The Leica M11 Mirrorless Camera Review

A Heap of Technological Magic

While there's a new processor to manage the robust sensor data, you also have 64GB of built-in storage for additional capture on the go. A suite of professionals swears by dual-card systems, effectively solving that problem. Writing to a card and having a backup on the camera was refreshing. I typically shoot in RAW and JPG, so I have four files of each image with each shutter. When I took the card out to offload, I could still review the pictures on my camera, and if I forgot to put the SD card back into the camera — it turns out I'm not entirely out of luck. These features are valuable additions more cameras should adopt.

The departure from a removable baseplate is something that a user like myself would appreciate. Let's get rid of these archaic oddities and make something more useable! This change includes a water-resistant USB-C port for charging and offloading files. More importantly, there's a move to a larger battery that is much more accessible than most cameras' traditional battery door method. This change is my first or second favorite upgrade to the M series, where I could shoot for days without any power anxiety. The combination of a larger battery capacity and processor efficiencies make this a more useable tool, and that's worth twice as much as any upgrade in megapixels.

There's a leap in the electronic shutter, fantastic integration with the Leica Fotos app, more control of the function buttons, and a stabilized live view for trickier compositions with longer lenses. Everything we've covered so far culminates in what I believe is improving the user experience for the Leica M-series.

The User Experience

This camera feels familiar and formidable, as it takes the years of muscle memory from my M6 and throws behind a monstrous new engine. The 20% reduction in weight on the black model significantly contributes to improved handling without changing the script. One of the core reasons you invest in a rangefinder is for that zero-lag experience in composing your images, and you get to do that with more ease and greater accuracy. On the other hand, the camera build feels dense and well-constructed. The meticulously placed groove feels like a natural home for your thumb. Buttons are easy to reach, and you can control your exposure through only the necessary dials.

Photography purists will appreciate the dedication to minimalism. The menu system is straightforward to navigate, though there's much less to triage when you have no video features. The screen on the back has an improved pixel density to review your work better, and the touchscreen is very responsive. The experience of using this kind of camera marries an incredibly manual set of interactions with rich image quality. With no form of autofocus, this camera style is not for most people, not by a long shot.

Leica M11 Sensor & Image Quality

Can we be honest here? It would not be today's aspirational brand if Leica produced terrible or mediocre image files. These cameras are what they are in the imaging space because it's a luxury item that produces fantastic files. There's a lot to love about the files you'd get from a camera like Fujifilm or Canon, where you can have a good starting point, but Leica offers the most true-to-life color of any image profile. While color is subjective, and you can spend time to make any picture graded to look like another, the simple takeaway is Leica's excellent, colorful starting points. They're so great to work with, and you truly appreciate this when working with melanin-rich skin or punchy reds.

The improvements to the dynamic range make this M11 even more impressive. I did my best to shoot at ISO 64 wherever I could, which resulted in files boasting remarkable details in the highlights of an image. Imagine thinking you've blown out a picture only to be able to recover all that detail with ease.

The M series of cameras isn't precisely a studio solution, but I threw it into his environment to better learn how it optimally performs. One big surprise was that I didn't see an improvement in dynamic range or noise performance when moving to 36 or 18 megapixels. The complete 60-megapixel files seemed to have better clarity to them.

Do I think Leica is lying? Not yet. I think there's still a possibility that software needs to catch up to handle the lower resolution options better, and we could see a leap in image quality in the months to come. Moving to higher ISOs doesn't seem to be a massive issue, where you can operate at ISO 16,000 and have plenty of useable files that don't have the color noise pattern you'd see in a Sony camera. These files are noticeably better than what I achieve from an X-Pro3, marginally better from the Sony A7R IV and Canon R5, and sit below the quality of my GFX 100s. All these cameras are phenomenal in their own right, with unique advantages. The biggest takeaway concerning the Leica M11 is that the image quality is worthy of the brand.

High resolutions like 60 megapixels are advantageous for many working photographers when executed properly. You can skew an image in post with plenty of beautiful resolution, leaving room for a world of possibility in the editing room.

Leica M11 Improvements

I wish the ISO dial were a push-release mechanism right off the bat. It's not a major annoyance, but using two digits to prop it up seems like a poor design decision. Part of me also wishes that Leica would use the same battery as the Q2 and SL2, as it would've improved the experience for users working in the Leica ecosystem.

Given the asking price, it would be nice to see these camera bodies have a better weather certification, if only to reassure users.

Having the rear LCD able to tilt up would have been a significant upgrade, and I don't think it would've riled up the Leica purists. Shooting low-angle shots are tough and almost always requires the additional Visoflex. I'm hard-pressed to believe that most M-series customers are angry if this camera had a near-secret tilting LCD like the Fujifilm X100VI.

Now, how about some plausible improvements? First off, I'd love to customize the shortcuts on the first menu to most of my access items. Second, while there are more metering options, I want to see a highlight metering option for my street or reportage work. It would also be awesome to see a mass storage mode so that if you plug the camera into your computer, you can see it pop up as a disk to drag and drop files or even rope. And while this isn't a must, having a yellow outline for manual focus peaking is something I prefer over a red line, which isn't as intrusive to the viewing experience.

Leica M11 vs Fujifilm APS-C

While Fujifilm X-series cameras can give you an impression of the rangefinder experience, there's no denying that it doesn't come close to the real thing. What you have with the M11 is an accurate, manual system that you can zone focus and, with practice, capture images with a higher degree of accuracy. However, the more you have on the line with your pictures, and the more you work in a professional environment, the more you will appreciate a camera with accurate tones. A wide gap exists between the APS-C vs. full-frame, especially when discussing dynamic range. Sure, the excellent technique can close the gap between cameras, but if you have both options, the M11 is giving you a better file than any X-series camera.

Who Should Buy The Leica M11?

The Leica M series delivers consistency in user experience and brand expectations. This camera currently retails for an incredibly steep $9,000 USD. While this camera has notable differentiators, I would like to see the brand work toward more accessible rangefinder solutions for a broader range of creators.

You might be wondering if I believe this camera is worth it. The simple answer is no, but it's not that simple. It's an odd conversation, so let me emphasize who would be in the market for this type of camera.

1. Existing M-series users looking for a noticeable upgrade to their current solution where a trade-in can drop the asking price.
2. Leica Q and SL users who are finally looking to add an M camera to their kit and want the best the brand has to offer.
3. Mirrorless shooters genuinely want a different shooting experience and, in my case, a zone-focusing system to shoot more instinctively.
4. Affluent individuals with money to spare want a camera that shoots as well as it looks.
   

Leica M11 Final Thoughts

The Leica M11 is a luxury camera that captures remarkable images compactly and in a specific way. It's unique because no other modern offering does what it does, except for some of its predecessors. You can find plenty of compact cameras. You can find something that creates remarkable image files. You can find things that do it a specific way. Hell, you can even find some other luxury offerings! If you require all of these at once — the Leica M11 arguably sits at the pinnacle of that very short list.