NEXT! M-EV1 with a L-mount

[BernardC]

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I am convinced that Leica will eventually release an L-Mount camera that is smaller than the SL line. The hold-up isn't technical, it's mostly the lack of smaller L-Mount lenses. The recent 28-70 partially fixes this (and could be included in a kit).

I would hope that this smaller camera uses the same battery as the Q and SL, and that it has a much better rear LCD than the Lumix S5/S9. These two design constraints would prevent it from looking like an M, which is a good thing. The L-mount bodies are Leica's "modern" line, they don't need to fit inside a box that was defined in the 1950s.

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[rramesh]

1. The SL will get smaller with innovation.
2. The M-EV1 will evolve to the M-EV2 and will share the M12's new sensor, processor, redesigned architecture, and body for both RF and EVF.

[sebben]

I honestly see how the user experience of this camera is any better or different than the Leica CL that seemingly failed. 
 

Ok the improved viewfinder may make it a bit better to focus an m lens manually but I don’t experience much difference between the SL2 and the CL when it comes to focus accuracy. 
 

This camera is puzzling to me as it’s even more limited since there are no autofocus lenses available for the mount. I really would have thought that they would have added some extra special features to help with manual focus Like LiDAR focus confirmation or a zoomed in center section of the sensor or something, anything...

As it stands the rangefinder offers the fastest possible way to focus manually. Zooming into an evf image to check focus is cumbersome and slow and you loose the context of the photograph while fiddling around which is a great way to miss moments. 
 

Maybe it’s optimised for a F8 and be there kind to of shooting style…

[jaapv]

Does it have to be? What is in a name? 

 

9 hours ago, jdlaing said:

Uhhh……..if it’s an L mount it won’t be an M by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[jdlaing]

57 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Does it have to be? What is in a name? 

 

 

Accuracy. Leica seems to like that.

[jaapv]

Well, the M EV1 is an M camera in shape only. EV1 would have been more accurate. 

[dsalamena]

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I'd also be really interested in a small L-mount interchangeable-lens camera with EVF and IBIS.

The SL is perfect in many ways, but it's simply too big and heavy for travel and street photography. A larger CL-style camera with a full-frame sensor and image stabilization would be perfect for this type of photography.

As for lenses, given that Leica might take this opportunity to launch a new line of smaller SL lenses (such as the new 28-70mm f/2.8), you could still use Leica, Sigma, or Panasonic prime lenses, which already have acceptable weights and dimensions. I would also use some TL lenses (18-23-35-60 primes would be perfect for this camera, with the extra benefit of having small RAW files) and even M lenses with an adapter.

[pgk]

On 10/26/2025 at 5:09 PM, CptSlevin said:

SL3/SL3S shows less sales than their any other product line, why they would kill it off even more by introducing M with L mount?
Just enlighten me

Different market entirely.

[frame-it]

On 10/26/2025 at 11:28 PM, LocalHero1953 said:

Leica has made a small investment (by its own account) in replacing the opto-mechanical rangefinder with an EVF. What could be simpler than taking the next step, with another small investment, to replace the mount with a L-mount? For the shorter L-mount registration distance, they would bring the sensor forward in the body, thereby making space for IBIS as well. The higher power demand would be mitigated by a higher capacity battery (as they did for Q and SL by switching from BP-SCL4 to BP-SCL6).

They have conveniently drawn the ire of the RF adherents by the launch of the M-EV1, so the only people who could be upset are those who bought the latter, but would really really like AF - and IBIS.

What not to like?

(Yes, maybe this should be in the L-mount forum - or half way between - but this is where the M evolution excitement is)

You mean a full frame 36-48mp CL2.

they already have the tech, the full frame sensor will fit in that body [it fits inside an RX1R!]

twill be painful to hold onto with big lenses though

Edited October 28 by frame-it

[LocalHero1953]

53 minutes ago, frame-it said:

You mean a full frame 36-48mp CL2.

they already have the tech, the full frame sensor will fit in that body [it fits inside an RX1R!]

twill be painful to hold onto with big lenses though

I tried the CL with the big SL zooms and it wasn't a comfortable experience. It was OK with the Apo-Summicrons

[dsalamena]

On 10/28/2025 at 10:54 PM, frame-it said:

You mean a full frame 36-48mp CL2.

they already have the tech, the full frame sensor will fit in that body [it fits inside an RX1R!]

twill be painful to hold onto with big lenses though

With a 36-48mp full frame camera you can use aps-c TL lenses (both zooms and prime lenses) and still have more than enough pixels and image quality. Also the excellent Sigma 17-40 f/1.8 would be small enough to allow a very good compromise of weight/image quality.

