Leica is dressing two of its current cameras in a textured finish borrowed from its own archive. The digital M11-P and film M-A are both getting limited Hammertone editions, with brass top and base plates that look like hammered metal, making each one a Hammertone model worth a closer look.
A finish with a industrial past
The Hammertone finish is not new to Leica. The company says it has appeared on only a handful of limited edition cameras, and it has marked some retail milestones with small runs of Hammertone M-As. The look is common on industrial equipment because it hides scratches and small flaws in the metal underneath.
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Leica describes the texture as a product of chemistry, not a stamped pattern. In the company’s words, the texture forms “during the drying process when metal pigments and special additives create subtle variations in surface tension.” Each camera therefore ends up slightly different. Leica says it reworked its application process to keep the texture uniform across each body.
Apart from the finish and a few cosmetic details, the two models operate the same as their standard versions. The M11-P keeps its full-frame 60MP back-side illuminated sensor, 256GB of internal storage, and rangefinder focusing.
Hammertone design details
Both cameras get brass top and base plates and a black leatherette covering in a vulcanite style, with white engravings. The control elements carry cross knurling, and the shutter-release plate is shiny silver. The adjustment screw above the lens mount is chrome-silver.
The M11-P Hammertone adds one more change. Its top and base plates have newly rounded, classically styled edges, which Leica says pair with the texture.
Where the design comes from
Leica traces the finish back to the 1930s, when hammertone symbolized durability and technical design in German industry. The company says the look “has come to symbolize functionality and reliability” in that context.
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Leica’s own history with the hammertone look is short but specific. The Leica MD documentation camera for the Leitz Reprovit system used it, and so did the rare Leica MD from 1964, of which only ten were made. Leica says the new editions continue that lineage alongside the 2003 MP LHSA, the 2011 Leica M9 Hammertone, and the 2016 Leica M-A Vienna Edition.
Price and availability
The Hammertone version of the M-A costs $8,000, which is $1,000 more than the standard M-A. The M11-P Hammertone costs $10,950, or $550 more than the standard black or gray M11-P.
Both models go on sale November 12 at Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store, and authorized dealers.
Via dpreview.com
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Leica M-A Hammertone edition cost?
The Hammertone version of the M-A costs $8,000, which is $1,000 more than the standard M-A. It goes on sale November 12 at Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store, and authorized dealers.
How much does the Leica M11-P Hammertone cost?
The M11-P Hammertone costs $10,950, which is $550 more than the standard black or gray M11-P. It is also set to go on sale November 12 at Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store, and authorized dealers.
What is the Hammertone finish on Leica cameras made of?
The Hammertone finish uses brass top and base plates with a textured look that resembles hammered metal. Leica says the texture forms during the drying process when metal pigments and special additives create subtle variations in surface tension, so each camera ends up slightly different.
Do the Hammertone M11-P and M-A work differently from standard models?
Apart from the finish and a few cosmetic details, the two Hammertone models operate the same as their standard versions. The M11-P Hammertone keeps its full-frame 60MP back-side illuminated sensor, 256GB of internal storage, and rangefinder focusing.
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