I glanced up and saw Dr. Kaufmann approaching. I waved. He waved back. As he got closer, he called out, “Ah. Mr. Farkas. How are you?”

“I'm going to have call you back,” I muttered to my colleague and quickly hung up my phone.

“How did you like the event?” Dr. Kaufmann asked.

I told him how impressed I was with the showing earlier that morning, then added, “I do wonder about the new L-Mount Alliance though. Is it good for Leica?”

“Yes, absolutely. You will see how great this is for Leica. We're very excited about the new alliance and what it could mean for the company.”

I asked if he might have some time to sit down and talk during the show, but, of course, his schedule was quite full. After a brief pause, he added, “How about breakfast? Thursday? Say, 9:30?”

And I did what anyone might in the same position. I accepted graciously and enthusiastically, figuring I could easily shift around whatever else I might have had planned already. It's not every day that you get invited to a private breakfast meeting with someone as in demand as Dr. Kaufmann.         

—–

Thursday, 9:30 am – Breakfast

As Kaufmann sits down, he removes his suit jacket, revealing his usual Leica style: Silver red dot Leica cufflinks (I was wearing the same, incidentally) and Leica L2 chronograph with red face. He checks his watch, then winds it. “It's still a prototype, not perfect yet.” He laughs. “That's why we make prototypes, after all.”

Taking a cue from the watch joke, and appreciating just how busy he is, I decide to ease into our meeting, before delving into the L-mount alliance and other topics.

—-

DF: How is Leitzpark working out?

AK: You were at the Leitzpark 3 opening in June, weren't you?

Yes. Everything looked great. Is the campus fully complete?

Leitzpark 3 is still ongoing. We are working on setting up the Museum still. Of course everything takes much longer than you expect. Should be opening this coming summer with an exhibition, but we are still working out the details and deciding what that exhibit will look like.

[Editorial note: The first exhibit at the Ernst Leitz Museum, ‘Dr. Paul Wolff & Tritschler. Light and Shadow – Photographs from 1920 to 1950' opened on June 28, 2019. Right on schedule. You can read more about it here.]

The first Leitz Café outside of Wetzlar opened just a few weeks ago in Bangkok, and there is interest in opening up a few more Leitz Hotels in Japan, so maybe we have something with the Leitz brand. (Laughs)

And we still look forward to Leitzpark 4, which will focus more on education and community building.

Can you tell me a bit about the L-mount alliance? How will this work for Leica?

As you saw from the press conference, the L-Mount Alliance is built around the Leica L-Mount, which we developed for mirrorless starting around 2010. We feel that this pushes Leica onto a global stage as these industry-leading companies chose to build around our mount technology.

So, you feel that the Alliance is beneficial for Leica?

Yes. Absolutely.

And the other alliance members?

Naturally, they hope to benefit as well. We feel this is good for all involved.

Will certain aspects of the L-mount remain proprietary to Leica?

No. We share the technical specifications of the L-mount and everything that comes with it.

How did the Alliance come about?

Panasonic has been a long-time partner and approached us about using the L-mount for their full frame system. How the alliance would be organized was our concept.

Are you concerned about Sigma and Panasonic being partners in the Alliance but also competitors?

Of course, we're still competitors who each make their own products and it is up to each company to implement the technology. But we see this alliance as unique in the camera world. Such an alliance is not heard of. But the mount is at the heart of the camera. And this is Leica technology.

Another example of this would be Sony. So, Sony is the biggest sensor manufacturer, but they also make cameras which compete with their industry customers who buy their sensors. Two separate hands. Different businesses.

So, you aren't worried that your alliance partners are going to directly compete with the SL?

Sigma will offer a camera with a Foveon sensor with L mount, yes. Panasonic is already showing off their first cameras. But these aren't necessarily for the Leica customer.

Have you seen the new Panasonic S1? I counted 21 buttons. Leica design philosophy is quite different. We are focused on just the essential elements of photography. Aperture, shutter, ISO. Additional options can be addressed in the menu, but we prefer the clean approach. You can see this in all of our camera designs.

The alliance members will also be competitors with lenses too, not just camera bodies.

Can you imagine Panasonic lenses on a Sigma body? A Leica lens on a Panasonic? A Sigma lens on a Leica? Well, it's possible. Any combination is now possible. Of course, the sensor technology is different. Just as Leica M lenses can be easily used on other systems, they still look best when used on the M or an SL.
 

Are you saying that Leica L-Mount lenses will work better on a Leica SL body rather than, say a Panasonic S1 body?

Yes, performance might still be best with a Leica camera body. But it is up to the customer to decide what is best for him or her.

Now we have products at all price points and performance levels. If someone wants a Panasonic, they can get a Panasonic. If they want to use a Sigma lens on their Leica, they could. This is about customer choice and having an open standard. Like Android in the phone world, although this isn't the perfect analogy as Android is a bit sloppy – many different variants, each slightly different. The L-mount alliance outlines technical criteria very specifically and the partners meet every six months to redefine any changes.

Do you think that the L-Mount Alliance sets up Leica as a technology leader, rather than a follower?

Leica is already a technology innovator. We created the first APS-C sensor compact camera with the X1 and the first large sensor camera with a DSLR sized body with the S2. Both in 2009. We created our first mirrorless with the T in 2014. Then in 2015 we introduced the SL, which is really, in my opinion, the first professional mirrorless camera on the market. We can see that only recently, companies like Nikon are doing the same. Sure, you can say that Sony was doing this as well, but the A7 wasn't really designed as a professional camera system.

Not bad for a small company.

We even did the X-U, which is the first APS-C compact and dedicated underwater and adventure camera. This was a really good idea, but we didn't do as much as we could on the marketing side to communicate it. This was never intended to be a huge seller, as we only sold 2500 cameras.

But the Q was wildly popular, no?

Yes. The Q paved the way for the SL. We needed to develop the technology for the Q first. And funny story, we only planned to sell 7500. We sold ten times that. The Q has been an incredible success for us.

Leica has just announced the S3 at Photokina. It seems that much of the market is going mirrorless, even in medium format. Is Leica considering a mirrorless S in the near future?

We will have a mirrored, DSLR-style S camera for at least the next 3-5 years. After that, we'll see. The optical viewfinder has a 3D quality that an EVF lacks.

So, that sounds like a ‘yes' on mirrorless S cameras in the future?

Internally, let's say that we are split into two camps. We will keep an eye on mirrorless technology and will only move in this direction if, and when, it makes sense for the product. The S is our highest level camera system. The top quality. So, we will not compromise.

With the increase in resolution to 64MP on the S3, are the S lenses up to the task?

The S lenses have reserve, up to 80 or 100 MP, I believe. So, we still have room to go. From the beginning, they were designed with higher resolution in mind.

And the SL lenses? What about future camera bodies with higher resolution sensors?

The SL lenses could probably go to 60 or 80 MP. Again, same thinking from the beginning. Other companies will not have the lenses to resolve this level of detail. This is an area where our expertise in optical engineering really gives us an edge.

