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Cameras

Leica M EV1 Review: It Fits in Your Pocket

Chris Gampat
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Last updated on 10/13/2025
10/23/2025
10 Mins read
Black Leica camera resting on a khaki and brown leather strap bag, photographed from above.
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I didn’t realize how much I’d like the Leica M EV1. But before typing this statement, I caught myself holding the camera and sitting with it just because I liked the way it feels in my hand. It’s synonymous with the feeling when a child gets a new toy that they’re swooning over. As I hold the camera, I’m picturing when I’ve seen this kind of excitement before. And I think back about the time I bought a BBQ pitmaster a big kukri knife made in Nepal for the Gurkhas, and when I purchased a vintage leather jacket and backpack for a friend to go with a really beautiful hat. I don’t see this kind of excitement that often anymore as an adult with no partner nor children. But to feel it is a whole other thing. In many ways the Leica M EV1 feels like it answers several requests that I’ve asked for for years. And in other ways, it feels like Leica is afraid of embracing the fact that they can change with age while still maintaining their identity.

The Big Picture: Leica M EV1 Review Conclusions

I’m writing this conclusion of this review as I’ve sent the Leica M EV1 back to Leica after my loaner period. I think they did a good job. But I don’t think they did an excellent job. And there are several reasons for this. Essentially, the Leica M EV1 is very much so a brand new product that really needs to evolve for it to show real change. It feels like an odd combination of a Leica M and a Leica Q. With that said, I really wonder why Leica didn’t push this camera much further than it could’ve been. My full thoughts in bullet points and below.

  • I’m so glad this camera exists
  • This is the first Leica M series camera that I can put in my pocket with the Funleader 28mm f2.
  • Leica’s first M series camera that they’re actively saying has weather resistance.
  • Very small and incredibly lightweight
  • Coupled with the Funleader x Brightin Star 28mm f2, this is a camera that I want to bring everywhere with me all the time
  • Leica content credentials are still here
  • I love the fact that this doesn’t shoot video
  • Internal storage is still here, and it should be a standard feature on every camera today.
  • It’s not using the same flash system as the Leica SL system, so you can’t go seamlessly between the two.
  • Leica M mount lenses that are coded aren’t transmitting aperture information into the display. So you have to physically look at the lens to see what aperture you’re at.
  • Battery life isn’t as good as a regular M with an optical viewfinder. Still the best battery life of any mirrorless camera with an EVF out there.
  • I wish that Leica made a hybrid viewfinder
  • I’m confused as to why Leica couldn’t find a way to make their own M mount lenses autofocus when brands like Techart have figured it out already.
  • The EVF can be a bit jelloy, but it’s quite nice that you can calibrate it for your vision as it makes focusing with various lenses much better.
  • It’s $100 less than a standard M11 here in the USA. But for the price point, I expected a lot of these issues to not be present.
  • It’s odd that the screen doesn’t flip up, at least for some.

Experience

First off, on a dare, Photo Editor Feroz Khan dared me to put the EV1 in my pocket with the 28mm f2 attached. And I did – in workout clothes. It worked just fine. Crazy enough, this is also the first pocketable Leica M camera. Then I decided to try it in skinny jeans. And to my surprise, it worked.

Very few cameras have made me this happy to carry around. When I put the Funleader 28mm f2.8 on this camera, it becomes everything that Panasonic wanted the S9 to be and so much more. On top of that, I’ve got a bit more confidence in how it’s designed and made. The reason for that is because this is the first Leica M camera that Leica is saying has weather resistance officially in the marketing. However, they’re not giving it an IP rating of any sort.

Seriously, though, there’s a ton to love about this camera. There’s the compact size, the fact that it doesn’t shoot video, the EVF is pretty useable due to the diopter, you can quickly magnify the scene to figure out critical focus, and there’s memory storage already built into it. Genuinely, this is probably the best M camera Leica has made. And at the same time, I wish that they had made a camera with a hybrid viewfinder. Knowing Leica’s very German attitude towards camera-making though, they probably weren’t able to get it to the quality that they wanted.

There’s huge advantages to this viewfinder: wide angle lenses are easier to use. So too are super-fast aperture lenses. You also will never need to take this camera in for a CLA. When I was going into the meeting to get the Leica M EV1 for review, I dropped off my M6. Leica told me that it’s going to take 14 weeks for a CLA. Crazy, right?

