Leica’s new M10-R includes a 40-megapixel sensor

Leica has announced the latest variant of its M10 rangefinder, the M10-R. The M10-R is visually similar to previous M10 and M10-P models, with the same general design and handling. What’s different is under the hood, specifically the new 40.89-megapixel CMOS sensor. Similar to the 40-megapixel black-and-white sensor found on the M10 Monochrom, the new chip has a significant jump in resolution over the 24-megapixel sensor on the M10 and M10-P. The M10-R will be available in July in black or silver for $ 8,295.

Since it’s still an M10 at its core, the M10-R has the same body, the same touchscreen, the same interface, the same battery, the same processor, and the same silent shutter as the M10-P. Its new sensor has an ISO range of 100 to 50,000, and Leica claims it has a better dynamic range of one to two stops than the 24-megapixel sensor. Like the other M10 models, the R lacks any kind of video recording function, though it has built-in Wi-Fi and works with the Leica PHOTOS smartphone app.

I had a chance to use the M10-R before today’s announcement, and as expected, it shoots like any other M10 model. Leica rangefinders are not considered for their technical capabilities, but for the experience they provide in capturing images. For many, including myself, that experience can be quite frustrating at first, as the M10-R lacks modern conveniences like autofocus and advanced auto-exposure options. Once you’ve gotten used to the focus and shooting rangefinder style, the M10-R can reward you with beautiful images with a specific look.

Grid view

Despite the much higher resolution of the M10-R, the camera works as fast as other M10 models, and there was no noticeable delay when reviewing or zooming in on the photos on the LCD screen. However, those images will take its toll on your storage, as a typical JPEG image is approximately 12 megabytes and a RAW DNG file exceeds 40 megabytes.

The M10-R is now the fifth variant of the M10 line (the M10, M10-P, M10-D, and M10 Monochrom are still available) launched since 2017, and the company refers to it as the “pinnacle” of the row. It remains to be seen if that means the M10-R is the last M10 we’ll see before Leica does a more complete design overhaul. But for now, it represents the best digital rangefinder experience.

Photograph by Dan Seifert / The Verge