Leica Camera Company (hereinafter referred to as Leica) will release the new “Leica M11-P” M-type lens mount camera on October 28, 2023. The selling price on the Leica online store is approximately $490.
The Leica M11-P is the world’s first camera to store metadata along with content credentials at the time of capture to protect the authenticity of digital images. There are two color variations available: black and silver.
Introduction
Since its introduction in 1954, the M-type camera has been highly praised by photojournalists for its intuitive operability and unique shooting style that allows it to capture images inconspicuously. These cameras have been used to record historical moments around the world in great detail. Multiple photographic masterpieces have come from the M-mount cameras.
Currently, as a result of the widespread use of digital technology, it has become easy to modify various content, including photographs. The authenticity of digital content has become questionable due to the circulation of altered or forged digital content. It has also started to become a matter of concern for people. This also highlights the difficulty of proving that content is original.
Content credentials have been widely adopted as an industry standard for various types of content, and are used as the basis for increasing the trustworthiness and transparency of content online. The prevailing belief is that proper authentication is essential for photojournalism and assurance of the photos being real. As so Leica incorporated this function into the Leica M11-P.
The Leica M11-P – A Camera that Authenticates Images Automatically
The Leica M11-P is equipped with the ability to add secure metadata to images, a feature based on open source standards provided by the Content Authentication Initiative (CAI). This feature allows for even greater transparency in the generation and editing of image data. It is possible to securely record the name of the photographer, the date the photo was taken, the model of camera used, and the history of what kind of editing was done, making it possible to ascertain the origin and history of the image.
Images are also digitally signed, backed by CAI-compliant certificates. Anyone can easily check the authenticity of an image at any time using free, open-source tools provided by CAI or on the Verify website.
The technology used in this feature allows images to be authenticated through special hardware within the camera, including a special chipset to store digital certificates issued by the German Federal Printing Office. It is. With this advanced function, we have created a system that can reliably prove the provenance of images.
Leica is collaborating with CAI, an organization led by Adobe and involving approximately 2,000 companies and organizations around the world, including media companies, technology companies, NGOs, and academic institutions, that aims to adopt and popularize content credentials. The company says it is working to set new standards in content protection.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, owner of Leica and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, commented:
Leica cameras have always witnessed and recorded important moments in history all over the world. However, as a result of the wave of digitalization that has arrived in the world of photography, it has become increasingly difficult to verify the authenticity of visual content, and how to do so has become even more important.
This time, we have incorporated technology into our cameras that can demonstrate the authenticity of images, once again increasing the trustworthiness of digital content and reinforcing the trustworthiness of Leica cameras as tools for recording important events that occur in the world.
Santiago Lyon, Head of Advocacy and Education for Adobe’s Content Authentication Initiative, commented:
I think it’s very gratifying that Leica has incorporated a content credential function into its flagship Leica M11-P, a world first. This is a huge milestone for CAI and for the future of photojournalism. This will provide photojournalists and creators with a highly effective new means of asserting digital copyrights, preventing the spread of false information, and ensuring the authenticity and reliability of their work. At the same time, we can expect content credentials to become even more popular.
Main features of the Leica M11-P
“Leica Content Credentials” Function
This feature included in the Leica M11-P is called “Leica Content Credentials.” This function can be set from the camera menu. When turned on, the “Content Credential” logo will be displayed on the LCD monitor, and a special algorithm will be used to add a signature to the image to ensure its authenticity each time it is taken.
It is also possible to add the model and manufacturer of the camera that took the image, as well as information about the image taken. While this information cannot be changed later, it can be checked at any time using open source tools provided free of charge by CAI. Therefore, it can be used as proof of the authenticity of the image. In addition to being able to see whether an image is the original taken or edited, users can also check the history of what kind of editing has been done.
In this way, the photographer can demonstrate the authenticity of the photo throughout the entire process from taking it to publishing it.
Leica M11-P Exterior design
The Leica M11-P has not only achieved even greater sophistication in its “discreet presence” that is unique to the M-type camera. This size also is compatible with a wider range of applications. For one, in terms of the exterior design, there is no red “Leica” logo placed on the front of the top cover. This allows the photographer to take pictures without attracting attention. Instead of the red logo on the front, “Leica” is engraved in cursive on the top of the top cover.
The top cover is machined from aluminum for black and brass for silver. The body part is made of high-strength magnesium alloy full metal and serves to protect the delicate internal parts. The LCD monitor on the back is made of sapphire glass and has an anti-reflection and surface protection coating, making it easy to check the image even in difficult lighting conditions.
Technology
The image sensor and image processing engine are the same as the “Leica M11,” and it uses a 60-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor that incorporates triple resolution technology and the “LEICA MAESTRO III.” By combining these technologies, we have achieved a high level of flexibility that can accommodate a variety of uses and scenes. The built-in memory has been increased to a large capacity of 256GB.
