In 2024, Leica celebrated 70 years of its M-system, a lineup of digital rangefinder cameras that has evolved but mostly retained the rangefinder soul. In October 2025, the Leica M EV1 was announced, and it divided the internet and Leica purists. Why? Because Leica introduced an OLED EVF with focus aids, while retaining manual focusing operation, breaking with the core tradition of M-series cameras featuring optical rangefinders.
Though online forums can’t make up their mind about how they feel, I’ve been testing the M EV1 for nearly three weeks and I really, really like it. The hi-res EVF along with focus peaking make the camera easy to use, while its 60.3MP sensor captures detailed, colorful, bright images. It also features an impressive dynamic range of up to 15 stops, and all of this is packaged into a compact, premium body.
