Leica launches world’s first camera with content credentials

1 November 2023
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Leica has launched the M11-P, the first camera in the world to have built-in content credentials.

This news is considered a significant development for the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) a community of nearly 2,000 members, including Leica, AFP, the Associated Press, the BBC, Getty Images, Microsoft, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal and Adobe.

A photograph created with the Leica M11-P and its Content Credential. Image: Leica
A photograph created with the Leica M11-P and its Content Credential. Image: Leica

The initiative aims to promote adoption of an open industry standard for content authenticity and provenance in an era of AI. 

Leica says the release of the unique camera represents a step forward in the fight against misinformation, by enhancing the authenticity of work created by photojournalists and creative professionals.

This image of the New York City skyline was created with the Leica M11-P and now includes Content Credentials at the point of capture to protect the authenticity of images. At the top right of the image, preview its Content Credentials digital nutrition label including information such as name, dates, changes made and tools used. Image: Leica
This image of the New York City skyline was created with the Leica M11-P and now includes Content Credentials at the point of capture to protect the authenticity of images. At the top right of the image, you can preview its Content Credentials digital nutrition label including information such as name, dates, changes made and tools used. Image: Leica

Images captured with the M11-P will now carry Content Credentials, described as a 'digital nutrition label' that offers information such as name, dates, changes made and tools used. 

Each image will also receive a digital signature to guarantee its authenticity, which means wherever an image goes, the creator's identity travels indelibly with it.

Leica says the authenticity of images captured with the device can also be verified by visiting contentcredentials.org/verify or in Leica's FOTOS app.

The data is embedded in exif files and cannot be manipulated. Leica says it is also secure, and aligns with global standards set forth by the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA).

How it works

How it works: Content Credentials in Adobe Photoshop is enabled and the image from a Leica M11-P is imported. Here, you can preview the Content Credentials identifying an ingredient from the Leica camera signifying a Content Credential exists. Image: Leica
How it works: Content Credentials in Adobe Photoshop is enabled and the image from a Leica M11-P is imported. Here, you can preview the Content Credentials identifying an ingredient from the Leica camera signifying a Content Credential exists. Image: Leica
The photograph is significantly altered using the Sky Replacement tool in Adobe Photoshop. This edit becomes part of the file’s Content Credentials. Image: Leica
The photograph is significantly altered using the Sky Replacement tool in Adobe Photoshop. This edit becomes part of the file’s Content Credentials. Image: Leica
The edited image is exported from Adobe Photoshop and is then inspected using Verify (contentcredentials.org/verify), a CAI website that reads and surfaces Content Credentials where consumers can verify and inspect changes made to an asset. Image: Leica
The edited image is exported from Adobe Photoshop and is then inspected using Verify (contentcredentials.org/verify), a CAI website that reads and surfaces Content Credentials where consumers can verify and inspect changes made to an asset. Image: Leica

For now, it remains to be seen if other more mainstream camera manufacturers will join Leica in including the functionality in their devices. 

The M11-P camera is available now at all Leica Stores.

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