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Digital Camera World
Digital Camera World
Sebastian Oakley

Leica’s Millionth M camera: The M11-D 100 Years edition is a love letter to a century of craftsmanship

Leica M11-D 100 Years of Leica.

Leica has unveiled something truly extraordinary to mark its centenary: the M11-D 100 Years of Leica set, a limited edition camera kit that doesn’t just nod to history - it becomes part of it.

One of the 100 cameras in this run carries more than just an aesthetic homage to the original Leica I of 1925. It bears the serial number 6000000, making it the millionth Leica M camera ever made!

(Image credit: Leica)

This milestone camera, #6000000, will sit proudly at the Leica Welt in Leitz Park, displayed next to Leica I #126 - the very first series-produced Leica camera. It’s a visual timeline that captures a hundred years of design, engineering, and passion.

The M11-D 100 Years of Leica bridges past and present with true conviction. It comes paired with not one, but two historically important lenses: the Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. and the Leitz Anastigmat-M 50mm f/3.5. If that second lens might sound familiar, it’s a contemporary reimagining of the very first Leica lens from 1925.

Reborn for the modern M mount, the Anastigmat returns with the same retractable construction and distinctive proportions as the original, but now features a lightweight aluminium body with a nickel-anodised finish that gives it that vintage feel with 21st-century handling.

(Image credit: Leica)
(Image credit: Leica)

As for the camera itself, the M11-D pulls heavily from the look and build of the original Leica I. The top and base plates are crafted from solid brass with a rich, high-gloss black finish. Gone are the red Leica logo and strap eyelets.

Instead, you get pure heritage - a tribute to 1925. The shutter release and surrounding collar, along with the on/off switch and exposure dial, are made from aluminium with a nickel-coloured finish and that unmistakable cross knurling.

The leather wrap is thick and heavily textured, another detail lifted straight from Leica’s early days. Tiny flourishes like the white “Ernst Leitz Wetzlar” engraving on the shutter release collar and a subtle “100” logo on the hot shoe cover complete a camera that feels as special as it looks.

(Image credit: Leica)

Each of the 100 M11-D cameras has an edition number engraved in the classic Leica I style -from 001 to 100. The standout is no. 000, which is also the millionth M camera. Both lenses in the set are matched to the camera number, making every kit unique and inherently collectible.

The Anastigmat-M 50mm f/3.5 is perhaps the more romantic inclusion. It brings back the spirit of the very first Leica lens in a form that balances nostalgia with practicality. It’s compact, retractable, and looks like it just stepped out of the 1920s - but with an M mount and modern lens construction, it’s made for today’s shooters.

The other lens in the set, the Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH., is where modern performance takes centre stage. It’s fast, sharp, and delivers that signature Leica look with beautiful bokeh and impeccable clarity, even wide open. This anniversary version keeps the theme going with a nickel-coloured anodised finish on an aluminium barrel, classic cross knurling, and a grip milled from aluminium - details that separate it from the regular production version.

(Image credit: Leica)

To wrap it all up, Leica includes a specially designed leather protector, SD card case, and a carrying strap - all made from rich cognac-coloured leather, reminiscent of Leica’s earliest cases and accessories.

Everything is housed in a glossy black wooden presentation box crafted in Germany, giving this set the finish it deserves. This isn't just a limited edition; it’s Leica’s past, present, and future in one camera bag.

The Leica M11-D 100 Years of Leica set, including the Anastigmat-M 50 f/3.5 and Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 ASPH. lenses, will be available exclusively in select Leica Stores from spring 2026.

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