Leica M Edition 60 camera scraps the screen for photo purists

Created in collaboration with Audi Design, the Leica M 60 looks like a traditional Leica rangefinder from the front. Released at Photokina, the photography industry's bi-annual tradeshow in Cologne, Germany, only 600 of these cameras will be produced.

This is where things start to get interesting. The Leica M Edition 60 has no LCD screen, menus, or any other form of electronic indicator -- save for a single flashing light used to indicate if the SD card is in use.

Instead, there are just a few dials and buttons used to adjust aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

Inside, the digital guts are the same as the Leica M-P, using a 24-megapixel full frame CMOS sensor.

The metallic elements that you can see on the camera are made of stainless steel, a material that Leica says is incredibly difficult to craft. The body is also clad in a leather trim.

Audi Design has also made a special edition Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 lens to accompany the camera body.

By doing away with the physical screen, Leica hopes that users will concentrate on the photo being taken, rather than being distracted by "superfluous technical features".

"Working with the Leica M Edition 60 demands the same care and attention as when working with analogue models," says the camera manufacturer.

Images are saved as raw DNG files, with the only way to access them being via the SD card. There's no USB or HDMI output available.

All this luxury and limited edition status comes at a cost -- namely 15,000 Euros, which equates to around US$19,429, AU$21,394, or £11,946.

As mentioned earlier, only 600 of these cameras are being made, and each will come individually numbered.

For us mere mortals who can't afford that luxurious price tag, Leica has put together an unboxing video which gives you the experience of owning one of the cameras without needing to take out a hefty bank loan.

The Leica M Edition 60 will be available from selected Leica stores from October.