A 100th Anniversary Leica M? Why not?
It’s all speculation of course, but here are some intriguing possibilities!
There’s still a coterie of hard-core traditionalists (including yours truly) that hopes Leica will honor the forthcoming centenary of the first Leica, and its inventor Oskar Barnack, by issuing a limited-edition commemorative iteration of the Leica I (Model A) of 1925, possibly with a modern coated version of the iconic 50mm f/3.5 Elmar lens. Leica came darn close to doing so in 2004 when they brought forth a limited edition (1,000 units) of the Leica 0-series prototype 2 replica “Oskar Barnack Edition” to commemorate Oskar’s 125th birthday. It was even fitted with a coated 50mm Leitz Anastigmat ƒ/3.5 lens, based on the classic computation by Professor Max Berek in 1920, which was redesigned “with the aid of modern computer techniques!”
Except for the lens, the Leica O-series replica is a remarkably faithful reproduction of Barnack’s test camera down to the shutter dial, which is calibrated in spring tensions and slit widths like an old Graflex! Unfortunately, they also retained the prototype’s non-self-capping focal plane shutter, which means that you must put the (thoughtfully tethered) leather lens cap on each time you wind to the next frame, an inconvenience that seriously compromises the camera as a practical picture taker. When an unnamed Leica executive was asked why they didn’t also make a Leica I (Model A) at the time, he replied sotto voce, “It might compete with our present product line.” For the record, the Leica O--series prototype replica was offered in a presentation/display set at $1,250.00. A used example in mint condition will now set you back about 5 grand—if you can even find one for sale.
While anything is possible, the consensus among Leica cognoscenti is that we are unlikely to see a 100th anniversary Leica I (Model A) replica, and a 100th anniversary screw mount Leica is even less likely, though a limited special edition Leica IIIg with collapsible 50mm f/2.8 Elmar would certainly be a pleasant surprise. The most likely candidate for Leica’s limited edition centennial model would clearly be a Leica M—ah, but which Leica M, and what could be done to make it transcendent, an enduring tribute to the Leica legacy, a memorable statement that exalts the brand and commemorates its long reign at the pinnacle of excellence?
The easiest way to create a Centennial Leica M would be badge engineering—just slap a top plate emblazoned with a centennial logo on a Leica MP, M6, or M11, offer it in a special finish and a covering with a distinctive color and texture, run off a limited edition, place it in an elegant wooden centennial box, and sell it at an extravagant price. Such a solution might please the bean counters, but it would be a disappointment to many Leica fans, and Leica probably knows that too. One of the first decisions confronting Leica is whether to base the Centennial Leica M on an analog or digital model, but the best answer is probably “both,” and that will be the determining factor in all the educated guesses that follow.
Any Leica camera designer wanting to create an elegant and distinctive analog Centennial M should probably take a close look at the limited- edition Leica M6J of 1994, a camera issued in a run of only 1,640 boxed sets to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the M3. Constructed of machined brass plates like the M3, M2, and M4, it’s basically an “M3-ized” M6. It has M3 style raised frames around the range/viewfinder windows, an M3 style frame line selector and lens removal button, and it came with (what else?) a classic collapsible 50mm f/2.8 Elmar lens with a ‘50s style metal lens cap. The M6J also incorporates a 0.85x magnification range/viewfinder with four parallax compensating finder frame lines for 35mm 50mm 90mm, and 135mm, just like the M4. The gorgeous M6J certainly has the requisite classic styling licks for a Centennial M, and if you swapped out its 4-frame finder for the 6-frame 0.72x range/viewfinder in the new Leica M6 or the current MP, you could create a Centennial Leica that would probably be less costly to produce and have a wider appeal. The finish too would have to be distinctive, and hopefully elegantly understated.
A digital Centennial Leica M would, at this point, be based on the Leica M11, the most advanced digital M to date, offering an impressive 60MP BSI CMOS sensor integrated with an advanced Maestro III image processor, and providing such impressive performance parameters as ISO settings of 64-50,000 in Auto Mode, continuous full-res bursts up to 4.5 fps, and Triple Resolution Technology, a unique pixel binning process that 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. However, if the rumored Leica M12 debuts by early 2025 or before, it would be the obvious choice as the basis for the special limited edition Centennial Leica M.
Electronic frame lines? It could mark the Centennial’s exalted status
There’s one possible upgrade that would really transform a putative Centennial M, analog, digital, or both, into something truly audacious and groundbreaking. That is, to ditch the time honored opto-mechanical system of projected, parallax compensating viewfinder frame lines and replace it (so long as the camera has a battery) with upgraded electronic frame lines. It’s an idea that has been talked about before but has never materialized, and this may finally be the appropriate time to execute it. While Leica has not previously brought forth commemorative models with transformational new features, breaking precedent by announcing a Centennial Leica M12 and a standard issue M12, both with electronic frame lines, at the same time would certainly be a defining moment in Leica’s long history.
As marvelous as it is, the present opto-mechanical frame line system has several notable limitations that an electronic system could overcome:
The present finder frames, particularly the smaller ones, show less than 100% of the on-sensor or on-film image.
The current 6 frame line system shows frame lines in pairs rather than one at a time.
The frame lines can be hard to see in very dim ambient light or when shooting in extremely bright light, especially into the sun.
An electronic frame line system could potentially solve all these problems by displaying the frame lines one at a time, perhaps increasing their coverage and framing accuracy, automatically adjusting the brightness of the frame lines to correspond with the ambient lighting conditions and providing an on/off switch to illuminate the frame lines at any time. Obviously, replacing the entire frame line system with a built-in EVF would eliminate all these problems entirely, providing a parallax-free life-size view with any lens just like a DSLR or mirrorless camera, but then it would no longer be a Leica M, a classic and beloved rangefinder camera that traces its roots back to the immortal Leica M3 of 1954.
How about going whole hog and adding an electronic rangefinder? Most Leica fans probably agree that would also be going too far in altering the character of the classic Leica M. The optical rangefinder is still one of the crowning glories of the Leica M system and it is simply too good in terms of its real-world performance to require replacement —now, or maybe ever.
