Early rumors about the Leica M12 have begun to circulate in recent weeks, suggesting that the premium camera maker's next model could receive a design overhaul. And while there are still questions about what the camera will be called, newly leaked images point to some impressive and surprising improvements.
Leica Rumors shared design mockups illustrating possible exterior changes that, if true, would completely alter the way Leica's next rumored camera handles. Of those big changes, the one that stands out the most is a possible entirely new viewfinder design, while tweaks like the M11's removal of 3mm will probably only matter to the most die-hard Leica fans.
The Leica M11 is part of a series of Leica cameras famous for their rangefinder experience. In fact, the M on Leica cameras stands for 'Messsucher', the German term for a combination rangefinder and viewfinder.
Lecia M cameras use an optical viewfinder equipped with a split image to facilitate manual focusing and through which you can see outside the image area. Seeing outside the frame makes a rangefinder ideal for street photography in particular, because you can see your subjects before they enter the frame, which will help you time your shot better.
However, instead of sticking with a rangefinder viewfinder, Leica could make its first hybrid viewfinder, similar to the one used by the Fujifilm X100VI and X-Pro 3. Photographers could switch between an optical rangefinder view with digital overlay and a fully electronic display.
I'm a fan of the X100VI viewfinder and the movement would make a lot of sense on a Leica camera. You would get the best of both worlds: the optical rangefinder viewfinder or an electronic one that has exposure preview and isn't limited to wide-angle and moderate lenses like an M11 is.
There is also speculation that several external controls will be removed to make way for a much larger 3.9-inch touchscreen that will dominate the rear of the camera. This design approach would follow in the footsteps of the minimalist Leica TL2.
It would be bad news for photographers who like to have lots of controls at their fingertips; apparently the ISO dial will also be omitted. However, a new thumb dial may appear behind the shutter button, and it would presumably be customizable.
Leica often straddles the line between traditional and modern camps, making cameras with an old-school aesthetic, optical rangefinder, and manual focus-only experience, combined with modern, minimalist touchscreen-focused operation. And with the rumored next model, it looks like this approach will be doubled down.
If the rumors turn out to be true, a potential Leica M12 could be the most polarizing Leica camera yet.
