Leica M EV1: The first M with EVF instead of Rangefinder

[SrMi]

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10 minutes ago, Stephen.s1 said:

'cept you and me..

 

Actually, I am in minority: I like M-EV1 and got one 😁.

[M11 for me]

vor 17 Minuten schrieb SrMi:

Actually, I am in minority: I like M-EV1 and got one 😁.

OMG, you are certainly not a minority. I loved the M EV1. 

[Wipeout]

I’ve bought one too — it’ll replace my M10 with the old Visoflex.

 

Why?

• Because I like seeing exactly what I’m getting before I press the shutter. The EVF shows brightness, colour and contrast live — no surprises afterwards.
• Focusing wide open is also much easier; with an f/1.4 lens you can actually see the eyes snap into focus instead of guessing with the rangefinder patch.
• You get 100% framing, so what you see really is what you get — perfect for 28 mm and wider lenses or telephotos.
• It’s great in low light, too. The EVF brightens the scene, while the rangefinder can be hard to use indoors or at night.
• No calibration worries either; the EVF doesn’t drift out like a rangefinder can.
• And as someone who wears glasses, I can finally see the whole frame clearly.
• Magnified view and focus peaking are just icing on the cake.

 

In short:

EVF M — easier, more precise, flexible, modern.

M11 — simpler, traditional, optical, mechanical charm.

 

Both have their place. I just don’t get the negativity here — the M3 was once a huge leap forward, and if the internet had existed back then, there’d probably have been 200 pages explaining why that was doomed too.

 

---

[pgh]

22 minutes ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

The notion that we're all silver spoon types with our pinkies sticking out is frankly offensive. 

Yea, I’d be offended by that too. Mannerisms have nothing to do with disposable income. 

 

23 minutes ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Who said anything about a 9K camera?

This whole sub discussion you’re replying to was in response to the retail price of the M-EV1. Which is exactly a 9k camera

 

23 minutes ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

What's the average middle class dude's annual beer budget?

You tell me. You also tell me why it’s relevant, or why a pathological habit is comparable to a creative hobby. Not sure what you’re trying to imply here but I can’t see a way that isn’t a pretty condescending whataboutism.

The real question is what does the average middle class person spend on health insurance, food, childcare, and rent/mortgage that meet a basic minimum quality of life standard that the average person would consent to being acceptable. Then factor in how a Leica is competitive (or not) against a Nikon for someone desperate for a creative outlet.  

[JNK100]

3 hours ago, pgh said:

The idea that a 9k camera is within reach for a large majority is a tired canard.

How many middle aged middle class people do you know? Are they spending 9k on a vacation? If they are, they are making far beyond the median wage, somehow don’t pay for housing or are rapidly tanking their credit score for long term damage. The avg median household wage in your state is 77k. This camera would be a significant chunk of an annual wage, not to mention a lens. 

Leica making expensive stuff is fine, but let’s not pretend it is targeted for the actual middle class. This isn’t 1955 anymore. The middle class is more often 2 adults working full time using any extra funding they have to afford the childcare necessary to do that and barely scraping housing costs together. There is no room there for a 9k camera, and frankly  given some of the comments here I’m highly suspect most of this forum can even venture to fathom half of what that reality is. 

Ev1 is £6.8k GBP😉

[BernardC]

It's a camera that was requested by existing Leica customers who already own a digital M and a few lenses. If anything, it's a little bit cheaper than what they've paid in the past, adjusted for inflation. Why mock people whose eyes aren't what they used to be, but still want to use an M? We all hope to get there some day, the alternative being worse.

It's also not for people who only buy pre-owned, although those people might find some fresh bargains in the used section. Ask your dealer.

[lct]

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3 hours ago, pgh said:

Leica making expensive stuff is fine, but let’s not pretend it is targeted for the actual middle class. This isn’t 1955 anymore

To put things in perspective, the Leica M1 did sell for around 25% less than its cousin M2 in the 60s. Today, the MEV1 costs €7,950 compared to €8,750 for the M11, a difference of around 10%. But the MEV1 has focus aids that the M1 lacked at the time, which makes the delta less significant TBH.

Edited 5 hours ago by lct

[ramarren]

On 10/23/2025 at 8:34 AM, SrMi said:

As an experienced rangefinder photographer, you may find that nonsense. But others don't. See the title of the Amateur Photographer review:

New Leica M EV1 with electronic viewfinder makes focusing and composing SO MUCH easier 

I heard the same thing over and over again in the 1960s-1970s with regard to SLR superiority over RFs. Doesn't anyone else see this redux of the exact same arguments as sadly ironic? Those arguments then quite nearly pushed the RF camera into extinction.

SLR cameras were the primary mainstay of my photography, for work and pleasure, for more than 40 years; I always had a Leica M in addition for all those situations when the SLR was too noisy or harder to use...

All this foofawraw over EVF cameras is just replacing SLR with EVF with respect to "what is superior technology." 

I tend to feel that there are good reasons for RF focusing and framing technology as well as SLR and EVF technology, and that they are complementary to each other in their strengths and weaknesses. 