A digital camera displays a photo of people on its screen, resting on a brown canvas bag with leather straps.
Leica M EV1 product photo
A digital camera with settings displayed on its screen rests on a tan canvas bag with leather straps.
Leica M EV1 product photo
A black Leica camera rests on a green canvas bag with brown leather straps.
Leica M EV1 product photo
A black Leica camera rests on an olive green canvas bag with brown leather straps.
Leica M EV1 product photo
Top view of a black camera with dials, resting on an olive green and brown canvas bag.
Leica M EV1 product photo

With the M EV1, you won’t have that issue at all. But what you lose is arguably not seeing the reality in front of you. Instead, you’re seeing how the camera will see. With that in mind, this camera is running the lesser processor of Leica’s cameras. So you won’t be able to load Leica looks onto the camera at all. That, to me, is rather sad. I’ve shot so many events recently where I’d much rather have them built into the RAW file so that I don’t need to do as much work in post-production.

At the same time, there are other advantages. You can have a preview of the exposure if you wish. But I often don’t want that as it messes with how I see the world. Even in low light, the frame rate on the Leica M EV1 will drop considerably and you’ll get a jello effect in the viewfinder. At least with my SL2s, I can disable that. I haven’t been able to figure out how to disable it with the M EV1. I’m told that it probably has something to do with the processor. Maybe Leica can fix this with a firmware update?

What I really adore about this camera is the fact that Leica Content Credentials are built into it. So your images will have verification against being seen as AI. If you don’t think that this is important, you’re really kidding yourself.

Something that’s very odd though is that it’s got a different hot shoe than the Leica SL series cameras.

To me, this whole concept is also one where I’m a bit perplexed on how I feel. You see, I bought a Techart Leica M to Nikon Z adapter that gives me autofocus. And I’ve been thoroughly enjoying autofocusing with the various Leica lenses that I have. However, I could also manually focus if I want. But with the Leica M EV1, I only have manual focus.

Why couldn’t Leica find a way to make their own lenses autofocus using the same mechanisms that Techart has?

The Leica M EV1 is being tested with the 7Artisans 50mm f1.1, Funleader Contax 35mm f2, Funleader Contax 45mm f2, Leica 50mm f1.4 Summilux M, Voigtlander 40mm f1.4, and the Funleader Brightin Star 28mm f2. I’m also using my Profoto lights with this camera. And in each situation, I sort of wish that I had the accurate autofocus that my Techart adapter gives me. At the same time, I also thoroughly adore being a more active part of making each and every frame with manual focus.

When using the Leica 50mm f1.4 Summilux M, which is coded at the mount, you’d think that you’d be able to see a display that tells you what the aperture value is on the LCD or in the viewfinder. But oddly, you can’t. It will only tell you what the shutter speed and ISO are. This, again, is rather perplexing. If the camera can recognize its own lens, why can’t it deliver further exposure communication to the user?

With this in mind, I don’t really see a point in using Leica’s own lenses if all it’s doing is telling me what lens I’m using but not displaying the aperture information.

This is where I talk about how odd Leica’s hot shoe system is. You see, the Leica M EV1 has a traditional Leica M shutter dial. So that means that there is a flash sync limit. But with the Profoto Pro controller and the B10, it can go beyond that. However, TTL doesn’t seem to work at all.

In my meeting with Leica, I asked about why they’ve got two different hot shoes. There’s one for the SL system and then the M mount has a different hot shoe. Why this is the case is really, seriously, very odd. I’ve seen lots of great images shot with flash using both systems. And I personally use Profoto and the Leica SL2s to do a fair amount of my paid, professional work. But why can’t I move between systems in a more effortless manner?

That’s a very odd thing to me.

What makes a whole lot of sense, on the other hand, is how incredible the battery life is. Leica told me that you can get around a day of shooting with this camera. But honestly, it can last even longer than that. That’s what you get when you take out things like scene detection and a whole bunch of crazy processing algorithms. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that Canon and Nikon’s battery life isn’t as great as it used to be. Instead, they’re more in line with Sony. If you remember the days of the 5D Mk II (or you’ve shot with one) then you’ll adore how long the Leica M EV1 lasts.

At this point in the review, I’ve got to be honest: that’s the single most annoying name to type over and over again.

Image Quality

Leica told us that the M EV1 is supported in Lightroom. And indeed it is. If you edit the RAW files there, you’ll get lots of really good usability when you edit. And that just makes sense as it’s Adobe’s own DNG raw format.

In Capture one, on the other hand, the RAW files are just as odd as they are with any Leica pre-production unit. Every photographer knows that you can get better colors out of Capture One by default though. So at this point in my review, I’ll firmly state that Leica needs to get this fixed.

The image quality otherwise is really what real photographers will expect. It’s going to be a bit noisy at ISO 6400 – but the noise isn’t going to involve banding like it did with older DSLRs. Leica has always done images from the 60MP sensor right and often much better than Sony does. That many megapixels also means that you can crop or make adjustments as you need to in post-production.

