Last month, Leica debuted a new version of its top-tier M11 camera that ditched the digital screen in the rear to help improve spontaneity when taking pictures. Now, it seems like this release was a tee-up for another, more important camera: a platinum M Edition celebrating the line’s 70th anniversary.
The Importance of the M Series
While the German camera maker had been around for close to 100 years by the time the M series had debuted, the new model range proved to be the new flagship that would underpin the brand’s identity for generations to come. Leica had already cemented its legendary status decades earlier with the Ur-Leica — the first compact camera for outdoor and landscape photography — and its cutting-edge interchangeable lens systems.
However, it was in 1954 that the legendary Leica M3 was born, which integrated the company’s already-iconic M mount, rangefinder, and viewfinder into a single, beautiful package. Right around the time when street photography was really starting to boom, the M3 was an instant, accessible favorite for photographers everywhere, both new and seasoned.
Leica M Edition 70 Basics
Built on the M series platform, the M Edition 70 looks like your standard Leica M camera, except it’s given a platinum-plated shell on the outside, since 70 years is considered the platinum anniversary. This is quite a beautiful piece that, while you’d be tempted to snap a few photos with, is really intended to be put on display for collectors — justified even more considering its nearly $23,000 price tag.
Redolent of the iconic M3 but with a cleaner styling similar to the M-A, the M Edition 70 does have the photographic quality of a classic Leica. Like the aforementioned M11, there’s no digital screen on the back, being that this is a fully analog camera, equipped with an ISO selector dial and a Leicavit M fast winder for when you need to take pictures in rapid succession. Allowing you to use both hands to click and wind, this type of feature isn’t really seen on cameras much anymore, making it a worthy inclusion to this release and a harder justification for sticking this unit on a shelf.
You also get the superb APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH lens, but in a special-edition platinum dressing here. Continuing the platinumization of the release, Leica includes a roll of black-and-white film inside of a platinum-plated film canister exclusive to this set.
Spec Sheet
Model: M Edition 70
Type: Analog film
Lens: Leica APO-Summicron-M 50 f/2 ASPH
ISO Range: 6 to 6,400
Limited Edition?: Yes, 250
Pricing & Availability
Limited to just 250 pieces, each camera is numbered to its edition size. Rarity and material alone, this significant release of the M Edition 70 will cost you $22,995 when it drops in early 2025. Head over to Leica’s website to learn more.
Recap
Leica M Edition 70
Leica celebrates the 70th anniversary of the iconic M series with a platinum-coated film camera, equipped with a rare fast winding mechanism and a platinum canister filled with monochrome film.
