Leica could launch a controversial M-series camera this year with a new kind of viewfinder – it sounds like function over soul

• Leica's next M-series camera could be the first of its kind with an EVF
• It could be the smallest, lightest and most versatile Leica M-series camera yet
• Rumors suggest it'll launch later this year

Now here's a Leica rumor with plenty of potential avenues to navigate – Leica is apparently working on a new M-series camera that will ditch the rangefinder experience that the series is famed for, in favor of an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

The details recently shared by Leica Rumors are few and far between, leaving me with plenty of questions – so let's explore where Leica could be going with this potential new model.

Leica's M-series, both analog and digital models, utilize an optical rangefinder to compose and manually focus shots, using a hard-to-master split-image guide to nail sharp focus on your subject. It's not for everyone, but Leica's rangefinder is the soul of the series, a shooting experience you can't find elsewhere (besides the Pixii rangefinder).

Practically speaking, an EVF will be much more useful than a rangefinder – you would get exposure preview and the supremely helpful 'focus peaking' manual focus assist tool. Such a design change should make this mystery model Leica's smallest and lightest digital M-series camera to date too, and also the cheapest.

Rumors suggest this is not a next-gen Leica M12, but a new series within Leica's M-mount ecosystem. An M-series camera with EVF sounds to me a lot like a Leica Q3 / Q3 43 premium compact (see above), but with interchangeable lens mount. I loved testing the Leica Q3, but it is an altogether different and modern camera experience versus the M-series.

A new dawn for Leica's M-series?

Swapping out the rangefinder for an electronic viewfinder might sound like a small change, but it would mark the single biggest design overhaul that Leica's M-series has ever seen. It would also take away Leica's unique selling point – the rangefinder experience.

Some feel that rangefinders are stuck in the past – a split-image manual-focus only shooting experience that is hard to master, while other mirrorless camera systems by the likes of Sony and Canon enjoy autofocus that's so effective that you, the photographer, barely need focusing skills anymore. For others, the rangefinder experience is the exactly the challenge they enjoy, a charm they can't get elsewhere (notwithstanding the Pixii, which is the only other digital rangefinder in the market).

Let's consider the possibilities of an M-series camera with an EVF. If it is indeed an M-series camera, it will use Leica's M-mount, for which there are many manual-focus lenses available, both pricey Leica options and cheaper third-party alternatives. The lenses are tiny, and would suit what could potentially be Leica's smallest ever M-series camera.

When I picture the mystery M-series camera as a Q3 with Leica M-mount, my mind turns to one feature the Q3 has that the M-series lacks: autofocus. Could a new Leica M camera ever get autofocus? The lens mount would need a fresh redesign, and new autofocus lenses would need to be made, but it seems plausible, even if it would mark a new direction for Leica.

Then there's the Leica SL-series to consider, the latest generation being the Leica SL3. It's a DSLR-style full-frame camera with L-mount, complete with autofocus skills. There's an enticing case for a compact, M-series style camera with an EVF and the autofocus-equipped L-mount.

However, the rumors point to an M-series model with an EVF, a particularly large touchscreen and no rear buttons, and I don't expect any of the seismic changes dreamed up above. This will likely also be a manual focus-only camera, making the most of the assist tools an EVF delivers, and presumably Leica's latest 61MP sensor. In-body image stabilization would be helpful addition, but again, doubtful.

What is the most exciting direction that you think Leica could take its M-series with its next launch? Let us know in the comments below.

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