Leica Unveils Kevlar-Armored M10-P ‘Reporter’ Edition

Leica has announced the Leica M10-P “Reporter” limited edition rangefinder camera, part of the company’s 40th-anniversary celebration of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award. This latest camera might be tougher than any other, as it’s covered in Kevlar armor.

The core of the new camera, the M10-P, is a slight evolution of the popular M10 rangefinder with its biggest feature being a shutter that Leica says is the quietest of any M camera ever. To make the rangefinder even more stealthy, the M10-P also removes the prominent red Leica dot that is found on the M10. The resulting camera is designed to be more of a photojournalist tool than the hobbyist body the M10 frequently finds itself.

Building on that idea, the M10-P “Reporter” wraps the digital rangefinder in Kevlar as an “homage to the great reportage photographers.” This limited-edition variant of the M10-P is supposedly designed to be an “uncompromising” camera that is designed to withstand even the harshest conditions.

The top and bottom metal caps on the rangefinder are dark green contrasted with the black Kevlar, but Leica says that the synthetic fiber (most commonly used for its ballistic protection) will gradually turn that same green when exposed to natural UV rays from the sun. All of the camera’s engravings are inlaid in light green, which will result in a more “discreet” effect than the white inlays usually used on the black versions of Leica cameras.

Leica also says that the diamond weave of the Kevlar makes for a particularly comfortable and grippable surface.

Only 450 units of the Leica M10-P “Reporter” will be produced worldwide, and pre-orders for it have already begun. There is no note on when the cameras will start shipping, but you can reserve yours for $8,795, which is only a slight premium on the $7,795 cost of the base model.

(via Adorama and Leica Rumors)

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