The APO-Summicron-SL range is growing, now with the addition of the 35mm, but roll-out seems to be a bit slow.

These new lenses are very difficult to manufacture on a production scale. The new APO-Summicron lenses are really pushing the limits of performance, with quite exacting tolerances.

So, they're difficult to manufacture? 

Sure, with prototypes anything is possible. A design is good until we try to produce it, then we hit obstacles. For example, the 75 Noctilux for M had to be redesigned three times during the industrialization process. The 90 SL had to be redesigned twice. And we are still facing small challenges. But, we will continue to address these. And in the end, the final product will be worth it.

What about your supply chain? Does that ever cause delays?

Supply is always an issue. We are the last European camera company left. Getting components which allow us to manufacture at the high level of tolerances we require remains a challenge.

Any thoughts on future SL development?

The SL is our technology platform. This is where we innovate and where we will continue to see innovation. Perhaps a future SL might incorporate design from the M10 and move in this direction. You can already see this influence on the CL.

A lot of people think the SL is too big, especially with the zooms. Any thoughts to address this?

The 24-90 zoom is quite big, yes, but offers really excellent performance. Going from 28 to 24 at the wide end made it much bigger, but we think it was worth it. For me, I’d like to see the Tri-Elmar reintroduced so it can be used on the SL. We saw already how useful 28/35/50 can be on the Q. This covers most of the range. Beyond that we can handle separately. The SL Summicrons will help as well in terms of lens size.

We also have the mirrorless CL. The CL is perfect for just throwing in your bag for a quick trip. It's so compact and lightweight, but the performance is still real Leica quality. The TL lenses offer a great look, and of course, you can also use M or SL lenses.

What do you think about video? You've got quite a lot of brand recognition in the professional market due to the Leitz Cine lenses. The SL is quite capable for 4K video already, but have you given thought to moving further in that direction?

For Leica, we are primarily focused on still photography, but video is very important. You can see that Panasonic has committed to 8K by the 2020 Olympics, but is this really necessary? You can't easily process this, or broadcast in this format. Many outlets are still using HD, not even 4K. The bandwidth requirements for 4K are still very high. So, maybe 8K is a bit premature.

Of course, Leitz Cine Wetzlar, formerly CW Sonderoptic, has been very successful. So, in this way, we are in the high-end video production market already.

And what about in the rest of the lineup? The M240 introduced video, but it was removed from the M10. Did customers just really not want the option for video on an M camera?

Video was actually not possible on the M10. Reducing the camera thickness by 3-4 mm posed incredible challenges with heat management. So, we omitted it. Perhaps we might see video capabilities in a future M camera.

Any other thoughts on M photography? Now that the M10 delivers that pure M experience in digital, where can it go from here?

The challenge with M and people my age is not one of focusing, but one of seeing a small rectangle. This is why so many use M lenses on the SL, so they can focus on the large, bright EVF. Maybe this gives an idea of what might be done in a future M.

The M10 ‘Edition Zagato' was the first special edition we've seen of the M10. The camera is stunning. Do you have plans to work with Zagato for some other special edition cameras?

Yes, it’s very beautiful, but unfortunately I don’t have a Zagato M10 myself. They all went to customers. Customers come first. Yes, we will plan to do more projects with Andrea in the future. Zagato is the last independent design house in Italy. I really enjoy the process of working together.

I've noticed a big push in the market for more and more megapixels. How will Leica respond to this trend, after settling in for a good number of years on 24MP for the M and 37.5 MP for the S?

The camera industry is currently in another stage of the megapixel race. We don't think this is really necessary for optimal image quality, but this is the direction that the market is headed. Will we make cameras with higher resolution? You can already see this with the Leica S3. Already, the S with 37.5 MP is quite good. But, the market demands more than 40 megapixels, so we offer this. For other systems, we'll just have to see.

Ultimately, we have to have confidence in what we create, in that it is the best way to do it. And not just be steered by marketing. Too many companies do what they think is good for marketing alone. We try to take a longer view.
 

If future Leica cameras do offer higher resolution sensors, will the Maestro processing architecture give the headroom to deliver similar performance?

We're focused on many things simultaneously: sensor technology, processing technology, optical technology. All are important to our current and future products. Many people don't realize how complicated some of this is. For example, the Maestro II chip has 6,000 pages of technical documentation. A lot of people think you can use any processor, but keep in mind that a laptop has a big battery and a lot of cooling. The camera is very small, with a small battery and no fan. We need processors that can work with our sensor data quickly while using very little battery power and without generating too much heat. That is what we have with Maestro. And within the Maestro family, we could see more powerful chips in future generations. Just as we did from the original Maestro in the S2 to the current Maestro II.

Any final thoughts?

Can't complain with business. We are making money and continue to make the products which we believe in. Things are good at Leica.

—–

This interview originally took place September 25, 2018 in Cologne, Germany as part of our on-location Photokina 2018 event coverage. For even more insight into the L-Mount Alliance, be sure to check out our interview with Stephan Schulz, head of professional products for Leica Camera.

The post Breakfast with Dr. Andreas Kaufmann appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

But, having just come off Photokina 2018 a couple months ago, many of the manufacturers and exhibitors weren't too fond of gearing up for a whole other show just seven months later. So, based on the push-back from the industry, the Germany Photo Industry Association and Koelnmesse have cancelled Photokina 2019.

The next Photokina will be held in May 2020, with each ensuing show to be staged annually after that. For Leica fans, this postponement might mean that some launches and announcements could be pushed back. But, realistically, Leica hasn't waited for trade shows to release product. The new status quo is to announce and release when the product is ready for final delivery. For me, well, I guess I'm glad I didn't already book my flights to Germany.

Be sure to check out my on-site coverage from Photokina 2018. This past show was an important one for Leica.

Press Release

The next photokina will take place in May 2020

Imaging industry and Koelnmesse decide on new starting point for the new annual cycle

Following a successful photokina 2018, the German Photo Industry Association (PIV), as conceptual sponsor of the trade fair, and the event's organizer Koelnmesse have agreed not to organize the next leading global trade fair in May 2019, as initially planned, but in May 2020. From Wednesday 27 May 2020 to Saturday 30 May 2020, all the market leaders in the imaging industry are expected once again in Cologne. The decision to postpone the start of the announced annual cycle by one year is intended to give all participants the opportunity to further develop the new concept for photokina and to tap into new target groups among exhibitors and visitors in order to heighten the status of the trade fair as a global platform for the photography and imaging industry.

“photokina 2018 clearly exceeded our already optimistic expectations with groundbreaking innovations and 180,000 visitors from 127 countries,” explained PIV's CEO Rainer Führes. “As a result, we set the bar very high for the next event. It is therefore unlikely that, in May 2019 after just over seven months, we will once again be able to create the same enthusiastic atmosphere that characterized photokina 2018. This is why we have decided to start the planned annual cycle in 2020. The Photoindustrie-Verband would like to thank Koelnmesse for its willingness to quickly comply with this request. This shows once again the great professionalism and excellent customer orientation that has characterized our trusting partnership for decades now.”

