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

[SrMi]

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1 hour ago, Xelamoon said:

And that is acceptable for 8000€?

Yes, to me. X2D uses 60Hz refresh rate. 120Hz comes with its own set of issues.

[JNK100]

45 minutes ago, Eugene Young said:

I really do not understand the price of this camera. They take out AF and most importantly Lux lens from Q3 and then pricing much more than Q3. The price of this so called M v1 , 5 grands, at most 6 grandish would be enough.

Leica are a business and will charge what they think customers are prepares to pay.

[evikne]

59 minutes ago, Alistairm said:

Price is crazy. And I just learned the lenses don’t even autofocus. What are they thinking? 

Not easy to understand for the uninitiated. 😄

[BlueIn2Red]

On 10/23/2025 at 5:07 PM, lincoln_m said:

I think I agree with others that an SL3 /SL3-S with an M adapter is the way to go for M lenses and an EVF.

One important point which I think is being missed by many on this - the EV1 has physical focus coupling to the lens, so knows when the lens is being focused (and so can zoom in automatically and, hopefully in a future firmware update, support other automatic focus aids). An SL (or any other mirrorless body with an M mount adapter) doesn't have this coupling, so there will always be an extra manual step to zoom in needed. For me this is the one big key advantage of the EV1 - now it "just" needs better firmware support to make full use of it.

[Tseg]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

They sure priced it to recover R&D with as few sales as possible. 

Luckily, the top plate recycled from the M11-D parts bin saved about $1K a camera.

[Tseg]

M11-EV1, gateway drug to the SL-3 for M users.

[S Maclean]

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What I don’t get is the massive backlash in this thread.  
For a good number of years there has been a strong segment of the Leica community voicing the desire for an EVF M.  Now it’s out, and we reverse the narrative.  It’s strange not to see the merit of it for many.

Me? I like the SL for this use. I get all the benefits of a evf, plus stabilization , plus being able to also use L lenses from a number of great brands with AF.  The form factor is different, but an SL with a 35 cron is not that much of a compromise.

But, what if only want one camera, M lenses, and prefer the EVF because that’s what I’m used to, and I find Rangedinders cumbersome and limiting?  That is who this camera is for, not 70+ people, just photographers that like this format.

Phill Penman has always been quite vocal about his preference for EVF. Hell, he always had the visioflex attached to his M. Why? I don’t know, but it’s hard to argue with his work, or dismiss his approach. And, quite naturally, he is very vocal about his praise for the M EV.

If this is the Camera that “clicks” with you, then this is the camera you should use.….…

Now, when is the M EV Monochrome coming out? 🫣

[lct]

3 hours ago, Xelamoon said:

But are you not squarely in the number 1 target audience of old timers? Same as the person with the 1953 name. I see mostly 70+ year olds defending the camera and its half hearted execution.

Guilty as charged but my eyesight is good after cataract surgery.

 

[lct]

3 hours ago, JNK100 said:

So, the M11 then 😉

I plan to keep my M11 for the RF experience but the best mirrorless for M lenses can only be the MEV1, at least i suppose as mine is not yet delivered.

[HPFM]

Attended the announcement in the Leica Store Stuttgart (Germany) and tried out the EV1. My conclusion: I stay with my M11 and the Visoflex and the option to use the Visoflex with wide angle and my 135 lenses. Gives me the opportunity to use the M11 with the rangefinder classic for most purposes and to use the M11 with the Visoflex also "from top" close to the ground. 

Advantage of using the "better" viewfinder from EV1 is not worth (for me) expecting costs from selling the M11 and buying the M EV1 or buying the EV1 "just for fun" on top....

[Telecaster]

Just received my M EV 1!

So far, I’ve only taken a few shots around the house, but I already love it! It feels like a Q3 with much better manual focus and interchangeable lenses — exactly what I’ve been waiting for.

I’m already wondering whether I still need my Q3, M11, or SL3… but I’ll make that decision once the honeymoon phase is over.

Unfortunately, Leica didn’t include the fast file transfer feature from the Q3, but I assume that’s because the digital core of the EV 1 is mostly copied from the M11.

So happy to see Leica evolving their lineup and continuing to innovate, even within the M series!

https://www.andreastimm.com/leica-m-ev1-review-my-first-impressions/

Cheers,

Andreas

Edited 20 hours ago by Telecaster

[LeAlain]

So happy with my M10M, basically a Monochromversion of this 'EV1', except that my battery doesn't run dry, I can switch from OVF to EVF so best of both worlds and last but not least I can set my EVF020 to upward.  So not in love with that EV1. 

I guess people just stepping into Leica might be. 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by LeAlain

[charlesphoto99]

I think Leica really missed an opportunity to blow it out of the park with this one and got lazy.

For starters, it absolutely needs a sensor on which one can move the focus point around. With a stuck, central focus point, one is kind of back to the fallibility so many decry with the rf patch, having to focus and then recompose (and thereby losing the point of focus).

Secondly, using the legacy of the rf patch by doing a magnified PiP in the EVF (Picture in Picture, or Patch in Picture as it may be). How that would work is that only the patch area magnifies so one can still see the entire frame when using and still have a small, continuously magnified focus reference patch. Even better, would be the ability to place that PiP anywhere in the frame one wants separate from the focus point (which would remain in the center with the current - better would be the ability to have this magnified PiP be a movable focus point but that's next gen). I would assume most would lock the PiP to the bottom of the frame. 

