Mirrorless Camera News

With a design philosophy that less technology means more creative freedom, the stripped down but classic-looking Leica M-D rangefinder camera is now a reality. The 24-megapixel camera harkens back to the limited edition Leica M60 we covered a couple years ago and like that tech-ambivalent rangefinder, the M-D is the first full production model in the digital M line without a rear LCD monitor.

That's right, there's no rear LCD screen. What will they think of next?

Clean lines, minimal design and a purely functional form factor is what the new M-D is all about. The rear of the camera features a large ISO sensitivity dial (instead of the ubiquitous LCD monitor), and the other easy-to-access physical controls are only those required for picture-taking; shutter speed, aperture and focus.

In other words, there's everything you need to capture the moment and nothing more. No distracting displays to review (aka "chimp") your photos on.

The M-D features Leica’s fast Maestro processor and a high-resolution, full-frame CMOS sensor. Images are saved exclusively as Raw files in DNG format, meaning post-processing software will become your friend (if it hasn’t already). Given the camera’s classic, minimal design, it should come as no surprise that neither video capture nor Live View is an option.

Here’s what the folks at Leica say about the latest gem in their M digital line:

 “The design philosophy of the Leica M-D gives its users the most analog experience of shooting a digital camera, and returns to the ritual of waiting to see the images until it is time to sit down and edit.”

The camera also features quiet operation and a sequential shooting speed of 3fps. Priced at $5,995, the Leica M-D will be available the first week in May and comes complete will a full-grain leather carrying strap.