“We understand that even the most powerful technology companies cannot ensure that they will once again be able to bring such innovative strength to the exhibition halls as we experienced at photokina 2018 within an extremely short lead time of just seven months,” added Koelnmesse's CEO Gerald Böse. “It is precisely these innovations, however, that shape the character of photokina as the world's leading trade fair – as does the presence of all the leading suppliers in the industry as well as important users, retailers and service providers worldwide. In order to make sure we can continue to fulfill this requirement in the future and meet the expectations of exhibitors and visitors with every event, we have responded flexibly to PIV's wishes. This will ensure the continued unique impact and public appeal of one of our flagship trade fairs in the future.”

This year, photokina had successfully presented itself with a new concept, which included the increased involvement of new exhibitors from innovative areas such as mobile, imaging analytics, digital workflow and moving images, as well as a stronger focus on experience for visitors. This combination of experience and product presentation, which was very well received by younger target groups in particular, ensured full halls, overcrowded workshops and spectacular presentations on the event areas, in front of which large crowds of people repeatedly formed, despite the trade fair being shortened by two days. As a result, the trade fair was mentioned not only in conventional media but also in digital and social channels such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to a greater extent than in previous years. The newly created Imaging Lab, in which start-ups, investors and scientists presented and discussed new imaging applications, also proved to be an important impetus for the entire industry. Together with numerous groundbreaking innovations from established imaging companies, this resulted in a showcase of the great dynamism with which the imaging industry is positioning itself for the digital future and which will also shape photokina 2020.

The post Photokina 2019 Cancelled | Next Show in 2020 appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

Once the show started, I started asking everyone I could about their thoughts on the L-Mount Alliance. In the end, I ended up getting a few different viewpoints on the matter. From the optics side, I spoke to head of optics Peter Karbe and the engineer responsible for the SL lenses, Dietmar Stuible. From a high-level corporate perspective, I discussed the alliance with Dr. Andreas Kaufmann. But, to really get into the full details, I was repeatedly advised to chat with Stephan Schulz, head of professional products at Leica. He seemed to be a key point person in the alliance and deeply involved in SL and L-mount development.

Stephan Schulz (R) at the L-Mount Alliance press event

I met Stephan in 2008 when he was the co-product manager for the Leica S2. We've both enjoyed our discussions over the past ten years, so when I asked him if he could answer some of my questions on the L-Mount Alliance, he was happy to oblige. We found a quiet meeting room and got down to it.

DF: Maybe the best place to start is the underlining technology. Why don't you tell me the story behind the L-Mount?

SS: To understand how we arrived at the L-mount, we need to go back to our first mirrorless ambitions. So, we actually started to investigate mirrorless cameras around 2010.

That far back? Wow, I remember Stefan Daniel holding a Q&A in late 2010 where he basically outlined what the SL would become five years later. I suppose that makes sense now. 

Yes, but we were just conceptualizing at that time. We first wondered: Can we make a full frame AF camera with an M mount? This was our initial question. We checked with the R&D department. But we found out that this wasn't a good idea. The mount diameter was too small and the flange distance too great. So, this wouldn't work for autofocus. On the M you can use the entire mount area as its a purely mechanical connection. For an AF camera too much space is needed for electronic contacts for aperture and AF control.

That's crazy. I've never heard that the M mount was ever considered for an autofocus mirrorless. But, mount diameter was too small. So, you needed a different approach?

Yes. That's the reason why we developed, from scratch, the L-Mount. This allows us to do anything you can imagine for optics. Fast autofocus. Image stabilization. Auto aperture. And much more advance optical designs.

Was the L-mount initially designed for APS-C? 

No. It was not. The L mount was developed in order to have all kind of autofocus optics for full frame with sufficient diameter. And on the other side, in order to realize to compact lenses for APS as well. It was not developed for APS. It was always designed with full frame in mind, even though we came to market with APS first.

Similar to Sony's E mount?

Not exactly. That's a big difference with the L-mount versus the Sony E mount. They started the mount with the NEX, which was APS. But, we assume that Sony wasn't focused on full frame at that time due to the mount diameter. The Leica L-mount is much bigger which gives us more flexibility.

Alright, so APS first, then full frame?

That was the goal. We came out with the Leica T in 2014. At that time, it was called the T mount. At the same time, we were developing full frame lenses and the SL system.

How much technology was used from the S lenses, which were your first autofocus lenses?

Everything that we have learned from the S we incorporated into the L-mount. The S2 was our first AF camera. So, we took that experience and transferred it to the mirrorless version. The S mount is designed around DSLR. The L-mount was developed as mirrorless from the start. So, there are some differences for sure.

What about the TL lenses?

The APS lenses are basically the same design philosophy as the SL lenses, just smaller. The TL lenses were the first lenses inside Leica to be designed for at least 60 lp/mm resolving power. And this is now the internal benchmark for new lens development.

At what pixel resolution do you think you'd really see the difference with a Leica lens? More than 24MP?

If you have a consumer-grade lens, even on a lower resolving sensor, you will easily see the lack of brilliance and overall image appearance. With a professional-grade Leica lens, you will have a much better picture, even if the sensor is technically beyond the resolving power of the lens. This just makes sense. You can see this even on the M8 or DMR. Lower resolving sensor. Great images. It was able to outperform much larger sensor, higher resolution cameras at the time. This is due to the quality of the lenses.

I remember those tests at the time of the DMR. It was amazing that a 10MP APS-H sensor was able to outresolve and outperform a 16MP full frame sensor. And, these tests were done with much more classic Leica R lens designs that were 20 or 30 years old. The latest SL designs are a whole different level.

Yes, that's a good point.

So, how exactly did the L-mount alliance come about?

Panasonic approached us, inquiring whether they could use the L-mount we developed for their planned full frame mirrorless system camera. We started a discussion on how this might work and how it would influence our SL business. Ultimately, we decided to move forward.

And how did Sigma end up joining?

During these discussions, we realized that both Leica and Panasonic had some preexisting relationship with Sigma for various projects, and decided that might make a good addition to what would become the alliance. They bring a wide portfolio of experience developing lenses for multiple mounts as well as their own camera technology.

How will the Alliance effect the SL System?

After the Alliance has been announced, attention for the SL system has already immediately increased. We can see this just from the interest here at Photokina. Leica is now part of a fast growing system, and we think that this might attract many additional customer to step into the Leica SL system.

What about alternative lenses for SL users made by Panasonic or Sigma?

For the moment, we do not know their plans, but Panasonic has already announced three lenses for their full frame S1 system. We can imagine that specialty lenses will become available that Leica may not offer in the near future.

So, for instance, if Sigma already has super telephoto options like the 500mm f/4 or ultra wide angle zoom like the 12-24mm ART lens already in their portfolio, would it be a reasonable assumption that they could start offering such lenses in L-mount?

