From The Verge: Leica has introduced the latest generation of its venerated M rangefinder camera, the new M11. The M11 is very similar in appearance to the M10 line it’s replacing, with much of the claimed 40 new improvements found on the inside. Leica says the M11 will be available starting today, January 13th, 2022, with a price tag of $8,995.
The most significant upgrade is a new, 60-megapixel backside-illuminated full-frame CMOS sensor that captures 14 stops of dynamic range at its full resolution. Uniquely, the M11 also allows photographers to capture RAW files at 36 or 18 megapixels, which unlocks another stop of dynamic range, provides better low light performance, and allows for longer burst shooting at the expense of zoomed-in detail. (The company says it is using pixel binning alongside a newly developed algorithm to create the lower resolutions, a similar technique used by many smartphone cameras.) File sizes range from 70 to 120MB for a 60-megapixel DNG RAW file; the 18-megapixel setting can reduce that down to as low as 20MB per image.
Along with the new sensor, Leica is using a new, ultra-thin UV filter on top of it, which the company claims provides more natural color reproduction. The company says the M11 captures the highest dynamic range of any digital M ever, including the black-and-white Monochrom models that were praised for their ability to capture a wide range of tones. The M11’s ISO range starts at 64 and goes up to 50,000.
View: Full Article
