Fred Miranda wrote:
With the M12 around the corner, I keep thinking about how Leica tends to balance between two approaches with the digital M system. The M240 moved things forward with more tech features, while the M10 felt like a step back toward simplicity and the classic feel. The M11 then moved forward again, adding more electronics, features, and refinement. Luckily, the rangefinder core has remained intact, with the exception of the newer EV1 line, which seems to sit in a different category..
So the question with the M12 is this: do they continue building on the M11 with more electronic mirrorless features and digital convenience, or do they step back again like they did with the M10 and return it on a simpler, more traditional shooting experience?
Leica seems to auto-correct over time, but there is no real way to predict which way they will go next. Different photographers want different things, from more modern mirrorless features to a more simple, classic shooting experience focused on only exposure and rangefinder focusing. It will be interesting to see where they take the digital M from here. At this point, IQ is excellent across almost all modern cameras, even APS-C systems,,so I think the real distinction for the Leica M will continue to be about style, rangefinder, build quality, and the shooting experience, rather than technical specs I hope they return to simplicity and maybe even continue refining the mechanical rangefinder experience further.
Yes, I would keep the larger battery! That was a genuine improvement over the M10 series and brought the capacity back in line with what the M240 series offered.
I just hope they do not continue with more MP as I see they are partnering with a Chinese sensor compony. Not sure what this will offer for better IQ than what we have now. More parts from China. assembled in Portugal with final assembly screws set in Germany. Oh boy. The more I hear, the more older M models are appealing to me.
Apr 21, 2026 at 03:32 PM
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