This is of course possible. But so is the potential for a co-engineering a lens with Sigma or Panasonic. And this could be accomplished in different ways. Maybe Leica could design the optics and the lens would be manufactured by one of the alliance partners. Or, this is something we could build using additional technology that we do not have available at Leica. For sure, there are many different ways we could approach this. The alliance makes it easy to leverage synergies.

Sigma 500mm f/4

What about the other way? Leica lenses on Panasonic or Sigma cameras?

We think the existing and upcoming SL lenses can be a great addition to future Panasonic or Sigma customers. With ever increasing camera resolution the demands on the optics becomes even greater. All the SL lenses from wide open on are able to achieve full resolving power, even for much higher resolution sensors. They deliver the maximum of what is possible.

Will SL lenses perform as well on non-Leica cameras, given that the SL body and SL lenses were specifically designed to work together from the beginning?

We have a very detailed specification for the L-mount to secure best possible compatibility and image quality. In order to be an approved L-mount product, either camera or lens, it must conform completely to the agreed upon specification. So, in this way, we feel comfortable that photographers might use Leica lenses on a non-Leica camera.

Newly announced SL-APO-Summicron wide angle prime lenses

Is this alliance similar to the Micro Four Thirds Alliance that was formed in 2008 ?

No. It's different because the L-mount alliance is a closed alliance, with Leica Camera AG as the licensor.

Does this mean that Leica isn't considering future members?

Future additional members are possible if the current alliance members agree that the alliance as a whole could benefit from adding more members.

Leica obviously has a few adapters available for the L mount already like the M-Adapter L. So, is this covered by the specification among the alliance partners?

No. It's not. Alliance members are free to make this work on their products, but it's not a must to secure compatibility with adapters.

Just to clarify. Let's say someone with a Panasonic S1 wants to use the Leica M-Adapter L and a 75mm Nocitlux. Would this work?

Basically, we expect that it would work. But, the adapter isn't part of the current specification which means lens data may not be recognized and used by the camera.  If Panasonic wanted to use the data on their own, they certainly could but again, it's not supported by the specification.

I noticed here at the show that the newly announced L-Mount lenses from Panasonic are a little different in terms of design from the SL lenses. They have physical switches on the lens for AF/MF and OIS. And one even has a manual aperture ring. Will these work with Leica SL?

Yes. The lenses are not yet on the market. There will be a firmware update for the SL in order to support these functions. This is a result of the regulatory committee meeting periodically. The committee is made up of representatives from each of the three member companies.

That's interesting. So, new concepts can be added in. How could this work in the future?

Well, for example, because of Panasonic's expertise on professional video we've had discussion about how to implement improved focus behavior for L-mount lenses in video mode. Likewise, we are excited by the potential contributions that our alliance partners can bring to future development of the L-mount standard. We see this as one of the important benefits to Leica.

So, ultimately, do you think the L-mount alliance is good for Leica and Leica customers?

I think it's very good for Leica and our customers. We now have the potential to be recognized by a much wider audience. It also shows that Leica is a recognized global player like Panasonic and Sigma. Beyond the business and marketing side, we have the potential to really benefit from the expertise of our alliance partners. This will result in innovative products under Leica brand. And from the customer perspective, the alliance greatly increases the amount of choices available.

Thanks Stephan. These are exciting times. I'm really curious to see how the L-Mount Alliance plays out going forward.

Absolutely. We are very excited too.

The post Photokina 2018: Details on the L-Mount Alliance appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

The Leica CL is an awesome little camera. Pure Leica DNA in a compact package with high quality TL lenses. And now that the L-mount alliance is a thing, more attention is being brought to cameras like the CL, which utilize the Leica L-mount. In fact, the Leica APS system cameras were the first to use this mount, beginning in 2014 with the introduction of the T (Typ 701).

Leica is strongly committed to continued support and development of its APS cameras. From the start, back in 2009 with the original Leica X1, guiding that effort has been Maike Harberts. She's the product manager responsible for all APS cameras and the driving force in bringing some of the most innovative cameras in recent years to market. Prior to her work with the X, T, TL and CL, she was instrumental in the design of the S2. We had the opportunity to talk about the CL in particular and the APS System in general.

Maike Harberts

Tell me about the silver CL.

When we launched the black CL, we wanted to concentrate on being discreet. But silver and black is the classic combination. We already had silver lenses for the TL2, so it made sense to come out with the CL in silver. I like it, me personally.

Do you think the CL makes a good backup to the M10?

If something is good, why not use it? Some people like to have a backup camera, so the CL makes a nice backup to the M10. With a very similar control concept, people can feel very comfortable with the CL without a steep learning curve. And with the adapter, M lenses work extremely well on the CL.

So, it's not a coincidence that there is so much similarity between the two cameras?

Of course not. We try to merge technology as much as possible. If we see a good idea or concept, we use it.  If the M group has a really great idea with button layout, or the Q team has a nice idea about touchscreen control, then we don't have to do this again. We also try to make the customer experience as consistent as we can across our entire product portfolio. This is our approach to product development.

The control concept on the CL is a mix of old and new. How did you find the right balance?

This is a classic camera design. It looks very classic and iconic, but we don't have a purely traditional control layout. Some might ask, “why wouldn't you put a dedicated traditional shutter dial, or ISO dial?” Well, we have unmarked lenses, so we need to have a control interface that is the most configurable to the customer as possible. On M lenses, there is of course an aperture ring. On TL lenses, you can see there is no ring, other than focus.

We initially had one dial for aperture, and one dial for shutter speed. But, we listened to customer feedback . They wanted to be able to configure the dials, so we updated the camera to allow for this. So, even though the CL appears more classic, we borrowed heavily from the TL.

And what about the function buttons? Where did the idea to place the buttons inside the two dials come from?

We could have put other function buttons on the camera , and we had prototypes with buttons, but we found that the central function buttons were the most natural. When you're holding the camera in your hand, your finger moves here very comfortably. It's a good setup in that you can configure this camera to your own needs. I really like the hot button function buttons and top dials.

The ability not just to be able to customize the buttons, but also that their functions can be changed with a long press is great.

I can shorten the menu and assign just the functions I want. You know, the list of options for long-press selection can be customized in the menu. For me, I get rid of anything that I don't need to use regularly. My camera is extremely streamlined to how I use it. This is always our goal. To get rid of anything extraneous and just focus on the essential.

You started doing this on the original T, right?

Yes. Absolutely, but also on other products, too. We always try to decide if something adds or takes away from the shooting experience.

But, you don't want to take away functionality either.

Of course not. By enabling the customer to be able to customize their own camera, we can accomplish both goals: great functionality and uncluttered ease of use.

So, TL2 versus CL. Does the TL2 still make sense now that you have the CL?

