Titanium Leica CM is announced

Leica have launched a high-quality analog compact camera in a long-life titanium body. The LEICA CM has a high-speed lens and remarkable optical features. It will be welcomed not only by those who appreciate the convenience of automated functions, but also by creative photographers who prefer to set aperture and focus by hand. This is Leica's first compact camera to be assembled in Germany. The powerful LEICA SUMMARIT f/2.4/40 mm lens was designed by Leica's own optic specialists in Solms.

Designed by Professor Achim Heine of Berlin, the titanium LEICA CM compact camera with elegant leather trim follows the classic lines of LEICA M system cameras. Due to the clear layout of the controls, the photographer is always aware of the current settings and can check and operate functions without having to take the camera away from his eye.

Lens
The LEICA CM has a high-speed lens with the maximum aperture 2.4. It consists of six glass elements in four groups. The application of an optimized multiple coating has enhanced the imaging performance even further, improving the reflection behavior and leading to a reduction of stray light and consequently to higher corner-to-corner definition and brilliance - even under extremely difficult light conditions such as againt-the-light exposures. Combined with the LEICA CM's precise exposure performance, this image quality produces outstanding results in slide photography in particular.

Body
The robust titanium body with easy-grip leather is extremely comfortable to hold and sports ergonomically designed manual aperture and focus control options. On the camera back there is a large illuminated LCD display with an easily operated dial for swift setting of important functions. Symbols for flash mode, exposure program, exposure compensation, long-time exposure, self-timer, frame counter, battery status and date setting give an instant overview of photographic parameters. For manual focusing, the set distance is displayed as well. The individual flash mode and exposure compensation settings can be permanently stored.

Viewfinder
With integrated LED display The large, bright real image viewfinder is particularly suitable for eyeglass wearers and features parallax markings and diopter compensation. The LED display adopted from the LEICA M7 shows the focus setting, flash readiness, aperture and exposure time. Warnings in the event of over- or underexposure, exposure compensation setting, use of non-DX coded films or the absence of a film are also given. "The manufacture and fitting of the delicate yet complex viewfinder display requires special expertise and a sensitive touch. Given the tight Leica tolerances, this can only be done by the hands of skilled individuals," adds Roland Wolff. The brightness of the LED display is controlled by the ambient light. It is not too bright in the dark and yet is easily visible in bright light. The light balance of the LEICA M7 is used as a focusing aid in the LEICA CM to support manual focusing.

Exposure
In automatic program mode, the photographer can effect a program shift without taking the camera away from his eye by using the dial on the camera back for selecting various exposure time/aperture combinations. All the data appear in the viewfinder. With shutter speeds of 99 seconds to 1/1000 second, the LEICA CM offers a large exposure range, within which the required exposure time/aperture combinations can be chosen at any time. The precise automatic program ensures correct exposure and flash is activated automatically (if desired) if available light is not sufficient. If, for example, the photographer wants to make deliberate use of field depth as a compositional tool, the aperture can be preselected, and the aperture priority program calculates the matching shutter speed. The flash can be switched off or on manually.

Flash operation
The powerful flash integrated in the LEICA CM has the guide no. 14 and the amount of flash light is controlled by the camera. It is automatically switched on to correct against-the-light exposures. All flash modes such as automatic flash activation, pre-flash to combat red-eye, long-time exposure and long-time exposure with synchronisation on the second shutter curtain can be combined. This results in a total of 15 different flash modes. An external flash shoe allows the use of the LEICA SF 24D flash unit. The camera controls the amount of flash light depending on the aperture and focus setting. This so-called guide number control enables precisely exposed and homogeneously illuminated flash photographs besides offering the further advantages of lower power consumption and faster flash sequences. Already owned SCA flash units are compatible with the LEICA CM using the SCA 3502 M4 adapter.