Leica M11: A Revolution – Review by Elmar S.

[elmars]

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M11 a revolution? Of course this is a bit ironic. Nobody dies in this revolution but the traditional baseplate of the digital M cameras, that omitted with the M11. For some Leica fan boys this is a game changer - as they said without really knowing the camera.

I had the chance to beta-test a prototype (the firmware was not final), and I can assure them: The M11 is a true M. It looks like an M, feels like an M and you shoot with it like with an M. There are changes in some things we were used to: The baseplate and classic metering on the shutter curtain have gone, the latter for metering with the sensor. But the M11 is better than its predecessors in many, many regards (here my personal order):

• 60 MP without disadvantages (comparable to MF)
• great colors and file data
• better dynamic range
• lightweight (about 130 g lighter in the black version)
• USB-C connectivity
• better and faster W-Lan
• much improved battery life
• quick menu from SL2/Q2
• electronic shutter
• function buttons
• very good EVF
• multifield metering
• 64 GB internal storage (instead of second SD card)
• digital zoom (like in the Q2)

60 MP Sensor

Leica Oskar Barnack award winner Dominic Nahr said lately: „The sensor has to talk to me. If I have the feeling, that my way of photographing and the sensor fit together, we can begin a conversation. It always begins with the sensor.”

Every M sensor - as good as they were - had some obvious shortcomings: The M9 sensor provided brilliant, popping, colorful photos (many said Kodachrome-like - not me, I made my own color profile), but bad High-ISO quality. The M240 sensor was up to date in this and most other regards, but there was a lack of pop and the colors were a bit unbalanced (especially skin tones were too red). Colors (and many other things) were improved at the M10 sensor, but a slight lack of pop remained in RAW. This could of course be handled very well in post processing. The M11 sensor has none of these obvious shortcomings, even better: It talks to me. It is the best M sensor ever - till there is a better one in the future.

60 MP give the best resolution on the full frame market. This means finest details or more reserve for cropping. I am mostly fine with 24 MP, but if I need 60 MP, I have it. That´s good to know. I see no real disadvantages. I have a 2018 Mac mini with 3,2 GHz. It works well with the M11 data.

If you don´t want such big files, there is the option to limit the DNG to 18 or 36 MP. But due to my testing 18 MP have no other advantage than saving storage. 60 MP files have more resolution, You can see the finest details and lines of a banknote. Even noise is less. 18 MP files look a bit more grainy and the grain is not so uniform.

As I said, high resolution is not the most important thing to me. More important is, that the new sensor (rumor said it is built by Sony) gives extremely torturable data, the files are extremely good to handle. I very rarely had problems with highlight recovery. The files are a pleasure in post processing. Color is very good and pleasing to my eyes, especially skin tones - but that is a matter of taste. And the pictures have the right amount of “pop”. I guess Leica has given it a contrast curve similar to the M9.

At 6.400 ISO there is very little noise. It looks like fine grain; no practically relevant loss of details. There is no reason to avoid 6.400 ISO. 12.500 ISO is very good and quite usable; a little more noise, still looking like fine pleasing grain, that enhances the impression of sharpness. 25.000 ISO is good and usable; there is a little bit of color noise, fine details are more washed-out. 50.000 ISO is for emergency cases. The sensor has very impressive capabilities of highlight recovery. I photographed a greyscale and overexposed up to 5 stops at ISO 64, 200, 800, 3.200, 6.400 with 18, 36, 60 MP. The result: At every ISO and every resolution you can recover 3 stops easily, but not 4 stops.

In summary the files are a great improvement compared to the M10: About 1 ½ f-stops more High-ISO capability and highlight recovery. Remember: with 60 MP at the M11 and 24 MP at the M10. The difference to the M10R is more subtle. I think the M11 sensor is slightly but not significantly better, but You get 20 MP more without disadvantages. So is my opinion. Some of the beta-testers see greater advantages for the M11 in lower ISO; they attribute medium format quality to the M11. I have not tested this.

Is motion blur a practical problem at such high resolution? It is said, that motion blur increases with sensor resolution. I always regarded that a bit of a myth. So I did a little test with the M11 and the Summilux 35 mm. I took ten photos with 1/30, ten with 1/60 and ten with 1/125 at each resolution (18, 36, 60 MP). I shot the first five photos at each speed relative slow one after the other (1/2 to 1 second in between), the last five photos so fast in single shot mode as I could. This was not a scientific test, which would require more photos and more persons. But my result is clear: At 1/30 I had about 20 % of the photos with obvious blur, at 1/60 and 1/125 nearly nothing. The resolution was irrelevant. Only one f-stop of speed mattered. For finest details (very fine lines) it is similar. They cannot be seen at 1/30, only at 1/60 and 1/125 in 100 or 200 % sight. Conclusion: The rule in Auto-ISO to double the focal length to determine the maximum speed (2f) seems to be correct, more (4f) is not necessary.

