Spotlight on the Leica M10-R
A new camera makes its mark
According to anecdote, a man in a Leica online forum once proposed an experiment. He contended the camera company’s world-famous appeal had as much to do with its branding as it did with its high-quality lenses, robust manufacture and ability to take excellent photos. Branding that consisted, in Leica’s instance, of a small red dot. Armed with a rival camera of comparable-to-the-untrained-eye appearance, doctored with a red sticker on the front, he took to the streets. Not only did he feel more confident shooting his photos, he found the shots turned out better. Was he imagining the connection? Did it matter if he was?
Leica’s M series is the foundation of its business: rangefinder-style, full-frame, interchangeable lens cameras introduced in 2012. The Leica M10-P, released in 2018, added a LED touchscreen, a built-in spirit level and controversially, removed the red dot. (The name was spelled out along the top instead. Leica explained this was for discretion: street style photographers had complained the telltale branding was interfering with “the moment”.)
The new M10-R almost doubles the resolution of the original Leica M to 40 megapixels, has greater noise reduction and has the ability to capture a wider range of light. In every other respect, though, it’s the same lust-worthy object of desire Leica has been making for years. The clincher, however, is the reinstated red dot.
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