EVF M rumoured

[LocalHero1953]

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3 hours ago, Elliot Harper said:

I’m afraid V version will suffer some sort of firmware/software failure to begin with, like the early days of M11, frozen kind of drama. German are not good at software, adding an electronic view adds more complexity that Germans can’t handle. Look at SAP, not a sane mind can figure out how that thing works 😀

Using firmware written for a niche camera from a niche camera company to draw conclusions about a nation's ability to write software? Bizarre.

The Q, CL, T, S and SL series have had few problems - not more than other brands. The current hot one is Nikon's ability to brick third party lenses when updating firmware. But I guess the Japanese are no good at software either.

Edited July 6 by LocalHero1953

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[Velo-city]

20 hours ago, Elliot Harper said:

I’m afraid V version will suffer some sort of firmware/software failure to begin with, like the early days of M11, frozen kind of drama. German are not good at software, adding an electronic view adds more complexity that Germans can’t handle. Look at SAP, not a sane mind can figure out how that thing works 😀

I tried to part agree with you but disagree about the whole country being tarred by Leica performance.  But apparently I was too critical of Leica.  Thats not what this forum is for, I've been officially warned!   Thanks jaapv, although I'm pretty sure I didn't say Leica and/or customers were inadequate, deceitful, or stupid, although statistically some would be, that's the same whatever you applied that logic to. I guess the sycophants and fanboys are policed far less.

No doubt I'll get banned for this.

So long, it's been, an interesting community with some very nice people.

 

Quote

jaapv:

This isn’t the place for those who think that Leica, Leica products and Leica customers are inadequate, deceitful or stupid.

Some members, apparently, use the forum exclusively to express the same criticisms again and again, spoiling for others the enjoyment of their hobby.

This isn’t a forum for sycophants and fanboys but neither is it a Leica-bashing community. No-one in the Leica forum should ever have to justify their purchase of a Leica product or their enjoyment of it.

 

Edited July 7 by Velo-city

[Jipster]

On 5/12/2025 at 2:49 AM, username said:

For what it's worth, just saw this story on reddit, from somebody from the US who bought a Safari edition in Germany..

 

TL;DR: Picked up the new Leica M11-P Safari while traveling in Germany. After VAT refund + U.S. tax exemption + 2% cashback, my final cost was just $8,685 USD—nearly $2,800 saved vs. buying it in the U.S.

⸻

I happened to be in Germany when Leica announced the M11-P Safari—literally the same hour the new Pope was elected on Thursday May 8th. I’d been eyeing the M10-P Safari for a while, but even decently pre-loved ones with brassing and scuffs are still $7.5–8K used.

I called the Leica Boutique Frankfurt the moment I saw the announcement. Each German store received exactly 3 units, and within the first hour, 2 were already spoken for. Huge thanks to Farzad at the boutique—he held the last one while I cabbed over.

The sticker price was €9,250, which came out to around $10,400 USD—but that includes Germany’s 19% VAT, and as a non-EU citizen flying directly back to the U.S., I was eligible for a 14.5% VAT refund. I paid with my Discover card (2% cashback), and they helped prep the paperwork via Planet Tax Free.

At Frankfurt Airport the next day, I had the forms stamped and processed. The refund will go back to my Visa card in about 2–3 weeks, and I’ll still receive the 2% cashback from Discover based on the full purchase price.

Back in the U.S., I declared the camera properly and even printed out a copy of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), which clearly states that digital still cameras are duty-free. Customs was smooth, no issues.

⸻

Final cost breakdown: • Original price: $10,400 USD • VAT refund: –$1,507 (to Visa) • 2% Discover cashback: –$208 (to Discover) • Total effective cost: $8,685 USD

⸻

U.S. price would’ve been: • $10,400 retail + ~$1,040 (10% U.S. sales tax) = $11,440 USD

⸻

Total savings: ~$2,755 USD

Not a flex—just sharing in case anyone else traveling abroad wants to take advantage of similar savings. FX timing and paperwork make a big difference, but it’s very doable if you’re already in the EU. Please ensure to diligently check foreign exchange rates before and while travelling as daily FX rates will have impacts, but hopefully not too much.