Battery Life

How can the M11 be a real M camera without a baseplate? The baseplate was a relict out of the film aera, it had no function in digital times. Now Leica sacrificed it knowing that the nostalgic will cry about it. Leica has a good reason: Battery life was not the best characteristic of the M10. A longer lasting battery needs more power and therefor it has to be bigger. The baseplate wasted the space needed for this. Now we have a much improved battery life. I guess it lasts about the double. One battery a day is mostly enough.

Exposure Metering

Another sacrifice: Leica omitted the classic center-weighted metering on the shutter curtain, that was introduced with the M6. Now there is only metering with the data of the sensor. Multifield metering promises best results in nearly every light situation. The classic center-weighted metering had its shortcomings, especially in light situations with great contrast or with much sky in the scene. I think many younger photographers cannot handle this properly, because they are used to the perfection of multifield metering. And they want results that are usable immediately without post processing (for instance in social media). A technically good photo out of the camera, shot in automatic mode, is the goal.

Shutter sound

But there is no free lunch. For multifield metering the camera has to be in Liveview (LV) mode, because the shutter has to be open. For that reason the M11 is always in LV. Activating LV in the menu or by pressing the enabled function button (later on this) only means turning on the display. The M10 had to open the shutter additionally to activate LV. Any disadvantages with this? Not really. The M10 was slow in LV mode. But Leica has speeded up the process, so the speed and reactivity of the M11 is as good as the M10 in classic mode. But the shutter has to do a more complex operation (close shutter, exposition with opening and closing the shutter, open shutter again), which makes a different shutter sound. It is not louder than the M10 sound, but it is not like a shot, it is like a short, very fast rumbling. And there is a little sound after turning on the camera. The shutter has to open, what is slightly hearable. After that the M11 is ready to shoot. Startup time and wakeup time are a bit faster than the M10.

Connectivity

The M11 has a USB-C connection. That means charging battery and downloading photos via USB-C. This is a vast improvement to me and a strong reason to buy. I love these practical improvements much more than better technical data: No need for having a special charging device with me on travel; no need for taking out the SD-card for downloading. Downloading was not perfectly implemented in our last beta-firmware but it should be now. The connector is internally weather sealed.

Connectivity to the Leica FOTOS App: Connection to iPhone via cable or W-Lan was very fast and stable – way faster (only a few seconds) than the M10. What I would really like: Direct import to Lightroom or any storage I want (for example the iPhone Photo App) and not only to the Leica Photo App.

Lightweight

Another practical improvement that I love, is the lightweight of the M11. It is 130 g lighter than the M10 (530 g with battery to 660 g). The top cover is not out of brass but aluminum (like the M262 and the M6). People who want brass have to buy the silver version (and carry 640 g with battery). 130 g is a lot. You can feel it immediately and it is a great advantage in steady use. Of course You get no brassing camera, but this wouldn´t happen, so I guess, with a brass top cover too. The black M11 is painted with a special, very durable paint. I like it very much because it has a good grip and is not as slippery as the black anodizing of the M10.

Other Improvements

The M11 has an electronic shutter with shorter times up to 1/16000 sec. In combination with the sensors base ISO of 64 You can even use a Noctilux wide open in bright sunshine. You have three options: mechanical shutter only (then limited to 1/4000), electronic shutter only (with possible rolling shutter effect) or hybrid. The latter means, that the camera switches to electronic shutter automatically at times above 1/4000 sec. The electronic shutter is noiseless. I would like to have the option for a virtual shutter sound, but Leica didn´t hear on the beta-testers in this regard. The M11 has the Quick menu known from the Q2/SL2. With a tap on the screen You can change the most important settings. This doesn´t work perfectly like an iPhone, but good enough. The M11 has three free assignable function buttons. One is the former LV button on the left side of the back display, one is the wheel at the thumb rest (that is now a click-wheel) and one is right beside the shutter release. And there is a digital zoom as in the Q2. You can select zoom steps from 1,3 or 1,8. In RAW the zoom step is automatically transferred to the crop function in LR, so You can go back to an uncropped version. In JPG the crop is unchangeable. The M11 has a 64 GB internal storage instead of a second SD card slot. I think there was not enough space for a second slot. The second storage is an improvement many user asked for, especially professional photographers. You have several possibilities what to store on what storage but one important possibility is missing (though the beta-testers demanded it): JPG on internal storage and DNG on SD card. It is not self explanatory to get to the internal storage; Leica should have a bit work on this.

EVF

Finally some words about the all new EVF. I am not a big fan of EVF in general. So my experience with EVF is small, sometimes I have tried a SL2 and Q2. These have good finders (the one of the SL2 is better), but I like the rangefinder much more. It shows reality, an EVF displays the world. The EVF of the M11 seems similar to the one of the Q2 to me (but I didn´t compare the specs, it is only eye memory). So it is good, but not the best. One cannot expect that Leica puts as much effort in the EVF of the M as in the EVF of the SL2. An EVF of an M has to even out some shortcomings of the rangefinder but not all. Otherwise the M would be a different camera. The new EVF fits to the camera. It is not small but unobtrusive. It is well built (all metal), rests at 45 and 90 degrees and has magnets to hold it in the 0 degree position.