[V23]

On 10/28/2025 at 1:49 PM, dsalamena said:

I'd also be really interested in a small L-mount interchangeable-lens camera with EVF and IBIS.

The SL is perfect in many ways, but it's simply too big and heavy for travel and street photography. A larger CL-style camera with a full-frame sensor and image stabilization would be perfect for this type of photography.

As for lenses, given that Leica might take this opportunity to launch a new line of smaller SL lenses (such as the new 28-70mm f/2.8), you could still use Leica, Sigma, or Panasonic prime lenses, which already have acceptable weights and dimensions. I would also use some TL lenses (18-23-35-60 primes would be perfect for this camera, with the extra benefit of having small RAW files) and even M lenses with an adapter.

How much smaller SL body do you want? SL3 as well as SL3-S is small enough, SL APO lenses are big-ish but are so, so good. Leica is giving us a top-quality tools so go out and use it.

[dsalamena]

36 minutes ago, V23 said:

How much smaller SL body do you want? SL3 as well as SL3-S is small enough, SL APO lenses are big-ish but are so, so good. Leica is giving us a top-quality tools so go out and use it.

I don't dispute the quality of the SL system. Both cameras and lenses are truly exceptional, but in my opinion they are too big and heavy (especially the zooms) to be used outside on a daily base.

A camera with the size and weight of the Sony A7C, Nikon ZF or even a larger Leica CL, Panasonic S9, Sigma BF with internal EVF would be the perfect fit for travel or street photography. Again I can see myself using this camera with Sigma contemporary primes, Panasonic S lenses, Leica (Apo or ASPH) SL, M and TL lenses.

It would expand the options for L-mount users, but I'm not so confident Leica will offer such a camera.

[jonoslack]

On 10/26/2025 at 2:28 PM, LocalHero1953 said:

Leica has made a small investment (by its own account) in replacing the opto-mechanical rangefinder with an EVF. What could be simpler than taking the next step, with another small investment, to replace the mount with a L-mount? For the shorter L-mount registration distance, they would bring the sensor forward in the body, thereby making space for IBIS as well. The higher power demand would be mitigated by a higher capacity battery (as they did for Q and SL by switching from BP-SCL4 to BP-SCL6).

They have conveniently drawn the ire of the RF adherents by the launch of the M-EV1, so the only people who could be upset are those who bought the latter, but would really really like AF - and IBIS.

What not to like?

(Yes, maybe this should be in the L-mount forum - or half way between - but this is where the M evolution excitement is)

Well

it, unlike the M EV1 it wouldn’t be a small investment! 
But I would really like to see a new and much smaller SL with the 60mp sensor and a decent EVF - and I think there is a big market for that. 

[Foxfan100]

8 hours ago, dsalamena said:

I don't dispute the quality of the SL system. Both cameras and lenses are truly exceptional, but in my opinion they are too big and heavy (especially the zooms) to be used outside on a daily base.

A camera with the size and weight of the Sony A7C, Nikon ZF or even a larger Leica CL, Panasonic S9, Sigma BF with internal EVF would be the perfect fit for travel or street photography. Again I can see myself using this camera with Sigma contemporary primes, Panasonic S lenses, Leica (Apo or ASPH) SL, M and TL lenses.

It would expand the options for L-mount users, but I'm not so confident Leica will offer such a camera.

The CL was for me a perfect camera in most respects and it is a shame Leica dumped it, I have an SL2-S which is quite honestly a bit of a brick that needs willpower to take it out on anything like a small trip. I would have liked a CL type with most of the features of the SL.