It's not TL2 versus CL. It's TL2 and CL. They're not competitors. They're siblings. They have the same blood. Same mother and father. One is an extrovert, flashy personality. The other is more conservative. The both have the Leica values.

The T paved the way for the APS system. If we wouldn't have had the T and what it did for us as a system, we wouldn't have had the CL today. The APS system is important to Leica. Why not have two different approaches in terms of handling and design? The insides are roughly the same, so we can share R&D resources. One doesn't take away from the other.

So development on both is still ongoing?

Yes.

Is there a possibility of an X3, using the technology inside the CL as a platform?

There is always a possibility, but the CL is almost the same size as the X2. The Q is now the large sensor compact camera. The APS cameras paved the way the Q. The X cameras had the sexy form factor, and were the first large sensor compact cameras when we launched the original X1 in 2009.

We launched the 18mm quite deliberately in order to create an “X3”. With the pancake lens on the CL, it is almost the same dimensions, and becomes a pocket camera. But, you also retain the flexibility of a system camera where you can change lenses when you need something different.

I still think there are those who would welcome a new X camera with the technology of the CL.

We have to see how our portfolio is shaping up and see how where the market is headed. I'm not ruling anything out, but I'm also not confirming anything either.

Are we going to be seeing more TL lenses?

There is always room for improvement. I'm very happy with the lens line as we have now. With three Varios and four prime lenses, we can fulfill many of our customer needs. We cover everything from 11 to 135mm, which is equivalent to 16 to 200mm in equivalent focus lenght. We also have a dedicated macro lens.

CL and TL2, alogn with the seven TL lenses

The first 1:1, or life-size macro for Leica, right?

Yes, that's correct. All previous macro lenses were half life size, 1:2. We were able to achieve life size reproduction ratio and also keep the lens quite compact, even with internal focus.

So, you think the TL lens lineup is complete?

There are of course spots in the lens portfolio. The development is not over. We look very closely with Peter Karbe and his team to see what we can do next. Keep in mind that we also have the M adapter. You can attach 48 M lenses. SL Summicrons. R lenses. There are more than 120 lenses to choose from for this system.

Any requests from users?

There are requests for more Summilux lenses, so this might be something to consider in the future. My favorite lens is the 35mm Summilux. Also the 60mm Macro which, we already discussed, is incredible.

Funny. These are my two favorite TL lenses too. I'm also liking the 18 quite a lot.

We have one of the smallest lenses in the market with the 18mm. And it is a really, really good lens. In terms of image quality, we are the leader in the APS market with our TL lenses. Across the whole range, all lenses are excellent. True Leica quality.

And now with the L-mount alliance, there might be even more lens options from Panasonic and Sigma. In fact, Sigma already has a line of APS lenses in other mounts. Maybe we'll see these in L-mount?

While I'm not aware of their plans, it does seem possible.

I saw that the CL was featured prominently in the Leica FOTOS app announcement. 

Yes, the CL works quite well with the FOTOS app, but this app works with all of our modern WiFi enabled cameras.  It's really a great app. Very 2018 design.

Quick connect screen for use with Leica FOTOS app

Wrapping things up, what do think about the future of the APS system for Leica?

The TL2 and CL just came out this past year, and have been very well received. The future looks very promising.

Thanks Maike.

Always a pleasure.

The post Photokina 2018: The Leica CL and Future of APS-C appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

We've also got a touchscreen, a first for a Leica M, bringing it in line with other Leica camera offerings like the SL, Q, CL and TL2. Also included is a virtual horizon, which the M10 lacked. Cosmetically, classic script engraving graces the top plate and there's no red Leica dot on the front. You can read our full comparison of the cameras here: Leica M10-P: Nearly Silent Shutter, Touchscreen

To hear about some of the decisions that went into the changes, how the quiet shutter came to be and maybe get some hints about the future of the M System, I sat down with M-System product manager Jesko von Oeynhausen at the show.

Jesko von Oeynhausen

DF: A lot of people have asked me about if we'll see an M10 Monochrom. Any hints?

JO: We don't talk about launch dates of future products, but I'll just say that if it's coming, it's still a ways off. The current Monochrom 246 is still very popular and produces extraordinary image quality. The M246 has the same resolution sensor as the M10, but because of the lack of interpolation, the 246 is still the best quality for B&W photography.

Fair enough. Still doesn't mean we can dream, right? Alright, let's talk about the M10-P. What was behind the decision to do the ultra-quiet shutter?

Based on customer feedback, we checked out the possibility to make the shutter really quiet. The M10 is already very close to perfect, in our opinion. The design was inspired by customer requests. After we addressed major requests like the thinner body, improved ease of use, ISO dial, larger viewfinder, there wasn't much be improved on. We wanted to come out with a meaningful upgrade for our P version. So, we started looking again to the customers to see what else we could update. Requests for a quieter shutter came up frequently, so we looked into the possibility to change the mechanical design of the shutter and body. The shutter is already very discreet on the M10, but we found that it would be possible to improve it.

How were you able to achieve such a quiet shutter in the same body compact size?

First, we started with a new shutter mechanism which was already quieter. But this wasn't enough. We needed to re-engineer how the shutter is mounted in the camera to isolate vibration. Here, we were able to use rubberized mounting techniques. This prevents sound and vibration from transferring to the body.

So, the mechanism and the mounting were all that were necessary?

Almost. See, it's not just the sound and vibration. We also managed to reduce the higher frequencies which makes the sound softer overall. This was like a kind of tuning. And it makes the sound much more subtle and discreet.

Why did you choose to add a touchscreen into the M10-P?

The technology was there and we thought it could make picture taking more efficient, especially for checking focus in live view and playback. It also adds consistency across the product portfolio. Now, the M10-P, SL, TL2, CL, and Q all have the same playback experience.

The touchscreen responds to pinch-to-zoom, as well as double-tapping for 100% review

Did you worry that some users might view a touchscreen as being not M-like?

It was important to us that the touchscreen doesn't take away from the M experience, as every function with buttons still remains. The touchscreen just adds another option. And so far, we haven't heard any negative feedback.

Some controls like exposure compensation work with both the rear dial and touchscreen

Why not black paint?

Wow, you are maybe the fourth person to ask me this today! We have chosen black chrome again from the M10 because it has been well received. The matte finish and robustness pair well with the camera. Now you have work extra hard to get the same patina like you would with paint.

Is it possible to upgrade an M10 to an M10-P?

We are evaluating if there can be an attractive upgrade program, as we offered from M9 to M9-P. But, as I mentioned, it's not just the shutter. An upgrade would also require modification of the main body which makes the process very expensive. So, if the cost to the end customer is too great, an upgrade program might not be the most economical approach. Ultimately, we want what is best for our M photographers. We will see.

Will Leica offer the M10 in an a la carte program?

We don't have plans for this at the moment.

Let's move on to M lenses. The 75mm Noctilux is an incredible lens, but it is still so heavily backordered and hard to get. Any chance this will improve?

