DiscussionLeica M EV1: an M without the rangefinder?

Leica announced the M EV1 this week, an M-mount body with an electronic viewfinder instead of the rangefinder.

I use an SL3 for architecture and travel, and I have always wanted to try M lenses on a small body, but I never got along with rangefinder focusing. My eyes are not what they were. On paper this is exactly for someone like me.

But I am curious what the M shooters here think. Is it still an M? I understand the US launch is delayed because of the government shutdown, so perhaps the Americans will have more time to think about it.

Speaking as someone who'll be buried with his M3: it isn't an M in the way I care about, but it's exactly the camera a lot of people actually need.

The rangefinder was never really the point for most buyers, it was the size and the lenses. You look through an M and see outside the frame lines, you see what's about to walk in, and that's lovely for street. But focusing a 50 Summilux wide open on a rangefinder is a skill, the patch gets small and dim on longer lenses, and plenty of people with lovely glass never quite got it. A lot of those lenses have spent their lives at f/8 for that reason.

An EVF fixes all of that and loses the one thing I like. Fair trade for most people. For me, no. But I'd rather Leica sold a few thousand of these to people who'll actually use M lenses wide open than keep pretending everyone buying an M can focus one.

henrik_b said:

I never got along with rangefinder focusing

Zone focus a 35 at f/8 and you don't need either. But yeah, I'd take one as a second body for the 40 Nokton wide open at night.

rangefinder_rob said:

plenty of people with lovely lenses never quite got it

That is me, I'm afraid. Thank you, this is helpful.

Honestly I'll just say what everyone's thinking. It's a Leica with an EVF and it costs Leica money, so the real question is whether it's better than putting M lenses on an SL3 with an adapter. Which henrik already has...

I tried a Summilux on a mates SL3 at the Photography Show a couple of years back and it was lovely, focus magnification made it dead easy. But it was also the size of a small brick, which rather defeats the point of a Summilux. So I sort of get it. I just wouldnt pay for it lol

OneMoreLens said:

whether it's better than putting M lenses on an SL3 with an adapter

Fair point. I have tried the adapter on the SL3 and it works well, focus magnification is easy and the IBIS helps. But it is not small, and with a 35mm Summicron on it the whole thing looks a little silly. The appeal of the EV1 is the size, a camera I could take to dinner without it being a statement.

henrik_b said:

Is it still an M?

No. I'll stick with my M6 and its rangefinder that works with no batteries, pal. Fair play to Leica for trying something though.

OneMoreLens said:

putting M lenses on an SL3 with an adapter

Or on a Zf, or anything else with a short flange. I can see the logic of the EV1, size and the M lens rendering on an M body. I'd still rather have a Zf and a cheap adapter for a fraction of the money...

henrik_b said:

The appeal is the size.

Then size is the whole point. If it's small enough that you'll carry it, buy it.

For the record, I held one in a shop in Hamburg yesterday. Beautiful, and the finder is very good, it is clear and fast and focusing a 50 at f/1.4 was easy, which I could never do with a rangefinder. But I will wait. I would like to see how the first owners find it after some months. The SL3 with the adapter will have to do for now.