Not sure where you live in the US but very few states have a 10% sales tax. Plus you can buy in other states and in many cases not pay pay your state’s sales tax (it partly depends on the volume of sales from that vendor to your state). That’s the way I do it, and no sales tax. That’s could be useful info to you. 

[BernardC]

22 hours ago, Jewl said:

Agreed! Before investing into a system that is even more error prone than the M11 due to internal complexity, I believe you need to wait a couple of years while others have to frustratingly deal with Leica CS  

The camera that people are describing is an SL3 with features removed, and a few wires clipped. There's no reason to believe that it will be error-prone. The SL3 had one major bug when it first came-out, but it's been solid since.

[Smogg]

18 minutes ago, BernardC said:

The camera that people are describing is an SL3 with features removed, and a few wires clipped. There's no reason to believe that it will be error-prone. The SL3 had one major bug when it first came-out, but it's been solid since.

Not quite so. People expect rangefinder-equivalent manual focus assistance from a new camera. The SL3 lacks this feature. Also, the large external screen means you'll be using it a lot for shooting, which means you'll be shooting without an additional support point (your head), so IBIS is desirable, and in a thinner body than the SL3.

[Martin B]

23 hours ago, Jewl said:

Agreed! Before investing into a system that is even more error prone than the M11 due to internal complexity, I believe you need to wait a couple of years while others have to frustratingly deal with Leica CS  

SAP software is the German revenge to the world of losing WWII....(sorry, had to make this joke since I also despise using SAP. And I am originally from Germany and grew up less than 5 miles away from SAP HQ). 

We need to see first test reviews of the M-V and wait for at least 6 months before knowing how good or bad this camera might be. 

[mikeamosau]

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On 7/6/2025 at 10:47 AM, lct said:

Nothing is supposed to be really new in the EVF-M. As it was imagined here and elsewhere, it would just be an M11 with a built-in EVF. Novelty would be for the M12, reason why it would only come next i suppose. Just a guess.

Exactly! It’s the M11 without the bits that make it an M and an EVF instead. 
If someone has an M11 with the removable EVF on the top, imagine it wasn’t on the top, like every other camera you could have bought, and instead inside the camera! Wow! 

[costa43]

I think this camera might surprise us with IBIS.

3 hours ago, Martin B said:

SAP software is the German revenge to the world of losing WWII....(sorry, had to make this joke since I also despise using SAP. And I am originally from Germany and grew up less than 5 miles away from SAP HQ). 

We need to see first test reviews of the M-V and wait for at least 6 months before knowing how good or bad this camera might be. 

Yes and by then we will probably want to wait a little longer for a possible M12. This camera is not for me, I know it already. Although I see a place for this model in the line up, my M has to have a rangefinder and an OVF. I’d consider an EVF M as a second body if it had an extremely intuitive EVF focusing system that mimics the rangefinder very well, which I don’t think this will have in round 1. (Hope I’m wrong of course) I will likely wait for the M12-D or P.  

[lct]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder i guess but that Bauhaus bump almost beats in ugliness the SOOFM hood and the Frankenfinder. Time for it to take the place it deserves at the top left corner.

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[Jean-Michel]

 

On 3/25/2025 at 2:14 PM, frankchn said:

I have one, but I also want a thumb grip and I can't have both. Having the Visoflex stick out also makes it closer to the size of an SL3, and that is not ideal.

Hi

The "Thumbie' is an excellent solution.

I used the Thumbie on an M9 and an M-P(240). I first used a ThumbUp for both cameras, including one with a cold shoe so that I would be able to mount a 21 mm finder, and they were fine, but the Thumbie is a much better solution in my opinion — it leaves the accessory shoe open so you can mount an EVF on it..

Steve Barnett's email is: barnett@globalnet.co.uk

[DadDadDaddyo]

I like the Frankenfinder....