These images below have no edits.

A calico cat stands on a kitchen counter next to a sink and blue cabinets, looking toward the camera.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A person holds an umbrella on a rainy day; another person stands nearby in front of glass windows.
Leica M EV1 sample image

These photos are converted straight from the RAW files. And obviously, work needs to be done with how they are rendered.

The following images have been edited.

Three men sit on a subway; one is sleeping, another uses his phone, and a third looks out the window.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
A man with his shirt partly off stands on a subway platform beside a train in a black and white photo.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
A No Trespassing Keep Out sign on a chain-link fence in front of an overgrown yard and house.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A woman walks outside, flipping her hair, holding a phone, with trees and buildings in the background.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Two men sit on a subway; one looks tired, the other is dozing. A cheesy sandwich ad is on the wall behind them.
Leica M EV1 sample image
An older woman pushes a cart past three men in hats on a city street in black and white.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A man and a woman walk on a city sidewalk; tall buildings and parked cars appear in the background.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Blurry people walking in a busy subway station with metal beams and stairs in the background.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Man in a plaid shirt relaxing on a brown couch, holding a remote, and smiling at the camera.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Sunlight shines through lush green leaves and twisted plant stems indoors, creating a bright, dreamy effect.
Leica M EV1 sample image
People sitting and standing in a crowded subway; a woman in a headscarf uses her phone.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Two women in patterned raincoats talk on a rainy city street under a 42nd Street sign.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A modern flip clock on a tripod shows 12:00 and 11:00, with blurred lights and lamps in the background.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A woman in a kitchen smiles while holding a calico cat in her arms.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A woman sits on a train seat looking at her phone, surrounded by standing passengers.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits at a table with his eyes closed, reaching out with one hand.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A man in a plaid shirt sits at a table holding a drink in a warmly lit kitchen and dining area.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Three people in a clothing store; one takes a photo in a mirror near a rack of plaid coats.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Two people in Halloween-themed outfits walk outside, one holding a drink, with buildings in the background.
Leica M EV1 sample image
A gallery wall with various portrait photographs, two benches, and a person standing on the right.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Woman in black outfit and cap crosses a city street with umbrella on a cloudy day, surrounded by tall buildings.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Two people in rain jackets stand under an umbrella on a city street, one holding a phone.
Leica M EV1 sample image
People crossing a city street at a crosswalk on a cloudy day, surrounded by tall buildings and trees.
Leica M EV1 sample image
Two people walk in the city, one holds a blue umbrella, image is colorful and motion-blurred.
Leica M EV1 sample image
View of a distant city skyline under a partly cloudy sky, seen from behind a concrete barrier and railing.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
A man in glasses takes a mirror selfie with a camera in a bathroom, wearing a striped sleeveless shirt.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
Two people walk on a city street; one wears a floral dress and the other wears a green jacket and sun hat.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
A man walks on a city sidewalk, looking at his phone, carrying a bag and a skateboard under his arm.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
An older person wearing a colorful cape pushes a cart past a food truck on a city street.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets
An elderly woman with sunglasses pushes a blue cart across a busy city street.
Leica M EV1 and Brightin Star 28mm f2 sample image with Phoblographer Photojournalism presets

Tech Specs

Declaration of Journalistic Integrity

The Phoblographer is one of the last standing dedicated photography publications that speaks to both art and tech in our articles. We put declarations up front in our reviews to adhere to journalistic standards that several publications abide by. These help you understand a lot more about what we do:

  • At the time of publishing this review, Leica is not an advertiser with the Phoblographer. However, our campaign focuses on showcasing art that photographers make with their products first and foremost. It has nothing to do with our reviews.
  • Note that our reviews are constantly works in progress. This review will be updated later on.
  • None of our reviews on the Phoblographer, are sponsored. That’s against FTC laws and we adhere to them just the same way that newspapers, magazines, and corporate publications do.
  • Leica loaned the Leica M EV1 and accessories to the Phoblographer for review. There was no money exchange between Leica and the Phoblographer for this to happen.
  • Leica knows that they cannot influence the site’s reviews. If we don’t like something or if we have issues with it, we’ll let folks know. We were the first publication to inform about the issue with the Leica M10R and how it renders the color orange.
  • Leica sent the product to Phoblographer in NYC to loan the camera to us. Our home office is based in New York.
  • At the time of publishing, the Phoblographer is the only photography publication that is a member of Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative. We champion human-made art and are frank with our audience. We are also the only photography publication that labels when an image is edited or not.

More can be found on our Disclaimers page.

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Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.
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