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Leica Camera AG’s success is built on its ability to adapt to changing times. The company has always seen a bit ahead in the future and produced cameras that meet the varying demands of photographers. For instance, the Leica M9 was the first full-frame digital camera designed for professionals. Then there was the M Monochrome, which was created to cater to a very niche audience that only shoots in black and white. Even today, these models continue to be purchased for their heritage value, as well as their unique image quality. Something similar happened when Leica launched the coveted M11, a camera that is every photographer’s dream. However, as we reported earlier, the camera seems to be no longer available. And so, we reached out to Leica to get a better understanding of where the device stands in the grand scheme of things.
In our email correspondence with Leica, we learned that it is indeed true. The M11 will not be available for purchase. According to Nathan Kellum-Pathe, Trade Marketing & Product Communications Manager, Leica Camera Inc., the reason for this lies in the shelf life of the camera. As he told us:
The Leica M11 camera continues to be the tool of choice for creatives around the world, thanks to its innovative design and unique photographic experience. Although some of the Leica M11 variants, such as the original black and silver models, have been phased out in alignment with the lifecycle of these cameras, new variants have been introduced, with the Leica M11 Glossy Black Paint, Leica M11-P cameras, Leica M11 Monochrom and Leica M11-D cameras. We look forward to pushing the boundaries of the Leica M11 camera system further with new ideas and state-of-the-art innovations, to provide visual artists with an even greater diversity of creative options.
The M11 was originally launched in 2022, making it an almost three-year-old camera. However, there are several other cameras that were phased out much later, and only after there was a new entry to the series. For instance, the Sony a9 was the replacement for the a99, after which the latter cameras were out of production. However, sometimes, that is also not the case. For instance, the Leica S3 was the last of its kind, and so were the Leica CL and TL series cameras. The latter was a realigned goal to focus on full frame mirrorless and advance in that segment.
In this case, however, there are already other models in the lineup, which offers improvements or a different design over its ancestor. For instance, the M11-D does not have a screen at the rear, making it an ideal choice for any photographer who wants an analog camera experience with digital one. Similarly, the M11-P is another superior version that allows photographers to encrypt their data through CIPA’s tool, along with an additional update one memory card and storage. For a lot of people, the M11-P would make far more sense than the original M11.
This is why the phasing out of one camera is not going impact the lineup. There are also reports of M12 hitting the shelves soon, but we haven’t heard anything from Leica officially yet.
