Leica M EV1 Mirrorless Camera Body

Marking a significant advance for Leica, the M EV1 is the inaugural M-system camera equipped with a built-in electronic viewfinder instead of the traditional optical rangefinder. This key innovation enhances compatibility with ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, as well as fast apertures, while preserving the classic slim profile, the familiar M lens mount, and the reliable imaging performance established by the M11-series rangefinders.

5.76m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder

The Leica M EV1 features the first built-in electronic viewfinder in an M-system camera, replacing the traditional optical one. It has a clear 5.76 million-dot OLED display, 0.76x magnification, adjustable focus, and shows 100% of the image frame. The EVF displays exactly what the sensor captures, making it easier to compose and focus, especially with fast lenses and shallow depth of field. It works with a wider variety of lenses, including ultra-wide, telephoto, macro, and adapted lenses. The viewfinder also offers digital zoom previews at 1.3x and 1.8x crop levels.

Focus Assistants and FN Button

The EVF includes useful focus features like Focus Peaking, which highlights sharp areas in bright colors, and Focus Aid/Magnification, which zooms in to help check focus. These tools can be turned on with the FN button or set to activate automatically when you turn the focus ring. The old frame selector lever now works as the FN button to toggle these tools and digital zoom on or off. You can also see exposure changes in real time before shooting, with shooting info shown at the bottom of the viewfinder to keep things clear. The EVF also has guides like a grid and horizon level to help with composition.

60MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor

The Leica M EV1 uses the same 60MP full-frame CMOS sensor as the M11, with a back-illuminated design that reduces noise and speeds up image processing. This high resolution is great for capturing detailed scenes like landscapes and architecture. The sensor’s updated dual-layer filter blocks UV and infrared light to produce sharper images and more accurate colors when used with M lenses, especially in low-light conditions.

Triple Resolution Technology

This unique pixel binning process allows photographers to select 60MP, 36MP, or 18MP output, with each resolution making use of the full sensor area and providing rich 14-bit color. By pixel binning, rather than cropping, the lower resolutions have improved dynamic range and noise levels:

• 60MP: 14 stops of dynamic range, highest resolution
• 36MP: 15 stops of dynamic range, best balance of resolution and noise
• 18MP: 15 stops of dynamic range, lowest noise levels

Maestro III Image Processor

The Maestro III processor contributes to the faster processing and Triple Resolution Technology, as well as helps achieve a wider sensitivity range than in previous generation M cameras. An ISO 64-50000 range is now available for greater detail, quality, and natural color rendering at lower ISO settings. The Maestro III also enables continuous shooting at up to 4.5 fps and facilitates fast file saving for an intuitive shooting experience.

Leica Content Credentials with Content Authenticity Initiative Technology

The Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) is a project by Adobe, The New York Times, Leica, and others to create a standard for tracking digital content. In the M EV1, this appears as Leica Content Credentials, which use a secure chip to encrypt image details when you take a photo. This information can be checked independently and updated with compatible software like Adobe Photoshop. It helps viewers verify where an image came from and ensures creators get proper credit.

Rear LCD and Body Details

The Leica M EV1 has a bright 2.95" touchscreen LCD with 2.3 million dots, making it easy to see in sunlight. Without an optical viewfinder, the front is sleek and covered in diamond-pattern leatherette. Its menu is updated for simpler navigation like Leica’s Q and SL models. Electronic stabilization reduces shake during live view, helping manual focus with long lenses. Weighing 484g, it’s lighter than the M11-P. The BP-SCL7 battery lasts for about 237 shots using the EVF or 244 shots with the LCD. Storage includes one UHS-II SD card slot plus 64GB of internal memory for backup or extra space. The USB-C port lets you charge the battery and transfer files directly from the camera.

Wired and Wireless Connectivity

The USB-C port, paired with the included FOTOS Cable, enables direct connection to an Apple iPhone through the Leica FOTOS app for seamless file transfer and management. Additionally, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth facilitate wireless connection to iOS devices via the same app. The app supports in-app geotagging, as well as marking favorites and assigning ratings to images directly from your mobile device.