[algrove]

2 minutes ago, charlesphoto99 said:

I think Leica really missed an opportunity to blow it out of the park with this one and got lazy.

For starters, it absolutely needs a sensor on which one can move the focus point around. With a stuck, central focus point, one is kind of back to the fallibility so many decry with the rf patch, having to focus and then recompose (and thereby losing the point of focus).

Secondly, using the legacy of the rf patch by doing a magnified PiP in the EVF (Picture in Picture, or Patch in Picture as it may be). How that would work is that only the patch area magnifies so one can still see the entire frame when using and still have a small, continuously magnified focus reference patch. Even better, would be the ability to place that PiP anywhere in the frame one wants separate from the focus point (which would remain in the center with the current - better would be the ability to have this magnified PiP be a movable focus point but that's next gen). I would assume most would lock the PiP to the bottom of the frame. 

I has been suggested that using the 1.3x digital zoom feature gets you where you can see the entire frame with your patch in the center and then move the focus point within that patch.

[lincoln_m]

1 hour ago, BlueIn2Red said:

One important point which I think is being missed by many on this - the EV1 has physical focus coupling to the lens, so knows when the lens is being focused (and so can zoom in automatically and, hopefully in a future firmware update, support other automatic focus aids). An SL (or any other mirrorless body with an M mount adapter) doesn't have this coupling, so there will always be an extra manual step to zoom in needed. For me this is the one big key advantage of the EV1 - now it "just" needs better firmware support to make full use of it.

Are you suggesting that Leica has added a sensor (strain gauge?)to the rangefinder coupling cam follower that is still present at the top of the M mount opening? I assumed that the focus zoom was triggered by contrast changes on the sensor and that the rangefinder cam was still there because they used the same M11 body but with a new top plate containing the EVF instead. 

Does anyone have a new close focus lens? Does the cam on the lens continue to change below 0.7m or is it just flat (same radius you know what I mean). If it does continue to change that would suggest the cam follower (with a sensor) could be used to detect focal distance (approximately) and possibly lead to a digital rangefinder patch in the future. For a fine tune of focus you could press a focus zoom function button to zoom in to the rangefinder patch area (now with no overlay) as you do now. Using the digital RF patch would allow for the fast focus we currently enjoy with RF only Ms.

If there is/was a sensor on the RF cam follower then it should be possible to “calibrate”each of your lenses with a few measurements while the lens is on the camera; infinity, 10m, 5m, 3m, 1m, 0.7m, 0.4m (closest focus) and store them in the camera’s settings memory and/or on the SD card. 

[lincoln_m]

I can’t keep up! Last night we were on page 6 now we’re on page 22 of this thread. I can see why Leica moved the Forum to new servers before this announcement and M11 EV1 release.

Back on topic now.

If it’s an EVF only then why isn’t the viewfinder magnification 1.0x instead of 0.76x ? Would that make the EVF opening larger than the top plate allows? The M3 used to have 0.9x viewfinder magnification for easier both eyes open experience.

[lct]

12 minutes ago, lincoln_m said:

Are you suggesting that Leica has added a sensor (strain gauge?)to the rangefinder coupling cam follower that is still present at the top of the M mount opening? I assumed that the focus zoom was triggered by contrast changes on the sensor and that the rangefinder cam was still there because they used the same M11 body but with a new top plate containing the EVF instead. 

Does anyone have a new close focus lens? Does the cam on the lens continue to change below 0.7m or is it just flat (same radius you know what I mean). If it does continue to change that would suggest the cam follower (with a sensor) could be used to detect focal distance (approximately) and possibly lead to a digital rangefinder patch in the future. For a fine tune of focus you could press a focus zoom function button to zoom in to the rangefinder patch area (now with no overlay) as you do now. Using the digital RF patch would allow for the fast focus we currently enjoy with RF only Ms.

If there is/was a sensor on the RF cam follower then it should be possible to “calibrate”each of your lenses with a few measurements while the lens is on the camera; infinity, 10m, 5m, 3m, 1m, 0.7m, 0.4m (closest focus) and store them in the camera’s settings memory and/or on the SD card. 

I have not yet received the MEV1 but i see no reason why it would work differently to the M11 re focusing in LV mode. The roller cam of the M11 has been kept apparently so there is still a mechanical link between lenses and the body. Something no competitor can do so far AFAIK. This way, you can focus closer than 0.7m with modern CF Leica lenses but also VM and ZM ones going down to 0.5m. Both Super-Angulons 21/3.4 and 21/4 can also focus down to 0.4m this way but i suspect Leica will not recommend them on the MEV1. Hope they will work the same way as on the M11 though.  Same for the Summicron 50/2 DR that can be focused down to 0.5m without its goggles this way.

[M11 for me]

vor 17 Stunden schrieb 250swb:

Well that didn't last long, what happened?

Had to send it back to Leica 🤨

[M11 for me]

vor 16 Minuten schrieb lct:

The roller cam of the M11 has been kept apparently so there is still a mechanical link between lenses and the body

The camera hast to know, when you turn the focus ting so that the firmware can switch to magnification.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[BlueIn2Red]

Yes that was the point I’m making. Great that the hardware is there to know when focus is happening - now they just need a to improve the firmware to take advantage of it. What’s there right now is Minimum Viable Product for release only.