Final Verdict

I love the M11, though it has no obvious must-have factor like the M9 (first full frame digital M) or the M10 (slim as a film M).

It is the best M ever: best image quality and image data, lightweight, long lasting battery, USB-C, modern connectivity for a modern digital workflow, good menu handling (similar to SL2/Q2), good EVF. It has all the improvements I asked for (and much more). Only wakeup time could be shorter, but with the longer lasting battery it is not a big thing.

If one has an M10/M10P the M11 is a huge step forward in sensor technology and handling. If one has an M10R the new sensor is only a minor advantage. 20 MP more sounds like a lot, but one rarely can notice this difference in a photo on the wall. For most of us this is worthwhile as it allows greater cropping.

 

[frame-it]

nice review

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[Erato]

Awesome.🌿

[UliWer]

1 hour ago, elmars said:

For multifield metering the camera has to be in Liveview (LV) mode, because the shutter has to be open. For that reason the M11 is always in LV.

Thank you for your clear and concise review!

Can you tell us, what happens, when you take off the lens? Shutter remaining open or does it close?

Did you use uncoded lenses? Any differences in shutter reaction?

Last and most difficult question: What happens if you use an LTM-lens with an adpater which does not cover the sensor of the 6-bit-code? Is light metering possible? I think it is not possible as long as you don't switch off lens detection completely. Can you do this and will lightmetering work? 

[TeleElmar135mm]

Thanks for reviewing elms,

A quick question to the metering. In "normal" mode with the "Messsucher" the light is measured on the sensor. There you have different modes. Interesting would be if the spot-mode can be used  and what is the filed for measuring. Is it identical to the square of the the rangefinder? That would be a bit like in the M5.

[RF’sDelight]

Da isses, das Noctilux. 😉 – Schöner Review, ohne Schnick und Schnack. Vielen Dank dafür Elmar!

[horosu]

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Splendid review. Danke!!

[becker]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb elmars:

In combination with the sensors base ISO of 64 You can even use a Noctilux wide open in bright sunshine

Funny idea 

[elmars]

vor einer Stunde schrieb UliWer:

Thank you for your clear and concise review!

Can you tell us, what happens, when you take off the lens? Shutter remaining open or does it close?

Did you use uncoded lenses? Any differences in shutter reaction?

Last and most difficult question: What happens if you use an LTM-lens with an adpater which does not cover the sensor of the 6-bit-code? Is light metering possible? I think it is not possible as long as you don't switch off lens detection completely. Can you do this and will lightmetering work? 

When You take the lens off the shutter remains open. It closes only in sleep mode or after turning off.

Shutter reaction is the same with uncoded lenses.

And the camera is metering regardless of any adapter or coding.

[elmars]

vor 31 Minuten schrieb TeleElmar135mm:

Is it identical to the square of the the rangefinder?

It is about the same. But the spot from spot metering is round and so a little less great.

[elmars]

vor 4 Minuten schrieb becker:

Funny idea 

I am not a tough but funny guy.

[SrMi]

Thanks for the review. 
Since M11 allows turning Live View on and off, it is confusing to use live view to describe the sensor being active. What are the high-resolution disadvantages in MF sensors not present in M11?

[jonoslack]

Thank you Elmar

Excellent review! Hasn't it all been good fun!

All the very best

Jono

[elmars]

vor 6 Minuten schrieb jonoslack:

Hasn't it all been good fun!

It was great fun to be a beta-tester with You. Enjoyed it very much.And I love the style of Your reports much more than mine.

[UliWer]

No reason for too much modesty, Elmar. I do really like Jono's reports, but yours did cover everything I'd like to know as well.

[jonoslack]

2 minutes ago, UliWer said:

No reason for too much modesty, Elmar. I do really like Jono's reports, but yours did cover everything I'd like to know as well.

Quite right 

[jonoslack]

8 minutes ago, elmars said:

It was great fun to be a beta-tester with You. Enjoyed it very much.And I love the style of Your reports much more than mine.

Yours is great Elmar and really informative. I’ve spent too many years being flippant!

[elmars]

Thank You but I was honest. I would like to be able to write reports like Jono.

[elmars]

vor 2 Minuten schrieb jonoslack:

flippant

There are two meanings in German for this: Frivolous and superficial. Because I know how hard You worked on the M11 it must be the first one.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[duoenboge]

The M11 always shoots at 64MP. The other resolutions are internally simulated.
I have a few questions about this:
1. Same low light performance as 64 MP for all resolutions? No advantages with 36MP or 18MP. Is that correct?
2. The same for the risk of camera shake with longer focal lengths! No advantages with 36MP or 18MP. Is that correct?
3. Sensitivity to diffraction errors with small apertures the same as with 64MP! No advantages with 36MP or 18MP. Is that correct?
What are the advantages of this effort? Smaller Datafiles with 36 or 18MP?

For that they could have built a camera with a 36MP sensor right away.