I tested Leica's divisive M EV1 — it's easier to the eye, but loses some of that rangefinder soul

15 Dec 2025, 12:33 · TechRadar

TechRadar Verdict

I loved testing the Leica M EV1, with its simple control layout and discreet rangefinder design – but now with a useful EVF instead of an optical rangefinder, and focus-peaking assistance. It's a new experience for Leica’s M mount, and another example of how Leica keeps evolving, but the overall photography experience felt largely the same to me as with any other Leica M camera. Less soul perhaps, but more practical. The EVF-touting M EV1 body costs less than an M11, but it still costs more than similarly-specced Leica Q3-series cameras, which feature a built-in lens, highlighting how pricey M-series cameras are. Personally, as someone who doesn't own a bunch of Leica glass, I'd go for a Leica Q3 or Q3 43 over the M EV1 – they feel like good value by comparison.

Pros

+Stunning 60MP photos
+Manual focus with an EVF is easier than using a rangefinder
+Premium, minimalist and discreet body

Cons

-Rear screen is fixed and feels small
-Poor battery life
-Less soul
-No video recording

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Leica M EV1: two-minute review

The Leica M EV1 concept is polarizing: strip out the optical rangefinder that Leica M cameras have been famed for for over 70 years, and replace it with an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

It's yet another example of Leica tweaking and evolving its tried and tested rangefinder series design, however, and another reason that the oldest active lens mount still in production today has many years of life still in it.

You'd think the whole experience of taking photos with the M EV1 would be wildly different – but in fact, for me, in many ways it isn't.

Technically speaking, the Leica M EV1 shares many similarities with the Leica M11 / M11-P and Leica Q3 / Q3 43) – all use Leica's 60MP full-frame sensor, which delivers the most detailed photos among full-frame cameras.

It's like a Leica Q3 / Q3 43 premium compact but with Leica's M mount, which felt pretty intuitive to me straight away, as I've used other Leica M series and Leica Q series cameras extensively.

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

I can see the appeal for many Leica fans already in camp M EV1 – it has useful elements of Leica's Q series (minus autofocus, tilt screen and video recording), combined with the versatility of the Leica M mount and a wide choice of lenses. For some, that's the best of both worlds.

On the plus side, the EVF offers focus peaking, which is an extremely useful visual aid for manual focusing; trust me, it will increase your percentage of sharp shots compared to being guided by Leica's optical rangefinder, at least when you're manually focusing in the moment, rather than sticking to a set focus distance as some street photographers do. You lose a little of that old school rangefinder magic, but the EVF is way more practical in my experience.

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