For the reason of just spreading joy, I will soon be giving away a set of the Kamerakraft leather strap (worth EUR55, USD64) on my IG account here. Don’t miss this!
Introduction
The Leica M10-R is, to me, one of the most quietly compelling digital M camera Leica has made. It takes the familiar thinness and restraint of the M10 body, then pairs it with an unique to it 40-megapixel colour sensor that rewards careful shooting, steady hands, and lenses that can match its resolving power.
But the M10-R is still very much a Leica M by design. Slim, restrained, purposeful and, at times, not the most confidence-inspiring camera to hold when paired with heavier glass.
This is where the Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 comes in.
A handgrip on a Leica M is always a slightly philosophical thing. The purist in us wants the M to remain clean, unadorned and almost Bauhaus-like in its restraint. No unnecessary protrusions. No extra bulk. No visual interruption to that iconic brass-and-metal slab that has defined rangefinder photography for decades.
Yet the photographer in us knows better.
Once one starts walking for hours with a Leica M camera and a larger lens, especially something like the Noctilux-M 50mm ƒ0.95, the romance of minimalism meets the reality of gravity. The M body was never designed as a deep-gripped mirrorless camera. It is meant to be held with care. The Noctilux, however, asks for more than care. It asks for support.
Moreover, with my M10-R a glossy black paint model, and seeing Kamerakraft releasing a matching glossy black paint version of the LM10GRIP alone was enough to make me consider the upgrade, whether it is for aesthetic or practice purposes.
The Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 is not merely just a grip bolted onto the front of a Leica, it actually replaces the original M10 baseplate entirely design wise to minimise bulk.
Beyond that the LM10GRIP V2.1 also adds a handgrip, integrated Arca-compatible rail, 1/4″ tripod socket, quick-access hinged door for the battery and SD card, and even a hidden SD card slot inside the handle. Designed by Vincent Bihler and assembled in France, and like many good Leica accessories, it is not mass-market convenience and more like a small-batch object made by someone who actually uses the camera.
tl:dr
The Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 is one of those accessories that feels unnecessary until one actually uses it.
On the Leica M-body (or my M10-R), it improves handling significantly without making the camera feel like a different tool. The grip is especially useful when using larger lenses such as the Noctilux-M 50mm ƒ0.95 ASPH, where the added front support makes the camera feel less front-heavy and more secure in the hand.
The built-in hinged battery and SD card door is a genuine practical improvement over the original M10 baseplate experience, while the Arca-compatible rail makes tripod use much cleaner. The hidden SD card slot is a small but thoughtful touch.
Kamerakraft’s grip is not cheap (but still cheaper than Leica’s), and among aftermarket grips, one of the more elegant, practical, well-built integrated solutions. For Leica M users who shoot mostly compact Summicrons or Summiluxes, this is a luxury. For those who often mount heavier lenses, travel with the camera, or use a tripod, it becomes very easy to justify.
Technicalities
Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1
Compaibiity: Leica M10, M10-P, M10-D, M10-R, M10 Monochrom
Material: Solid 6061 aluminium
Grip options: Available in anodised body finishes with matte black or walnut grip handle options
Baseplate design: Replaces the original Leica M10 baseplate
Battery / SD access: Hinged quick-access door
Storage: Hidden slot for an extra SD card inside the handle
Tripod compatibility: Integrated Arca-standard quick-lock rail and standard 1/4″ screw thread
Production: Limited quantity small-batch production
To take note: Certain older goggled lenses may require the grip to be removed for mounting or unmounting due to interference around the grip area. \
Handling
The first thing one notices is that the Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 does not feel like an afterthought.
This matters. A Leica M10-R in glossy black paint is a beautifully finished camera, and many accessories can feel visually or tactilely mismatched. The Kamerakraft grip avoids most of that. It is not invisible, but it is respectful. It adds presence without shouting. It changes the camera’s outline, but it does not turn the M10-R into something awkward or over-accessorised.
Side note that one can appreciate that Vincent from Kamerakraft is proud of his products with the care and protection provided in the packaging.
The grip profile gives the fingers a more confident place to rest. With smaller lenses such as a 35mm Summicron, the benefit is pleasant rather than essential. The camera becomes easier to pick up, easier to hold one-handed, and slightly more secure when walking.
