The “M” in the Leica M series stands for Messucher, which refers to a large and accurate rangefinder incorporated with a viewfinder. For decades, this Leica rangefinder system has been synonymous with its brand and is the basis for the charming shooting experience that Leica M cameras are famous for. But with the Leica M EV1, Leica has forged a new path, and it is sure to polarize its fans.
FCC authorization pending as of October 23, 2025: This product is not available for sale in the United States at this time. The Leica M EV1 is available internationally now and will come to the U.S. once FCC authorization clears. This disclaimer will be removed once the M EV1 is available to purchase in the U.S.
The Leica M EV1 eschews the classic rangefinder, opting instead for a 5.76-million-dot EVF. At $8,995, the new camera is slightly lower in price than an M11-P, although I think the difference will go unnoticed by most prospective buyers. What this means for the system and what it changes to the experience is nuanced and complex, but I was eager to dive in and see for myself.
The Leica M EV1 out in the field.
Leica M EV1 Review: How It Feels
The major visual difference that most prospective buyers will notice is the complete lack of any window or finder at the top corner of the camera. In fact, I would argue that the empty space looks a little unbalanced when looking at the front of the camera. The overall dimensions of the EV1 are essentially identical to the Leica M11, however. What does change, though, is the overall weight, with the EV1 weighing around 80 grams (2.8 ounces) less than the M11. The weight difference is noticeable.
There is just a blank space where the range finder would normally be.
The EV1 is, for all intents and purposes, an M11 body from the lens mount down. It has a single UHS-II SD card slot and the same 64 GB of built-in memory as the original M11. Unlike the M11 camera that this is based on and like the newer M11-P, the EV1 is compatible with the C2PA content authenticity protocols.
The handling of the EV1 is essentially identical to the M11 series, with some minor control differences.
The battery is the same BP-SCL7, which gave decent battery life on the M11. However, the EVF is going to sap some battery life that would have been left untouched by the largely mechanical M11. I still found that I was able to shoot a full day with one battery, but just barely. A spare would be recommended.
The battery is the same as the M11 cameras, but battery life does take a small hit.
I’m going to talk about the viewfinder experience quite a bit in depth and focus less on the technical specs of the EV1 because they are so similar to the M11 that came before. To briefly recap, though. You get an excellent 60-megapixel full-frame sensor paired with a quiet mechanical shutter mechanism and a fixed 2.36-million dot LCD on the back of the camera.
This frame line preview lever is now a customizable four-way control.
The EV1 is limited to 4.5 frames per second at its highest speed burst rate, which is identical to the M11. However, the start-up delay is still the same 2.4 seconds as before, yet it feels much slower because the EVF takes that long to start up, too. On the M11, I could begin focusing the lens while the camera started up, which made the delay far more tolerable. With the EV1, the wait time before you can do anything is often frustrating.
I like the new texture on the M EV1. It is borrowed from the Q3 body, perhaps alluding to the similarity in EVF functionality.
I suppose it is important to note that although the EV1 is completely electronically viewfinder-based, the M lenses it uses are manual focus only. This makes the camera shooting experience feel quintessentially M-like, even though it’s a digital-only composing experience. I found myself using the EV1 just like any other M-series camera, with a digital focusing and composing experience that was essentially identical to shooting with the M11’s rear display.
You will rely on the focusing aids quite a bit for speed or precision use cases.
The lever, which would normally be used for previewing alternative frame lines, is now a customizable two-way switch. I set the lever to bring up peaking when pulled away from the lens, and to zoom in to magnify my focus when pushing the lever towards the lens.
The EV1 has the same handsome good looks as the other M-series cameras and is no less luxurious in its design.
Leica M EV1 Review: How It Shoots
I found the EVF module to be detailed enough to focus without magnifying the view, but my hit rate was not always perfect with shallow depth of field lenses. It’s important for me to state that the success rate for in-focus shots was about equivalent to what I get using a mechanical rangefinder. However, I could magnify much further when needed and ensure perfect focus when I could take a bit of time. This greatly adds to the utility of the EV1 to help focus lenses that have very thin depth of field or when using close-focusing macro optics.
I decided to take portraits of my fellow YouTubers and commercial photographers. Eyes are a good test for precise focusing with razor-thin depth of field.
Besides the obvious benefits of using an EVF, such as exposure and color preview, easy diopter adjustments, and accurate frame lines for composing with, there will also be a large benefit to accurately using and focusing adapted glass as well. This opens up the potential to even use larger super telephotos made for SLR mounts, for example, without much issue. I also enjoyed the ease of using ultra-wide lenses without worrying about auxiliary viewfinders.
I found the EVF experience to be very intuitive and familiar. I wouldn’t say that the shooting experience was less pleasant than that of a mechanical rangefinder, as it may have even been more enjoyable due to its overall utility. As far as image quality goes, the M EV1 delivers the same excellent 60-megapixel experience found on the M11 camera.
In quick situations like this, where my time is limited to get focus and framing, I found the EVF to be no better or worse than the classic rangefinder.
But it certainly did not have the same charm as a rangefinder, and beyond that, there is a kind of instinct and experience that becomes honed when using a mechanical rangefinder. This hard-won experience brings a sense of pride, fun, and accomplishment. However, as capable as rangefinders are to shoot with, I felt like I could accomplish everything with an EVF instead, and even a little bit more.
Leica M EV1 Review: A New Path
I imagine that there will be a small crowd who will prefer the Leica M EV1 due to the ease of using an electronic viewfinder, or perhaps due to failing eyesight. However, I feel like there might be a larger adoption by skilled rangefinder enthusiasts who want a camera that takes all their M glass and is more capable of accurately focusing ultra-fast lenses and adapted optics.
Whether the EV1 will win over hearts waits to be seen, but it is clear that Leica does not intend to replace the rangefinder at all. The fact that Leica decided to use a whole new naming convention is telling. The EV1 is intended to be an alternative way to shoot the Leica M series, not a replacement, and I feel like the shooting experience is still very M-like.
The M EV1 was fun to use and perfectly capable on the streets. It even saves the potential buyer a little bit of money due to the lack of an expensive mechanical rangefinder linkage. Like it or not, the EV1 brings some serious utility and merit to the M series and deserves a place at the table of this illustrious family of cameras.
Are There Alternatives?
There aren’t many direct competitors, but there are some similar ones. The Leica Q3 is a reasonable alternative with its fixed lens and EVF design. It also includes autofocus.
The Fujifilm GFX100RF is also a similarly priced camera that has more in common with the Q3 rather than the M EV1. I ultimately found the Leica M EV1 shooting experience to actually be closest to using a Sony a7R V with adapted glass or manual focus primes. In this regard, the way of composing and focusing was quite similar.
Should You Buy It?
Yes. This EVF option adds versatility to the M series lineup for those who prefer a different way of composing their images, especially with adapted lenses and extreme focal lengths.
