Leica M10-P Turns Luxe Rangefinder Into A Stealth Shooter

Leica has added another sleek rangefinder to its line-up, with the Leica M10-P promising discretion along with its heady price tag. The German camera company has gone the debadged route with its latest shooter, stripping away the familiar Leica red dot logo lest that spoil a candid moment.

More importantly, Leica says the M10-P's mechanical shutter is "almost inaudible" for clandestine photography. Indeed, according to the firm it has the quietest shutter release of any M-Camera made – quieter, in fact, than the original analog cameras which still dictate the M-Cameras' style.

Beyond that, you're looking at the same core hardware as the Leica M10 announced early last year. That means a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor paired with a 2 GB buffer that allows for up to five frames per second – at full resolution – continuous shooting. There's a viewfinder alongside the 3-inch LCD on the back, and a mere three buttons: Review, Live-View, and Menu.

Inside, Leica's Maestro-II processor supports ISO 100 to 50,000. There's an ISO setting dial on the top plate, which can be used to adjust ISO, distance, aperture, and exposure time without digging through the menus (or, indeed, turning the camera on at all). You get WiFi to hook up to the Leica M-App, for photo transfers and remote control.

Like the Leica M10, the body is made of machined brass, with a full metal, magnesium alloy chassis, and Gorilla Glass protecting the LCD. It's protected against light showers and dust, too.

There are a few differences, mind. A new touch-function has been added, which Leica says should make it easier to check the plane of focus in Live View and Review mode. The interface for browsing in Review mode has been revamped, too, and there's quicker access to the commonly-accessed features. A new leveling aid has also been added.

Of course, the most important thing is the lens selection. As with the M10, the M10-P uses Leica's M-Bayonet mount. That means almost all the M-Lenses the company has ever produced can be used with the new camera; add the Leica R-Adapter and the Leica Visoflex 2.4 MP electronic accessory viewfinder, meanwhile, and you can also use most of the R-Lenses in Leica's catalog, too.

The Leica M10-P is available to order now, in sliver chrome and black chrome finishes. Either way, it's priced at $7,995.