Lecia M11 is unrivaled again, following bankruptcy of French camera brand

Digital rangefinder cameras are a real rarity, because apart from the Epson R-D1, which was discontinued in 2009, Leica had only one competitor: Pixii. The French startup has launched a total of three models over the past few years, including the Pixii Max with a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, the next-generation Pixii was due to launch in 2027.

However, that will no longer happen, as the company is bankrupt and had to cease operations on July 31, 2026. Since then, the company has been wound down through court-ordered liquidation. All remaining inventory, patents and business assets are now being sold to pay off the company's debts. As court documents show, a restructuring proceeding was initiated as early as December 10, 2025, which gave Pixii until May 20, 2026, to find a path to profitability.

After that failed, the company had to cease operations. This leaves the Leica M series without competition once again – the Leica M11-P ($10,400 on Amazon) and other M cameras are once again the only option for photographers looking to buy a new rangefinder camera. Pixii did have some innovative approaches, such as a system-wide monochrome mode, a hybrid rangefinder that could even display a histogram, and an open platform that allowed subsequent sensor and processor upgrades. However, the cameras were not entirely free of problems, as demonstrated by the video from GxAce embedded below.