G

Edited 5 hours ago by ramarren

[algrove]

3 hours ago, pgh said:

When you say it happens - what is that you mean? Like your comments were deleted? You were reprimanded? I would love to see them and then the rationale behind it. Not entirely interested in participating in a community with a heavy hand of censorship when comments are really within the spirit (and letter) of the rules. 

Yes, deleted and then censored.

[Paulus]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb kiwidad:

It was horrible! It was identical to the next model up which added AF. I found watching for confirmation was a huge distraction and you reframed after confirming focus on the subject you wanted to be sharply in focus it worked as well as AF does today in many cases at picking the wrong spot to focus on!

No, it wasn’t for me? 
 

But focussing the M6 was a pretty neat thing in comparisson with the Nikon in that time and it hasn’t gotten worse IMHO .  

[Alistairm]

AUD $13,999… and I bought one. Curiosity more than anything, as I still love using a rangefinder, but am interested to see how much I use the M EVF and am hoping it gives my kids a way to enjoy the M lenses! 

[Paulus]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb pgh:

Yea, I’d be offended by that too. Mannerisms have nothing to do with disposable income. 

 

This whole sub discussion you’re replying to was in response to the retail price of the M-EV1. Which is exactly a 9k camera

 

You tell me. You also tell me why it’s relevant, or why a pathological habit is comparable to a creative hobby. Not sure what you’re trying to imply here but I can’t see a way that isn’t a pretty condescending whataboutism.

The real question is what does the average middle class person spend on health insurance, food, childcare, and rent/mortgage that meet a basic minimum quality of life standard that the average person would consent to being acceptable. Then factor in how a Leica is competitive (or not) against a Nikon for someone desperate for a creative outlet.  

I’m thinking about buying an Nikon D6. I hear the focussing is pretty good? Next to my M’s . 

[Paulus]

vor 48 Minuten schrieb ramarren:

I heard the same thing over and over again in the 1960s-1970s with regard to SLR superiority over RFs. Doesn't anyone else see this redux of the exact same arguments as sadly ironic? Those arguments then quite nearly pushed the RF camera into extinction.

SLR cameras were the primary mainstay of my photography, for work and pleasure, for more than 40 years; I always had a Leica M in addition for all those situations when the SLR was too noisy or harder to use...

All this foofawraw over EVF cameras is just replacing SLR with EVF with respect to "what is superior technology." 

I tend to feel that there are good reasons for RF focusing and framing technology as well as SLR and EVF technology, and that they are complementary to each other in their strengths and weaknesses. 

G

I think one of the reasons for RF was: “ You can see everything very clear”, it gives you a clear view on your surroundings, while making tag- sharp pictures… or not. 

[Chito]

3 hours ago, BernardC said:

The issue with the M is that the body shape was designed to have the sensor (film) a millimeter or two from the back of the body. Some M customers complain very loudly if the M proportions change at all, so there isn't enough space for IBIS. This may change if Leica is can design a much thinner IBIS mechanism. That's also the reason why Ms don't use the Q/SL battery. It doesn't fit.

Yes, it's a very small space but it's an engineering problem not a physical impossibility.     I'd wager some day we'll have an M with IBIS.

[sebben]

I would only be interested in a Leica M EV1-D

[Le Chef]

3 hours ago, M11 for me said:

OMG, you are certainly not a minority. I loved the M EV1. 

When did you get it? As I understand it the FTC has banned the sale in USA until they choose to clear it.

[250swb]

3 hours ago, M11 for me said:

 I loved the M EV1. 

Well that didn't last long, what happened?

[StS]

Personally, a smaller SL or keeping the CL in business would have done it for me. But then, people asked for an EVF M and here it is.

Stefan

[IkarusJohn]

Hopefully, the rage is starting to recede and the disappointed and deluded have expressed their displeasure.

It seems to me that the electronic/computer/consumerism world we live in has had a strange effect on us all, perhaps without noticing.  My Nikons had no software that needed upgrading, they did what was said on the tin from day one, without missing a beat.  Now, we expect upgrades and improvements.  I remember one poster on this forum saying that a Leica camera was no longer supported because there were no more firmware upgrades.  Odd for an expensive camera that was stable and working just as it was meant to (I think it might have been the SL(601), but can’t be sure).

I don’t feel strongly about the M EV1.  I suspect it is as good as the M11 it is based on, and has an EVF better than the Visoflex; and I applaud Leica for having the courage to make it.  The bright points in Leica’s past are when it has had courage, right back to making Barnack’s null camera.

Calling the camera M EV1 is interesting (if I’m reading my tea leaves aright).  If it doesn’t meet sales targets, it can join the XV and others on the heap of dead ends.  If it sells, which I believe it will, then it has the ability to diverge from whatever comes next, not tied to the M12, M13 etc, other than as a base camera (perhaps like the film M cameras).

What does the M EV series open up?  I doubt Leica has the will or capital to develop M mount zooms and a whole new series of lenses just for the M EV series, but this camera does solve a problem with Noctiluxes and the new close focus lenses.  The only issue is to improve focus confirmation.  If Nikon could do it 30 years ago with a film camera and manual focus lenses, I’m sure this is something Leica can manage …

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Hallo,

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[fotografr]

4 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

Dare I say it? A sony …

With wings.