel full-frame camera on the market at the time of writing (April 2022), doesn’t even come close to these levels when shooting at very high ISO settings. And the Sony A7R4, I assure you, is an amazing camera. Here are a few more photos taken in challenging conditions.

Leica M11 Street Photography — Leica M11, ISO 12,800. Voigtländer 35mm f/1.2 Mark 3. Rome, 2022.

Leica M11. Dynamic range, colors, sharpness, contrast, microcontrast.

Here’s the paradox: this is the most advanced digital M camera, yet at the same time it produces results very similar to certain films—truly an analog-like look. It reminds me a lot of some famous Kodak films, with a wonderful richness of midtones, delicate and smooth tonal transitions, deep color, and an infinite dynamic range. And all of this holds true whether you’re shooting at ISO 64 or 25,600. The files don’t have that extremely high micro-contrast that the M10, M10P, or M10R boasted, but they possess a delicacy very similar to film. The contrast is just right, similar to the older digital Leica M cameras, while the micro-contrast is lower, as mentioned. The files are simply out of this world in terms of workability, flexibility, malleability, dynamic range, richness of midtones, tonal softness, and the ability to recover detail from shadows and highlights, compared to the previous generation. All of this using Capture One Pro 22, which boasts an excellent camera profile.

Leica M11. Speed, buffering, controls, battery life.

The controls have been improved. There are two customizable buttons that don’t require any menu navigation to set up. Just press and hold them and choose the function you want to assign to them. Easy, fast, intuitive. The same goes for the control dial: just press and hold it and assign the desired function. As for speed and buffering, the news is mixed—some good, some not so good. Start-up times are on the slow side. If you want to be ready to capture that decisive moment on the street, or in some less-than-ideal situation, you’re better off leaving the camera on all the time. The good news is that the battery life is truly impressive, so there are no issues. This is made possible by the new battery, which has increased capacity, thanks to the removal of the removable battery door. That was really cool, but too limiting from a practical standpoint. The battery life is even more surprising when you consider that the sensor is always active (for exposure metering and white balance). I even managed over 2,000 shots on a single charge. Buffering is nearly unlimited when shooting at 36 MP in RAW (my personal choice, offering the perfect balance between detail and file manageability), even when shooting in burst mode at 4.5 fps. Less positive news comes from the shutter. If we shoot in Live View, it’s true, the lag has been drastically reduced, finally making the Leica M usable with an electronic viewfinder. Too bad about that slight shutter lag with the mechanical shutter. It’s a matter of just a few tenths of a second, but it’s there. Nothing tragic, but you have to act a split second earlier to capture the right moment. The electronic shutter, on the other hand, is more usable than I had hoped. With slightly wide-angle lenses (28–35 mm), you can even shoot moving subjects, such as people on the move, without any distortion issues. It’s best to switch to the mechanical shutter only under artificial lighting (due to banding issues), or when shooting subjects in very fast motion, or with long focal lengths.

Experience with the rangefinder and Live View.

Obviously, the rangefinder experience is the heart and soul of any Leica “M” camera. I’ll write about this in a separate article in the coming months. I truly believe this is the purest digital rangefinder experience we’ve ever seen. Although it is the most advanced M model electronically speaking, it is also the one with image quality closest to film. And, in my experience, it is the camera with the best-calibrated, most precise rangefinder I’ve seen to date. Even in Live View, the user experience has improved tremendously, thanks to a significantly reduced shutter lag and a vastly improved electronic viewfinder. Finally, a modern electronic viewfinder. Personally, I didn’t buy it because I also use a Leica SL2S and find it better for electronic viewfinder use. I mount Leica M lenses on the SL2S, and the experience is even better for this type of use. As mentioned earlier, the essence of a Leica M lies in that optical viewfinder and rangefinder. A combination of elements capable of teaching us so much about composition, vision, and timing. It takes effort and dedication to fully master it, but in my opinion, it pays off handsomely. It’s worth it, in my view. Truly.

A few more photos and some conclusions.

Leica M11 Street Photography Rome 2022 — Leica M11, Rome, 2022. ISO 6400

Leica M11 Tiburtina Station Tiburtina Station — Leica M11. Exceptional dynamic range and excellent colors. Tiburtina, Rome.

Leica M11 Street Photography on Tiburtina — Another example of fantastic colors—they really remind me of Kodachrome. Leica M11, Tiburtina, Rome.

Street Photography, Rome — Leica M11. Street Photography

Leica M11 Street Photography in Rome — Leica M11

Street Photography — Leica M11, Rome, 2022

The question: computational photography?

This is what I’m wondering. For two years, I shot with the only other full-frame, 60-megapixel sensor on the market: the fantastic Sony A7R4. But it wasn’t even close to this level of performance, especially when it comes to color quality at medium, high, or very high ISO settings. Virtually no loss of detail, files that are still workable and exceptionally good, no artifacts. I still can’t believe how much of a difference there is. Is this the result of computational photography? I have no idea, but I absolutely love the results I’m seeing. A very analog-like look with a mood worthy of unforgettable film. Technically, the M11 certainly might have what it takes for computational photography. The shutter remains open at all times, it has an internal, integrated, ultra-fast memory… “playing around” with a sort of pre-shooting would be possible. Whatever the reality… I love these results.

In a nutshell

Benefits

Incredible image quality. Impressive in terms of resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. From this perspective, it’s the best 35mm camera available today.

The best color science on a 35mm camera. Fabulous.

A wonderful rangefinder. The best optical viewfinder ever for 35 mm.

Exceptional files with a distinctly analog feel and stunning aesthetics. The files are extremely malleable. They can be edited with ease, even when starting from challenging or difficult situations.

Extremely fast internal storage (but only 64 GB).

Exceptional, extremely long shooting range.

The most advanced exposure meter and white balance of any Leica M digital camera released to date. (However, there is some instability with the current firmware, version 1.3.0, in certain specific situations.)

A highly versatile electronic shutter with an extremely useful minimum shutter speed of 1/16,000 of a second. (But not under artificial lighting.)

A discreet and gentle mechanical shutter (though not quite on par with the M10P and M10R).

Extremely fast buffering. Virtually unlimited (with 18- and 36-megapixel RAW files).

Perfect weight and significantly improved balance (black version).

Battery charging available directly in your room.

Compatible with iPhone and iPad.

The menu is extremely easy to understand and customize. It has the same layout on all Leica cameras currently in production. Fantastic.

The best photographic experience in the digital world. A tool that can enhance our photographic vision. How important is all of this? What value do you place on it?

Exceptional build quality.

It feels amazing. It's incredibly fun and enjoyable.

The crop modes (1.3x and 1.8x) are very useful and convenient. And they offer plenty of remaining resolution.

ISO 64 base. With a massive expansion of the dynamic range.

A new, modern, and high-quality electronic viewfinder (but expensive).

Against

Some instability in white balance and exposure metering in certain specific situations.

Prioritizing highlights is not entirely predictable in operation.

A few minor bugs (but for a camera that costs €8,500, I’d prefer one that’s more stable right from firmware version 1.0).

It lacks IP-rated construction, unlike the other Leica Q2, Q2 Monochrom, SL2, and SL2S cameras (but it is still built so well that it can operate without any issues in any environment, even the most challenging ones).

It's pretty expensive.