And I like that lens shade that folds flat, and keep one tucked in a corner of my little bag that holds two M bodies with lenses, plus two lenses. (I don't keep the Frankenfinder in that bag, admittedly...)

Pretty cool!

And, *I think it's not bad looking, either...

It is written: "Gorgeous are the system cameras, for they shall be adaptable."

Edited July 7 by DadDadDaddyo

[lct]

33 minutes ago, Jean-Michel said:

[...] the Thumbie is a much better solution in my opinion — it leaves the accessory shoe open so you can mount an EVF on it [...]

+1 but it sheds its paint as easily as a mangy cat sheds its fur 🐱

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[Jean-Michel]

Sure does. Perhaps a hidden feature — accelerated 'Leica brassing' 😂

[Crem]

2 hours ago, costa43 said:

I think this camera might surprise us with IBIS.

Yes and by then we will probably want to wait a little longer for a possible M12. This camera is not for me, I know it already. Although I see a place for this model in the line up, my M has to have a rangefinder and an OVF. I’d consider an EVF M as a second body if it had an extremely intuitive EVF focusing system that mimics the rangefinder very well, which I don’t think this will have in round 1. (Hope I’m wrong of course) I will likely wait for the M12-D or P.  

I agree it will take something like an advanced EVF experience that is as good or better than a OVF to convince me to buy it. Some combination of phase detect pixels, lidar, or a second sensor... something technical that would make it fast/easy/accurate to focus even when the lens is stopped down to F8. I'd love to see the focus patch have eye AF that tracks the eye when I am recomposing. I suspect the M11-V will be much more like the SL2-S experience I currently use, but who knows I could be wrong.

Edited July 7 by Crem

[Elliot Harper]

3 hours ago, lct said:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder i guess but that Bauhaus bump almost beats in ugliness the SOOFM hood and the Frankenfinder. Time for it to take the place it deserves at the top left corner.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

I despise the saying of “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Beauty is absolute, and this setting is ugly

[jakontil]

I chose the ovf still whenever applicable… may be evf only good when shooting closer than RF allow

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[Martin B]

16 hours ago, costa43 said:

I think this camera might surprise us with IBIS.

Yes and by then we will probably want to wait a little longer for a possible M12. This camera is not for me, I know it already. Although I see a place for this model in the line up, my M has to have a rangefinder and an OVF. I’d consider an EVF M as a second body if it had an extremely intuitive EVF focusing system that mimics the rangefinder very well, which I don’t think this will have in round 1. (Hope I’m wrong of course) I will likely wait for the M12-D or P.  

I will not desert any of my M rangefinder cameras either but would love to have a M-V as addition. Currently I am using my Sony A7R as alternative to my Leica M based cameras whenever I prefer EVF over OVF. With the M-V, all M and LTM lenses likely will work perfectly with its sensor and won't require adapters. I am also curious what kind of focusing system Leica implements in the M-V. If it relies just on traditional color-based zone focus in EVF and magnification tool, I likely skip, too (no advantage over my A7R). I will wait for sure since I am not willing the original price tag for the M-V either. If interested, I will only buy used in the future. 

[Le Chef]

1 hour ago, Martin B said:

I am also curious what kind of focusing system Leica implements in the M-V.

You can likely see it in the current Visoflex.

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Hallo,

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[lct]

1 hour ago, Martin B said:

If it relies just on traditional color-based zone focus in EVF and magnification tool, I likely skip, too (no advantage over my A7R).

The advantage, over my Kolari mod a7r2, is auto image magnification aka auto zoom that works with any M or adapted LTM lens. I mean with the M11 and Visoflex 2. Now that i have the latters, i use the Sony for autofocus and slow shutter speeds only.

[sdk]

I wonder if it will have a hybrid optical/rangefinder viewfinder that can switch to 100% EVF? Sort of like the Fuji X100 series married to a traditional Leica M finder? If so that would be rather cool. Alternatively I could see them using just an EVF with focus aids that include a rangefinder overlaying the TTL image for focusing.