The 75mm Noctilux has been very well received in market. We know that people are still waiting to receive them. But the lens is extremely challenging to produce. Because of the design criteria you need a very  high level of precision, and we have such tight tolerances and specifications that it's a real challenge to get all the components in the quantities we need from our suppliers. Of course, we're working on this and will try to improve the situation. But we will not sacrifice final quality just to make more.

It seems like the M lens line up is so complete. Is there any room for improvement or additional  lenses?

The success of modern lenses that perform outstandingly well versus the competition, as well as classic Leica designs, makes us believe that new lenses which open a new level of performance are worth exploring. Higher resolution sensors in the future might require even better lenses than what's available now. Full frame lenses want to be used with full open aperture to show their technical advantage with shallow depth of field and extreme sharpness. This is one of Leica's strengths in optical design.

Any specific lenses you have mind? More additions to the Noctilux line, perhaps?

Like I said, we don't like to talk about future or possible products.

Well, it was worth a shot. Thanks so much for talking with me, Jesko.

My pleasure.

The post Photokina 2018: The Leica M-System appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

Overwhelmingly, resolution was the number one request, with most users wanting to see 60 megapixels. Other top wishes included a desire for better high ISO performance and improved dynamic range, while keeping the same speed as the S007. There were also those who saw value in 4K video using the entire sensor area. Interestingly, others felt as I did with regards to leaving the body alone, both to retain compatibility with existing accessories as well as appreciating what a great design is already in place. Now that the S3 has been officially announced at the press event on Tuesday, it looks like the major boxes were checked.

Leica S3 announcement at the press event

At the heart of the Leica S3 is a brand new, Leica-specific 64 megapixel CMOS chip. This new exclusive sensor architecture features improved dynamic range, superior high ISO performance with lower noise, a new color filter array for better color reproduction, and lower power consumption. The camera is still quick with a 3 frames per second shooting rate, down only very slightly from the 3.5 FPS in the S007, and the ISO range has been bumped from a maximum of ISO 12,500 to ISO 50,000. This looks very much like the camera most S users were hoping for. So, kudos to Leica for paying attention and delivering what customers actually wanted.

ISO range up to 50,000

Outwardly, the S3 looks and feels identical to the S007, which isn't a bad thing at all. The current S body is extremely ergonomic and satisfying to shoot with. I've relied on the S system for all my serious landscape excursions for years. The S is a tank, through and through, holding up to some of the most gnarly conditions I can throw at it. Whether standing under a waterfall or laying in the surf, the S just works, turning out breathtaking image quality. And the optical viewfinder is second to none, offering up a clear, bright and expansive view through the stunning S glass. Now, Leica seems to have taken that formula to the next level.

At the show, before my scheduled interview with Toni Felsner, the product manager for the Leica S3,  I had the chance to play around with the camera. Leica had numerous working prototypes placed around the booth and in the back press room. They also had a small photo studio set up where you could shoot the camera tethered to a computer running Lightroom. All the memory card doors were glued shut. Yes, I checked. A this point Leica doesn't want anyone sneaking off with files before the camera's processing algorithms are fully baked.

But, I can attest that the cameras all work perfectly, and that the resulting images on the LCD screens and during tethered shooting looked great. I was able to zoom in to 100% on the LCD, which was just about as quick as doing so on the S007. This was one of my concerns with putting so many more megapixels into the camera, but speed doesn't seem to be an issue here.

Can I keep it?

Remember, the Maestro II image processor in the S3 can churn through 320 megapixels of raw file data per second. That's still enough capacity to render and display five images per second at 64 MP. So, even though we're not seeing a new generation of processor, Maestro II was designed with ample headroom. Honestly, there wouldn't be much benefit here shifting to a new architecture.

Big prints from the S3

I checked out some massive prints from the S3 that had to be rolled out on the floor. These handheld landscape shots were incredibly sharp and detailed. I got down on the floor to scrutinize them and I still couldn't find any fault. The level of resolving power between the S lenses and the new sensor is impressive, to say the least.

The following day, I had the chance to chat with Toni Felsner, product manager for the Leica S3. Toni and I have known each other for the better part of ten years, back to the early days of the S2.

Toni Felsner

DF: Hey Toni. Thanks for meeting with me to discuss the S.

TF: My pleasure.

How's the show going so far?

Great. Lots of interest in the new S3.

This show is significant for the S, isn't it?

It's actually been ten years since we launched the S System. We've had three generations of S camera. We've delivered 16 major firmware updates to our customers. We now have 16 S lenses in our portfolio, six of which have central shutters. And now we're very excited about the S3 launch.

What has changed for the S3?

Primarily, we have changed the sensor, increasing the resolution from 37.5 to 64 Megapixels while improving overall image quality.

Is the sensor adapted from another Leica product?

No, this is a completely new design, made specifically for the Leica S3. You will not see this sensor technology in any other camera.

What about a low pass filter?

No, we only have an IR filter glass over the sensor. A low pass filter would reduce resolving performance, so we don't use it.

Conventional wisdom says that as resolution increases and pixel size decreases, dynamic range and high ISO performance suffer. Is this the case with the new sensor in the S3?

Absolutely not. We stayed at 37.5 megapixels for as long as we did in order to focus on delivering maximum image quality. Top DR. Excellent high ISO. But, sensor technology has evolved and we are now able to achieve both an increase in resolution and, at the same time a two stop improvement in noise performance, and even greater dynamic range than the S007.

Wait. Better dynamic range than the S007? With over 15 stops of range, the S007 is incredible. It's changed the way I approach landscape shooting.

Yes, we are going to be able to offer even more. Wait until you see it.

That's incredible. Any other cool tech on the sensor side?

So the sensor features a dual gain structure, which allows us to maximize higher ISO performance. In our test shooting, ISO 6400 looks super clean. Almost no noise whatsoever. And, the noise profile on the files at even higher settings looks less like noise, and more like grain.

Also, we implemented a new color filter array, which is going to offer really amazing color. We will tune the output for skin tone, but it will work extremely well for a wide variety of applications like landscape, architecture, fine art, etc. You'll especially see an improvement in the red channel, which has always been challenging for digital photographers when photographing bright reds, like automotive paint, or flowers in the sun.

Clearly, you were focused on image quality. Did you think about any other criteria when you were developing the camera?

We really worked on making the sensor very power efficient with extremely low heat output. By running the sensor cooler, this gives the user better battery life, but also delivers the best image quality. You don't want a hot sensor. Not for video, and not for absolute best image quality.

I've noticed that some of the mirrorless competitors can run a little warm.

Yeah, this is one of the reasons why we feel it is best to stick with the DSLR form factor. We have absolutely no problem with dissipating heat, and this allows us to not sacrifice any quality.

Would you consider bringing out a mirrorless in the future?

Sure. We would certainly take a look. We, of course, listen to our customers and hear this request. But, we will not do it if it means sacrificing absolute image quality. This is always our top priority. If the technology becomes available, we would certainly be open to this idea. Right now, we are completely focused on the new S3 and optimizing image quality before delivery.

