Leica Celebrates 100th Anniversary With Extremely Limited Edition New York-Themed M11
As part of Leica’s centennial celebrations on May 3, the legendary German photo company is releasing a special New York-themed limited edition Leica M11. The Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “New York USA” edition is available exclusively in the United States and limited to just 100 units.
The special edition camera has several unique features, making it a coveted collector’s item. On the camera’s top deck, alongside the usual “Leica” engraving, is a separate “NEW YORK USA” one. The camera comes in a glossy black paint finish, inspired by historical Leica M-series cameras, which Leica says will gracefully age, creating a distinctive patina over time — “an unmistakable feature reflecting the individual story of each and every camera.” The M11 “New York USA” edition features silver-chromed control elements, including the shutter release, on/off switch, and ISO and speed dials. These are “decorated with elaborate cross knurling.”
The camera body is wrapped in black cowhide leather, lending “a certain degree of elegance to the camera.” Compared to the standard Leica M11, this leather has a slightly different texture. Leica says it is reminiscent of the “legendary vulcanite leathering of earlier models.”
There are other subtle design changes as well, including a black chrome-plated hot shoe cover with Leica’s 100th-anniversary logo, the use of a black screw where the iconic red Leica logo typically goes, and engraved special serial numbers from 001/100 to 100/100. The camera comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Starting today, the Leica M11 100 Years of Leica “New York USA” model will be available exclusively in the United States at select Leica Store locations. The camera is priced at $10,695, a $1,700 premium over the standard Leica M11, which is currently out of stock through Leica itself and listed as “discontinued” by B&H. Another good comparison point is the Leica M11 (glossy black paint) model, which is $9,839, nearly $860 less than the New York USA limited edition camera. As far as limited edition premiums go, Leica’s new M11 model is not especially expensive. The more limiting factor is its highly constrained supply.
The Leica M11100 Years of Leica will also be released in five other distinctive country-specific versions, each limited to 100 units. Each edition will feature unique engravings and special serial numbers, but the “NEW YORK USA” top deck engraving will be swapped out for other locales. The M11 100 Years of Leica will be launched in “MILAN ITALY”, “DUBAI UAE”, “SHANGHAI CHINA”, “TOKYO JAPAN”, and “WETZLAR GERMANY” editions.
Leica’s 2025 centennial celebration marks the release of the Leica I in 1925, the first mass-produced 35mm camera. The camera turned 100 earlier this year and is one of the most iconic and influential cameras of all time. The Leica I was instrumental in popularizing the 35mm format that remains in heavy use today through 35mm analog and full-frame digital cameras.
Image credits: Leica
