Leica’s latest $6,000 digital camera drops the built-in display for a throwback look

Leica is known for creating some of the most aesthetically beautiful cameras and accessories on the market. On the other hand, consumers are also familiar with the company for its higher-than-average pricing. Leica’s latest release isn’t going to help ease those preconceived notions.

The new M-D digital camera continues the gorgeous design that we’ve come to expect from the German optics company. But without a LCD display of any sorts, the $6,000 price tag is going to even harder to swallow than normal…

Leica’s new digital camera is the fifth model in its M-D line of digital cameras. It is the the first within that group to ship without a screen of any kind. This throwback design is bound to upset some but also enthuse a fan base known for its love of all things yesteryear. It’s no doubt upon first look that this is a Leica original. With classic textured materials and a boxy design, this is straight out of the Germany R&D facility.

This truly is a bridge between analog and digital photography. With no live view or screen, you’ll be back to using manual controls with this kit. On top there are physical knobs for shutter speed, aperture and an adjustment for ISO on the backside. There is an automatic mode setting, but without a way of seeing those adjustments in real-time, the usefulness is debatable. That said, the main constituency for this product are skilled photographers.

On the inside there is a 24 megapixel CMOS sensor that is used for capturing still images. Of course, you won’t be filming any 4K video here. Another noteworthy feature is that the M-D is only capable of spitting out RAW DNG format images. You’ll have to look elsewhere for JPEG. If you’re interested in seeing what the Leica M-D is capable of, check out this gallery provided by the manufacturer that is filled with beautiful photos.

The Leica M-D is available today for $5,995.

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Source: Leica

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