And what about the video features?

We are able to offer 4K video across the entire medium format frame, which is a first. So you get to keep the look of the still photos. No crop on the lenses. Same Leica look and color between stills and video.

How about the speed? The S has always been one of the fastest medium format cameras on the market since the S2. With so many more pixels to deal with, will this effect the speed, either with regards to frame rate, or review?

So, we were able to keep the speed up with fast Maestro II processing. The frame rate only drops slightly from 3.5 fps on the S007 to 3 fps on the S3. This is still extremely fast for medium format. Even with a good sized 2GB buffer, the larger 64MP files do take up more space. So instead of the buffer depth of 12-15 shots on the S007, the S3 will shoot around 7-8 images before the buffer fills. It does clear quickly, which we think will be adequate for most users.

Playback and operation are very similar to the S007. Here, we still keep the camera very responsive and nice to work with.

The camera looks great. When can we expect it to be available?

Our plan is to start delivering in Spring of 2019. We still have some things we want to optimize, but the quality is already outstanding and quite promising.

Would it be possible to for customers with the S007 to have their cameras upgraded to the S3 by Customer Care?

We did consider the possibility of an upgrade program, but because the entire camera would have to be taken down to its base components and rebuilt like a new camera, with full calibration and alignment, along with the cost of the sensor and supporting technology, the cost would be quite high. We figure that most customers will find it more economical to trade-in or sell their current camera.

And what about pricing on the S3?

We will announce the final price as we get closer to the release of the camera.

Thanks so much, Toni. I can't wait for the camera.

The post Photokina 2018: The Leica S3 appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

For my part, of course, I headed straight to Leica. Before the show even started, most of the announcements and news broke at the Leica press event. You can read my coverage here: Photokina 2018: Day 0 – Leica Press Event

Heading up to Hall 2.2

This year, Leica has moved upstairs to a large space in Hall 2.2 from their usual 2.1 location. The booth is a simple, open floor plan with information/demo tables spaced around. Last year's pro focus is out, even though the S3 was announced and a large focus of this year's showing. The idea was simply to let people get hands-on with whatever they wanted to play with.

Leica Booth

There was also a small studio to check out the S3 and SL in action. By the end of the show, people lined up down the corridor to get their portraits taken.

Leica Pro Studio

Most of my time at the show, though, would be spent inside the press area and meeting rooms. Needless to say, I had a very full few days.

In back-to-back meetings, I had discussions with Maike Harberts about the newly introduced Silver CL and the direction of the APS System, Jesko von Oeynhausen regarding the new M10-P and possibilities in the M System, as well as investigating the story behind the L-Mount Alliance and getting hands-on with the S3 and the 35mm APO-Summicron-SL. And that was just the first day!

Busy press area

Day 2 became a deep dive into the new Leica S3 with Toni Felsner, the S3 product manager, but not before a private breakfast interview with Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, chairman of Leica Camera AG, at my hotel. The following morning, I started the day with over an hour with the optics team behind the Leica SL lenses, then ended with background on the L-Mount Alliance from the head of professional products Stephan Schulz.

Rather than try to cram everything in to my typical day-by-day articles I've done in the past, I'll be posting my conversations on each topic as stand-alone articles. This way, getting information on a per-system basis will be a lot easier.

Here's links to all the Photokina 2018 content for easy reference. The links will be updated as my articles are posted.

• Photokina 2018: Day 0 – Leica Press Event
• Photokina 2018: The Leica S3
• Photokina 2018: The Leica M-System
• Photokina 2018: Details on the L-Mount Alliance
• Photokina 2018: The Leica CL and Future of APS-C
• Leica APO-Summicron-SLs: A Discussion with Peter Karbe and Dietmar Stuible
• Breakfast with Dr. Andreas Kaufmann

It's been a extremely productive few days, with lots of information to process. These are exciting times to be sure. Leica is firing on all cylinders right now, with an amazing product portfolio. The L-Mount Alliance looks to be a good thing. I can't wait to get my hands on the S3 for some shooting in the field. The FOTOS app is modern, sleek and well thought out. SL primes appear to be extraordinary and can't come soon enough. And the APS system seems to really be hitting its stride with the CL. I hope you'll find all of these interviews as informative as I have.

This Photokina marked the last time the meeting will be held every two years in the fall. Starting May 2019, Photokina will now be a yearly affair. So, in about six months, I'll be back in Cologne, Germany for more. Really curious to see what that show will bring. Until then, stay tuned.

The post Leica at Photokina 2018: Wrap Up appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

To infinity and beyond? No, this is the new logo for the L-Mount Alliance, which was to be unveiled at the event. Making my way inside, I found a seat right up front, said my hellos to a few familiar faces and noticed the countdown clock on stage.

Coming out on stage as emcee was old friend Craig Semetko, noted street photographer and all around nice guy.

Craig wasted no time in introducing Matthias Harsch, the CEO of Leica Camera AG. Harsch reiterated the rise of mirrorless cameras,  waxed about how more pictures are being taken today than ever before, and how Leica was perfectly positioned with its product portfolio.

Director of product management Stefan Daniel took his turn with Semetko next. In rapid fire fashion, he hit upon the black Sofort, the silver CL and the new Leica FOTOS app.

Moving right along, Director of professional products Stephan Schulz came up.

He mentioned that this Photokina marks the 10th anniversary of the Leica S-System. Technically, I suppose this is true. The S2 made its debut here in 2008 – in fact I was there. But, the camera didn't ship until the end of 2009. So….

And just like the S2, and S006, and S007 before it, the Leica S3 was announced at Photokina…with a ship date in the near future. In this case, we can look forward to the new S3 in Spring 2019.

The new S3 will feature a big jump in resolution, care of a brand new 64MP CMOS chip. In spite of the increase in pixel count, the S3 will still be quick, offering 3 fps continuous capture. Also on tap is an increased ISO range up to 50,000 and 4K video that takes advantage of the entire 30x45mm sensor area. This is big, and big news for video shooters. Stephan said there were working prototypes at the show, so I'm hoping to get hands-on tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Schulz also touched on the SL lens road map. He reiterated the 35 and 50 APO-Summicron-SL lenses are coming soon, and added in three new wide angle primes to the mix. The 21, 24, and 28mm APO-Summicron-SLs are coming 2020. And that is no typo. These next five lenses, including the wides, are all APO ASPH designs. These lenses should offer unbelievable performance.

Talking about L-Mount lenses….cue the video.

Leica has joined forces with Panasonic and Sigma to form the L-Mount Alliance. Leica has licensed the mount and opened up development of non-Leica cameras and lenses to share in the development around the Leica L-Mount. You can read about the full details here: Leica Announces L-Mount Alliance with Panasonic and Sigma

The heads of each company joined in a panel discussion moderated by Semetko, each saying how great the Alliance will be.

Following the discussion, the event came to a quick close. The panel members were whisked away to the photo op area where they were swarmed by what I assume were members of the press.