Where the grip makes far more sense is with larger lenses, generally the Summilux and Noctilux lenses.
Using the M10-R with my daily, the Noctilux-M 35mm Noctilux ƒ1.2 is a good example. The Noctilux is not a casual lens. It is built like a tank and dense. On a naked M10-R body, the combination can feel beautiful but slightly precarious, especially when shooting for longer stretches or moving between scenes. The left hand naturally supports the lens with a correct grip, but the right hand still has to stabilise the camera body, operate the shutter, and maintain grip security.
With the Kamerakraft grip attached, the Leica M10-R gains a better anchor point. The fingers no longer feel as if they are merely resting on the camera; they are holding it. This is particularly useful when working wide open, where even small shifts in body stability can affect framing and focus discipline. The grip does not make the Noctilux smaller, of course, but it makes the pairing feel more deliberate and less compromised.
The hinged battery and SD card door is another practical improvement.
Quote me if you will, but I personally dislike the original Leica grips for the M10 series that forced me to remove them for every battery change and the M11 series grips with a huge rubber flap one had to ‘dig out’ to reach the battery.
The original Leica M10 baseplate is charming in the way film-era rituals are charming, but in daily digital use, removing the whole baseplate to change a battery or card can feel unnecessarily ceremonial. Kamerakraft’s hinged door solves this neatly. It allows access to the battery and SD card while the grip remains attached, which is especially useful if the camera is mounted on a tripod or if one is shooting on the move.
The integrated Arca rail is also a welcome feature. For photographers who never use tripods, this may be irrelevant. But for ones like me who do, the fact that the Arca profile is integrated into the grip means one avoids adding yet another plate underneath the camera.
This is where the Kamerakraft design feels clever. It combines four useful things: grip, battery access, baseplate replacement, and tripod interface into one beautiful well-crafted object.
The hidden SD card slot is a small but thoughtful detail. It is not a headline feature, but it is the sort of touch one appreciates when travelling or when one wants to carry the camera with minimal accessories. A spare SD card tucked inside the grip is exactly the kind of practical redundancy I appreciate.
Of course with the grip, the Leica M10-R does becomes slightly larger and heavier. No one beats Physics. But the Kamerakraft grip is so well made that it feels like something Leica themselves should make, though it is also without a doubt that Leica will probably be charging USD899 for the same thing.
For me, the most important test is simple: does it make me want to use the camera more?
With compact lenses, perhaps the answer is “sometimes”. With larger lenses, the answer is much more clearly “yes”.
Conclusions
The Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 is not a necessary accessory for every Leica M10 owner.
If your Leica M10 series camera lives mostly with compact lenses such as a 35mm Summicron, 50mm Summicron, or the Elmarits, the camera’s original form is already close to ideal. In that setup, the grip is a comfort upgrade rather than a need.
But if you use heavier glass, the grip brings balance, stability, and reassurance to a camera-lens pairing that can otherwise feel a little front-heavy.
The Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 also modernises the daily use of the Leica M10 camera in small but meaningful ways. The hinged battery and SD card door removes one of the long-standing irritations of the M10 platform. The Arca-compatible rail makes tripod use far more convenient. The hidden SD card slot is a charmingly practical detail.
The Leica M has always been about a certain purity of experience. But purity should not become discomfort. The best accessories are the ones that quietly support the act of making photographs without getting in the way.
The Kamerakraft LM10GRIP V2.1 does exactly that and in real use, perhaps more important: it makes my Leica M10-R easier to hold, easier to trust, and easier to carry into the next photograph, and all the while ensuring a consistent aesthetic across the camera, all of which I appreciate.
Thank you for reading.
Disclaimers:
1. All product photos and samples here were photographed by me. I believe any reviewer with pride should produce their own product photos.
2. All equipment presented are my personal sets of the Leica M10-R, Noctilux 50mm, Noctilux 35mm and the Kamerakraft grip.
3. This review is not sponsored.
4. I write as a passion and a hobby, and I appreciate that photography brands are kind enough to respect and work with me.
5. The best way to support me is to share the review, or you can always help support me by contributing to my fees to WordPress for the domain using the Paypal button at the bottom of the page.
KeithWee | Photography 
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