Leica M unveiled - £5,100 of retro camera goodness

The Leica M has been unveiled at Photokina 2012. In usual Leica fashion, the camera won't come cheap, set to sell for £5,100 from early 2013.

With the Leica M, the retro-look camera maker is setting up a new naming system for its M-series cameras. The numbers have been dropped, in favour of an everlasting - if potentially confusing - vibe. As Leica says, it's out to show the "significance and enduring value" of the series.

But now onto the good stuff. The Leica M features a 35mm format 24-megapixel CMOS sensor comparable in size to that of a full-size DSLR. Its sensor is designed for use with Leica-made M-lenses.

Other features include a 3in 920k pixel display topped with Corning Gorilla glass, 6400 ISO ceiling and 1080p video recoding.


As with most Leica cameras, though, other than great image quality the big draw of the Leica M is its chunky retro styling. Its body is made from a single piece of lightweight magnesium alloy and it uses rubber seals to provide splashproofing. It may look like a relic from a few decades ago, but its hardware offers some surprisingly up-to-date features.

For all its new bits, this is intended to be a traditional M-series rangefinder camera in most respects. The last camera in the Leica M-series was the Leica M9, released last year. It featured a lower-resolution 18-megapixel sensor and a smaller 2.5in screen. In styling terms, though, the two are peas in a pod.

The Leica M will go on sale in early 2013 and is set to sell for £5,100. It will be available in black or silver finishes. For maximum retro points, you'll want to check out the silver edition.   

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