Stay tuned for continuing Photokina 2018 coverage. I'm heading to the Leica booth tomorrow when the show officially opens to get hands-on and talk to product managers. I've got a bunch of interviews lined up that you will not want to miss.

The post Photokina 2018: Day 0 – Leica Press Event appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

Immediately following Leica's press event, Panasonic held one of its own, where they debuted the first product of the alliance. The LUMIX S series will be a full frame mirrorless camera system based around the L Mount. And while Sigma didn't have any official announcements today, they did hint that they might be showing off some new L-Mount lenses here at the show.

L-Mount Alliance logo

The move is an interesting one for all parties involved. Leica is obviously the optical powerhouse, Panasonic the electronics expert and Sigma brings additional lower-priced lenses and lens adapters to the table. With an open mount standard across three companies, the speed of innovation will most certainly improve, as will the end-user options. Leica and Panasonic have already been collaborators since 2001, so they already have an established working relationship. This move just strengthens that existing partnership.

The heads of Leica, Panasonic and Sigma discussing the L-Mount Alliance

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out over the next few years, as each member pursues its own R&D and own products, while sharing technology and resources. This could be very, very good for photographers in the near future.

Press Release

The L-Mount Alliance: a strategic cooperation between Leica Camera, Panasonic and Sigma

Cologne, 25 September 2018. At the company’s press conference prior to the opening of photokina 2018, Leica Camera AG, Panasonic and Sigma announced a strategic partnership. The ‘L-Mount Alliance’ is a previously unparalleled form of collaboration that will particularly benefit the customers of all three partners. The collaboration enables Panasonic and Sigma to make use of the L-Mount standard developed by Leica for their own developments and to offer both cameras and lenses utilizing this lens mount. As a joint effort of all three partners, this alliance will increase the importance of the L -Mount technology to the world of photography even further.

Due to their numerous interchangeable components, system cameras are extremely versatile and can be individually configured for a wide range of photographic needs. Here, the bayonet is the most important interface, because the lens makes a decisive contribution to imaging performance and, in turn, to the quality of the final results. Thanks to the strategic partnership between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma, customers will be able to choose from a much wider selection of cameras and lenses without having to limit themselves to a particular brand, as all three brands will share the same proprietary bayonet mount.

Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG and majority shareholder: “For  photographers, the ability to choose from a wide range of lenses for their system of preference is extremely important. Especially in the strongly growing market for mirrorless system cameras, users seek increasingly greater product diversity to fulfill a wide range of different photographic needs. We have therefore decided to work together with prominent partners in the photographic segment as an immediate response to these needs. Our long-established partnership with Panasonic is a collaboration based on mutual trust, and the company's expertise in the area of electronics is unquestioned. Sigma is also a highly respected company that has become firmly established especially in the areas of optical design and lens manufacturing and is able to perfectly complement our existing portfolio of L-Mount products. We are convinced that we and our partners can realize mutual and sustainable growth for all our products.”

Mr. Tetsuro Homma, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation: “Panasonic has always focused on revolutionizing the camera sector to make the lives of photo enthusiasts easier, more sophisticated and more enjoyable. Our longstanding partnership with Leica has brought many high-performance and high-quality digital cameras to the market; fusing Leica's superior optical technology with Panasonic's digital technologies. Our partnership has enabled us to accelerate the development of excellent digital camera products, and the L-Mount alliance with Leica and Sigma is a great example of such acceleration. This is an alliance of growing players, which will make a fundamental difference to the future of the imaging industry. We have always been a challenger, bringing innovation to the industry under the slogan of “Changing Photography” to meet the high expectations of professionals. Our partnership with Leica and Sigma will create additional business opportunities for our businesses, but more importantly will advance our customers’ joy of photography.”

Mr. Kazuto Yamaki, Chief Executive Officer, SIGMA Corporation: “As cameras evolved into digital and mirrorless, requirements from users and systems introduced by each brands diversified. Currently, there are overwhelming choices for users, but in terms of extensibility and possibility, the system truly meets user’s needs is not yet available. SIGMA is joining this  alliance to develop mirrorless cameras benefiting from a short flange back. As SIGMA strives to develop high performance, high quality and innovative products, this alliance will strengthen the level of completion and the extensibility of our camera system and provide greater user benefits. Leica is a magnificent company that has been contributing to photographic cultures for more than 100 years, and Panasonic is leading the industry by developing reliable technologies across various fields. Together with SIGMA’s unique, high performance and high quality products, the L-Mount will evolve as an extremely attractive system for users.”

About the L-Mount

The L-Mount was developed by Leica Camera under the proviso of providing customers with a future-proof, flexible, robust and precise bayonet mount that would fulfill even the most demanding photographic needs. Since its initial appearance in 2014 within the Leica T, development of the L-Mount was continued by Leica as well as by its strategic partners, which led to significant improvements and therefore an effectively new and more polished L-Mount technology.

To ensure maximum product diversity, the diameter of 51.6 millimeters was chosen to make the L -Mount suitable for use not only with full-frame cameras, but also on cameras with APS-C sensors. The short register of only 20 millimeters enables a short distance between the lens and the sensor, which in turn enables considerably more compact construction – which is particularly helpful for developments in the wide-angle lens segment. To ensure resistance to even the most extreme stresses, and to guarantee customers maximum reliability in many years in intensive use, the camera bayonets are manufactured from wear-resistant stainless steel and with four flange segments that prevent canting and ensure particularly secure and precisely positioned lens attachment. The standardized L-Mount contact strip ensures trouble-free communication between the electronic components of the lens and the camera – including the possibility of installing future firmware updates for lenses to react to technological advances and exploit the full performance potentials of the lens.

The lens mount is currently used in the Leica SL full-frame camera system and the Leica CL, TL2 and TL APS-C camera models. All lenses made for the various different systems can be used on all cameras without adapters and without any functional limitations – this illustrates only one of the numerous benefits the common bayonet brings for customers. In the near future, not only Leica Camera AG, but also Panasonic and Sigma will be announcing further products that use the common standard.

The post Leica Announces L-Mount Alliance with Panasonic and Sigma appeared first on Red Dot Forum.

I will be heading off to Cologne, Germany for what should be another great show. As I have done for the past six Photokinas, I will be reporting daily from the show on all things Leica, with in-depth write-ups on new products, interviews with product managers, and coverage from any special events. The team back in Miami will also be posting details on any new product announcements or press releases that come our way.

Photokina  2018 runs from Wednesday, September 26 – Saturday, September 29.

You can stay on top of the latest news and updates from the show in different ways. Be sure to bookmark, subscribe and follow at the links below for the latest updates.

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Comments and questions welcome

I will be keeping tabs on comments and questions, and will do my best to address any specific topics or inquiries submitted by Red Dot Forum users directly with my contacts at Leica.

The post Stay Tuned for Full Photokina 2018 Coverage appeared first on Red Dot Forum.