I was interested in the EV1 at first sight, but although I  have a number of M/M42 lenses, these are mostly old and I'm not sure how well they would work with the EV1. I also have a fair amount of L-mount glass by now, so I think I'm looking more towards anything new coming along in that mount.

I guess that one of the plus points of the EV1 is that it won't be as prone to the kind of rangefinder optics problems that meant returns to Leica for repair or adjustment.

[Tailwagger]

Heretics, all of you.  The future obviously lies with an L-mount based optical RF camera you can slap your Visoflex on. And I don't want to hear from any negative Nellies that an auto focus RF is a total pipe dream... 

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[Jon Warwick]

On 10/30/2025 at 8:09 AM, jonoslack said:

Well

it, unlike the M EV1 it wouldn’t be a small investment! 
But I would really like to see a new and much smaller SL with the 60mp sensor and a decent EVF - and I think there is a big market for that. 

Is it the SL body itself, or more the lenses, that people see as creating the weight and bulkiness?

There’s a large difference in handling of the SL system when using smaller lenses (eg, ASPH Non-APO 35/50, or Sigma f2 Contemporary) when compared to larger lenses (SL APO primes or Sigma 1.4 Art).

If anyone is like me and adds the M grip and Visoflex 2 to my M11, the weight of that set up is barely 50 grams less than the SL3(-S) series!

Edited yesterday at 07:35 AM by Jon Warwick

[charlesphoto99]

7 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

Is it the SL body itself, or more the lenses, that people see as creating the weight and bulkiness?

There’s a large difference in handling of the SL system when using smaller lenses (eg, ASPH Non-APO 35/50, or Sigma f2 Contemporary) when compared to larger lenses (SL APO primes or Sigma 1.4 Art).

If anyone is like me and adds the M grip and Visoflex 2 to my M11, the weight of that set up is barely 50 grams less than the SL3(-S) series!

For me, after decades of being an SLR shooter, it's the bulk of the lenses mostly that steer me away. I once had a quite well known photographer buy a 35mm 1.4 Canon lens form me. He questioned me about my use of Leica M's that he had no knowledge of. I said see that lens I just sold you? I can fit six M lenses in a bag for any two of your prime lenses. The weight doesn't bother me as much. 

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[LocalHero1953]

For me, it's the SL body that too big (and an awkward shape). Yes, the big zooms and Summilux 50 are big and heavy, but I tried the Apo-Summicrons on the CL and I found it acceptable. I'm sure a full-frame body smaller than the SL would be larger than the CL, but I'd still look forward to it.

Of course if you add a grip and Viso to the M you're going to get closer to the SL; but for a fair comparison you should add a grip to the SL as well.

I never felt the need for a grip on the M, and disliked adding a Viso - it always caught when inserting or removing it from a bag.

[zlatkob]

On 10/27/2025 at 9:21 AM, BernardC said:

I am convinced that Leica will eventually release an L-Mount camera that is smaller than the SL line. The hold-up isn't technical, it's mostly the lack of smaller L-Mount lenses. The recent 28-70 partially fixes this (and could be included in a kit).

I would hope that this smaller camera uses the same battery as the Q and SL, and that it has a much better rear LCD than the Lumix S5/S9. These two design constraints would prevent it from looking like an M, which is a good thing. The L-mount bodies are Leica's "modern" line, they don't need to fit inside a box that was defined in the 1950s.

Regardless of whether that future smaller L-mount camera is called an SL, a Q or an M, it should look like an M. The classic look of an M has huge appeal, much more so than the look of an SL. That's partly why the Q is so appealing and Leica's biggest seller, because it looks like an M while offering autofocus. As for design constraints, the Q already uses the larger 2200mAh battery of the SL, while the Q body is smaller than the M body. So fitting things inside the 1950s box should not be a problem.

Also, Sigma offers a whole line of smaller L-mount lenses: their i-Series, available for some years now. All of those lenses can be remade as Leica lenses, just as the 28-70 is a Leica version of the Sigma 28-70.

Edited yesterday at 03:25 PM by zlatkob