The Leica M EV1 Is Finally Available in the United States

Nov 24, 2025

Jeremy Gray

Two black Leica digital cameras are shown, one facing forward displaying the lens and the other turned to show the back with its screen and control buttons. Both cameras have a textured grip and classic, minimalist design.

Leica’s new M EV1 camera, which gains an electronic viewfinder but ditches the rangefinder, is now available in the United States following a short delay.

Buy the Leica M EV1 new on B&H

Initially announced just over one month ago, the Leica M EV1 was initially delayed in the United States, pending FCC authorization. While Leica never specifically said the delay was the direct result of the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, there is little doubt that it was the culprit. Nonetheless, despite the month-long delay, the M EV1 passed authorization as expected and is now able to be sold in the United States market, a significant market for Leica and all other camera manufacturers.

A person wearing a brown jacket holds a black Leica camera with a large lens, standing in front of a colorful, blurred graffiti wall. — Leica M EV1 | Credit: Leica

The Leica M EV1 is Leica’s first-ever M-Camera with an integrated electronic viewfinder. Leica itself describes its newest camera as a “significant milestone in its history,” which is high praise for a company as storied as Leica.

Although the M EV1 gets a brand-new model designation, it shares much in common with the Leica M11 series of digital rangefinders, including its 60-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS image sensor and overall design. From many angles, the M EV1 even looks like the M11, but there are some differences, aside from the move from a rangefinder to an electronic viewfinder.

Leica M EV1 | Credit: Leica

For one, the Leica M EV1 features the same diamond-pattern leatherette covering as the Leica Q3 and Q3 43 premium compact cameras, which sets the M EV1 apart from Leica’s traditional M-Camera rangefinders. The M EV1 has also shed a bit of weight, dropping 50 grams compared to the M11-P. That may not sound like a lot, it’s not even two ounces, but PetaPixel‘s Chris Niccolls immediately noticed it when he picked up the M EV1.

Close-up of a digital camera’s rear corner showing a textured grip, a large viewfinder, a “PLAY” button, and part of an LCD screen. The camera body appears to be black with a modern, sleek design. — The Leica M EV1 trades a rangefinder for a 5.76-million-dot EVF. | Credit: Leica

By far the most significant change here then is the move to an electronic viewfinder. The M EV1’s 5.76-megapixel EVF has 0.76x magnification and enables photographers to see the impact of their settings on exposure, zoom in to check focus, and take advantage of focus peaking.

While an M-Camera’s rangefinder is lauded for its ability to help photographers nail focus, some photographic scenarios require a bit more zoom. Using the M EV1’s lever, which on a typical M-Camera enables photographers to swap between frame lines, is now a customizable two-way switch that lets the shooter swap between focus peaking or magnification.

A man with gray hair and a beard is outdoors, holding a black Leica camera up to his face and looking through the viewfinder, with blurred greenery and vineyard rows in the background. — ‘The handling of the EV1 is essentially identical to the M11 series, with some minor control differences,’ Chris Niccolls says.

“I imagine that there will be a small crowd who will prefer the Leica M EV1 due to the ease of using an electronic viewfinder, or perhaps due to failing eyesight,” concludes Chris Niccolls in PetaPixel‘s Leica M EV1 Review. “However, I feel like there might be a larger adoption by skilled rangefinder enthusiasts who want a camera that takes all their M glass and is more capable of accurately focusing ultra-fast lenses and adapted optics.”

A person in a light coat crouches and smiles at a black and white dog behind a rusty green metal gate, while the dog rests its paws on the gate and looks back. — ‘In quick situations like this, where my time is limited to get focus and framing, I found the EVF to be no better or worse than the classic rangefinder,’ Niccolls says. | Photo by Chris Niccolls

Black and white photo of a church roof with two small pointed towers and a central cross against a sky with scattered clouds. The building features decorative trim and arched details. — Photo by Chris Niccolls

Black and white portrait of a young man with short, dark hair, slight stubble, and a subtle smile, wearing a collared jacket and looking slightly to the side against a dark background. — Photo by Chris Niccolls

Black and white portrait of a man with short hair and a goatee, wearing a button-up shirt. He looks slightly to the side with a serious expression, illuminated by soft light from the left. — Photo by Chris Niccolls

A narrow cobblestone alleyway with several people sitting against the white walls of buildings, some looking at their phones. The scene is in black and white, with graffiti visible on one wall. — Photo by Chris Niccolls

A person holding a blue umbrella walks down a wet, narrow cobblestone street lined with colorful orange and yellow buildings on a rainy day. — Photo by Chris Niccolls

Ultimately, PetaPixel recommended that photographers who want to combine Leica’s brilliant M-Mount glass with the convenience and versatility of an EVF should definitely buy the Leica M EV1. And now, those in the U.S. can.

The Leica M EV1 is available now in all global markets. The Leica M EV1 is $8,995 in the United States, $845 less than the Leica M11-P.

Buy the Leica M EV1 new on B&H

Image credits: Leica, Chris Niccolls