The Leica M11-D, Leica’s Most Controversial Camera
One week with the newly released Leica M11-D, some photographs, thoughts and opinions.
Leica’s Most Controversial Camera - One Week Later
If you’re familiar with Leica, the M11-D won’t surprise you, but you’ve got to admit, it’s a bold approach.
The elephant in the room: the lack of a screen.
Would this be annoying and inconvenient, or maybe, just maybe, a feature I’d actually enjoy?
It’s niche, really niche.
Leica excels at catering to niche markets. Think of their Monochrom series many find the idea of a B&W only camera absurd, especially at Leica’s prices.
But for others, that same camera is perfect.
The M11-D, like the Monochrom, isn’t for everyone.
The funny thing is, people’s opinion on this seem split down the middle, some people can’t wrap their heads around it whilst others are seriously considering buying it. If you’re thinking “$9k for this? Ridiculous,” then, frankly, it’s not for you.
This is more of an emotional purchase than a logical one.
If Canon, Nikon, and Sony are like Volkswagens or BMWs, Leica is more like Porsche or Rolls Royce. Different horses for different courses.
(I already know some people will get upset with the above haha)
For those seriously considering the M11-D, they’re drawn to it’s simplicity.
No distractions, no extra buttons - just the basics: exposure controls, a viewfinder, and the shutter button. For a very specific group of people, this experience is ideal.
Before I share my opinions and experience, here’s a quick overview of the camera:
It’s the same as the M11-P
You get 256GB of internal storage, content credentials, and a script logo on top instead of the iconic red dot. The only real difference is obviously the missing screen. Because I’m already comfortable with the M11-P, I wasn’t in for a huge shock when using the M11-D.
Most of the shots I got with this camera were taken over a weekend shooting a BMX trials event.
You can see the full gallery of my images shot on the M11-D here
I actually grew up shooting BMX and skateboarding, so this was a return to my roots and it was a blast.
So, what’s it like to use the M11-D? In short: incredible.
The lack of a screen had no negative effect on my experience. In fact, I felt more focused and present. Instead of chimping between shots, I spent more time observing the scene, paying attention to the riders and waiting for the right moments, that’s the whole point, right?
But did I actually get better shots because of it? I don’t think so… if I was using the M11-P i’m 99% sure I would have walked away with the same images. We’ll never know for sure. What I do know is that I enjoyed the experience.
How do we use it?
Now, let’s get into the camera’s functionality. Since there’s no screen, you connect to your phone to access settings, either wirelessly or through Wi-Fi.
I have to say, the Leica Fotos app worked flawlessly. It connected quickly, allowed me to adjust settings, and download images without a single issue. But pulling out my phone to change settings was definitely less convenient than just having a screen on the camera.
The essentials, exposure, battery life, and Wi-Fi and a few other things are visible in the viewfinder.
You can toggle between them by pressing the top button or using the thumbwheel. After 15 minutes of playing around, it was easy to understand.
Now, was using the M11-D a better experience than the M11-P? It’s hard to say.
In the moment, yes, it felt great to shoot without a screen.
But in the long run, the minor inconvenience of using your phone adds up. For example, sometimes I like to use the screen to fine-tune my compositions, especially when layering elements. The rangefinder doesn’t always give you a perfect view of the final image.
In the end, this camera probably isn’t for me.
Like the Monochrom, the M11-D fits a very niche group of photographers and for that group, It could be perfect.
And in case you’re wondering, I experienced zero issues with freezing or lock-ups during my time with the camera.
Watch the full video about my experience with the Leica M11-D here:
