The Leica M mount is a camera lens mount introduced in 1954 with the Leica M3, and a range of lenses. It has been used on all the Leica M-series cameras and certain accessories (e.g. Visoflex reflex viewing attachment) up to the current film Leica M-A and digital Leica M11 cameras.

This lens mount has also been used by Epson, Ricoh, Minolta, Konica, Cosina Voigtländer, Rollei, Carl Zeiss AG and Rollei Fototechnic on some of their cameras.

Overview The Leica M mount was introduced in 1954 at that year's Photokina show, with the Leica M3 as its first camera. The 'M' stands for Messsucher or rangefinder in German. This new camera abandoned the M39 lens mount in favour of a new bayonet mount. The bayonet mount allowed lenses to be changed more quickly and made the fitting more secure. Other innovations introduced by the M3 included a single window for the viewfinder (for composition) and the rangefinder (for focusing). With a double-stroke film advance lever (later models have a single-stroke lever). The M3 was a success and over 220,000 units were sold, by the time production ended in 1966. It remains the best-selling M mount camera ever made. The M3 uses 135 film (or 35 mm film), with the canister being loaded behind a detachable bottom plate. The M3 was followed by many other M mount cameras, released over 40 years, with many of the basic concepts remaining in these designs. With the introduction of the Through-the-lens metering (TTL) in the Leica M5 and the digital Leica M8 being the most notable innovations since then.

The lenses for the M mount were also introduced in 1954 and were based on the earlier M39 thread mount. Almost all M mount lenses are Prime lenses. These lenses are divided by Leica based on their maximum aperture number (also known as f-number). They are distinguished by their names:

Name f-numberNoctilux or or or SummiluxSummicronSummarit or ElmaritElmar, Super Elmar or or or Summaron or Hektor

M Mount camera bodies Film cameras Image Name Year Exposure NotesLeica M31954–1966Manual First bayonet M mount camera

220,000 produced in GermanyLeica M21957–1968Manual Around 82,000 produced in Germany

Around 1,500 produced in CanadaLeica M11959–1964Manual Around 9,431 producedLeica M41964–1975Manual Redesigned film loading and film winding

Introduction of the "red dot"

Versions: Leica MDa, Leica M4-2, Leica M4-PLeica M51971–1975ManualTTL metering Redesigned body

First M mount with electronic Through-the-lens metering (TTL)Leica M61984–2002, 2022–presentManualTTL metering Basically the M4 with TTL metering

Leica M6 (1984–1998)

Leica M6 TTL (1998–2002): Better viewfinder and electronic flash capabilityLeica M72002–2018ManualTTL meteringAperture priority semi-automatic Electronically controlled, requires battery to operate fully

Electronic shutter control and semi-automatic modeLeica MP2003–presentManualTTL metering Vintage design

Removal of the "red dot"Leica M-A2014–presentManual Rerelease of the M3 design

Manual exposure only

Digital cameras Professional Image Name Year Sensor NotesLeica M8 and M8.22006–200910 megapixel CCD sensor, APS-H size Second digital M mount camera

3936 x 2630 max resolution

2.5″ inch screenLeica M92009–201218 megapixel full-frame CCD sensor First full-frame digital M mount camera

5212 x 3472 max resolution

2.5″ inch screenLeica M9-P2011–201218 megapixel full-frame CCD sensor Removal of the "red dot", otherwise same as the Leica M9

5212 x 3472 max resolution

2.5″ inch screen with sapphire crystal LCD glassLeica M (Typ 240)2012–201724 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor 5952 x 3976 max resolution

3″ inch screen

Capable of capturing Full HD 1080p videoLeica M-P (Typ 240)2014–201724 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor Removal of the "red dot" and 2GB of RAM, otherwise same as the Leica M (Typ 240)

5952 x 3976 max resolution

3″ inch screen with sapphire crystal LCD glass

Capable of capturing Full HD 1080p videoLeica M102017–present24 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor 5952 x 3992 max resolution

3″ inch screen

Wi-Fi capabilityLeica M10-P2018–202224 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor Removal of the "red dot", adding touch screen and quieter shutter, otherwise same as the Leica M10

5952 x 3992 max resolution

3″ inch screen

Wi-Fi capabilityLeica M112022–present60 megapixel full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor 9528 x 6328 max resolution

3″ inch screen

No removable bottom plate

64Gb of internal memory

Entry-Level Image Name Year Sensor NotesLeica M-E (Typ 220)2012–201518 megapixel CCD sensor 5212 x 3472 Max resolution

2.5″ inch screenLeica M (Typ 262)2015–201924 megapixel CMOS sensor 5952 x 3976 Max resolution

3″ inch screenLeica M-E (Typ 240)2019–present24 megapixel CMOS sensor 5976 x 3992 Max resolution

3″ inch screen

Capable of capturing Full HD 1080 video

Monochrom Image Name Year Sensor NotesLeica M Monochrom2012–201518 megapixel CCD sensor 5212 x 3472 Max resolution 2.5″ inch screen

Black-and-white version of the M9Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246)2015–202024 megapixel CMOS sensor 5952 x 3968 Max resolution 3″ inch screen with sapphire crystal LCD glass

Black-and-white version of the M (Typ 240)

Capable of capturing Full HD 1080 videoLeica M10 Monochrom 2020–present41 megapixel CMOS sensor 7864 x 5200 Max resolution 3" inch screen TFT LCD monitor

Black-and-white version of the M10

Dedicated ISO dial with ISO 160 to ISO 100.000

No display

Image Name Year Sensor NotesLeica M-D (Typ 262)2016–201824 megapixel CMOS sensor No Rear LCD Screen

The only control on the body is via the shutter speed and ISO dialsLeica M10-D2018–present24 megapixel CMOS sensor 7840 x 5184 Max resolution

No Rear LCD Screen

Increased resolution

Image Name Year Sensor NotesLeica M10-R2020–present40 megapixel CMOS sensor 3" inch screen TFT LCD monitor

The only control on the body is via the shutter speed and ISO dials

Other manufacturers Epson R-D1 by Epson Minolta CLE by Minolta Hexar RF by Konica Bessa R2A, R3A, R2M, R3M, R4M and R4A by Cosina Voigtländer Rollei 35 RF by Rollei Fototechnic Recent Zeiss Ikon rangefinder camera by Carl Zeiss AG Ricoh GXR by Ricoh PIXII by Pixii SAS

M mount lenses +Summary of Leica M lensesSpeedName21mm24mm28mm35mm50mm75mm90mm135mm Summaron Super-Angulon Macro Elmar Elmar Tele-Elmar Tri-Elmar ASPH16-18-21mm28-35-50mm Elmar ASPH. Summaron Super-Elmar ASPH. Apo-Telyt Elmar Elmarit Elmarit ASPH. Tele-Elmarit Summarit Summicron Summicron ASPH. APO Summicron Summilux Summilux ASPH. Noctilux ASPH. Noctilux Noctilux ASPH Noctilux Noctilux ASPH. Other manufacturers Minolta Zeiss Cosina Voigtländer Zenit M Brightin Star Funleader TTArtisan

See also

Leica Camera

Leica thread mount Mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera

References

External links About the M System Leica M Lenses Leica lens compendium by Thorsten Overgaard