One hundred years after the debut of the legendary Leica I, the Germans are celebrating with the most prestigious birthday cake ever: the Leica M11-D “100 Years of Leica”. A retro brass body without a screen, modern 60-MP electronics and two 50mm lenses – one a newly revived one from 1925, the other an ultra-fast Summilux – promise a pure Zen photographic experience, not to mention the collector's factor.
Ask any one Leica fana, what does the Charleston heel have in common, Art Deco and modern street-shooting: the answer is the compact 35mm camera, which he presented at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925 Ernst LeitzExactly one hundred years later, the circle closes – with a slight twist: a new Leica M11-D It ditches the LCD, cuts out the decorative red dot, and forces you to trust your own eye and the built-in light meter again. More slow food than fast photo.
Living history in your hand: Leica M11-D "100 years of Leica"
- Brass and black piano lacquer: the same combination of materials and finish as found on the original Leica I; the patina will look even cooler in 2035 than it does today.
- Goodbye, strap and logo: The case has no strap lugs and no red circle – this simply didn't exist in 1925.
- Gravity typography: The trigger collar is engraved with “Ernst Leitz Wetzlar”; vintage bonus points inscribed in a brass heart.
Lens: when the re-glorified Anastigmat and the modern Summilux meet
1. Leitz Anastigmat-M 50mm f/3.5
A perfect replica of the first Leica optic – still foldable, but now with an M-mount so it goes without an adapter.
2. Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH.
From f/1.4 to f/16, it's as sharp as the latest punchline on TikTok, while retaining the same cross-knurling texture in nickel as its vintage cousins.
Electronics? Sure, just hidden.
Inside the retro shell beats the same 60-megapixel full-frame sensor and Maestro III processor as we've seen in the standard M11. The difference? No screens, please – your camera’s back is a piece of leather. Framing is done exclusively through the optical viewfinder; you adjust ISO, shutter speed and aperture “by heart” or trust the center-weighted light meter. Anyone looking for live-view should open Instagram.
How much will this nostalgia hurt?
- 100 pieces globally: each one bears a serial number, the grip of collectors will be as hard as a Leica brass plate. A single specimen (#6000000) will make its pilgrimage to the Leitz Park Museum alongside the original Leica I #126.
- Price list TBD: Leica is still silent, but even a bare M11-D and Summilux combination costs around $15,000 today; an anniversary set? Maybe two average annual salaries (expect at least €20,000, depending on the stock market).
- Availability: exclusively at selected Leica Stores in spring 2026 – there's just as much time to save as you need to practice hyperfocal focusing.
Why it matters
Leica isn't just selling a camera with the M11-D, it's selling a philosophy - press slower, look deeper, stare less at the screen. In an age where phones automatically recognize your dog's breed and smooth your skin, it's an expensive but loud statement: photography is still a skill, not a thumb gesture.
Leica – all the best
On the centenary of the Model I, Leica is returning to its roots in the digital present: the M11-D "100 Years" with a patinated brass body, no LCD, two 50 mm lenses and a limited edition of 100 copies is a collector's wet dream and a lesson in patience for anyone who thinks that 60 MP is just a number.
