Surprise: Leica could be sold to a Chinese company

Blackstone Group and the Kaufmann family are considering selling a controlling stake in Leica for approximately €1 billion. Potential buyers include HSG (Hony Capital, formerly Sequoia China) and Altor Equity Partners.

A bit of history:

Leica sold a 44% stake to Blackstone in 2011 for €130 million (US$179 million). Blackstone invested in 2011 to help the brand expand internationally, particularly in the Asian market. Since then, the company has successfully transformed from a niche manufacturer into a broader luxury brand.

As an European I understand partnerships are necessary. Still it’s sad to see such an important legacy company being sold abroad. But China is the new force in the photography world and I suspect that in 10 years from now most camera and lens companies will be made and owned by Chinese manufacturers.

L-mount news roundup


I Tried to Overheat LUMIX S1II & S1RII | DIRECT SUN TEST ☀️

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
Kolari Clip in ND Filters — Are They Worth It? (Matthew Dangyou)
Sigma 24mm F3.5 L Mount Full Review (Aiur Media).
Profoto Releasing L600 Mono-LED Lights and ProPanel 3×2 RGB Panel (Explora)
How To Take Dreamy Slow Shutter Speed Photos (42West)

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Insta360 CEO is teasing the launch of a new APS-C mirrorless system camera: What if it’s L-mount?

The CEO of Insta360 just posted this image of what appears to be a completely new INSTA360 camera. His text going along the image was “向新的焦段出发” (Heading towards new focal lengths).

Key Identifiers & Specs (from the image and leaks):

  • Aperture: The screen clearly shows an f/1.8 aperture.

  • Form Factor: It appears to be a fixed-lens compact camera or a compact mirrorless system designed to compete with the Fujifilm X100 series or the Sony ZV-1/Vlog series.

  • UI/Interface: The screen layout (showing the [9999+] shot counter and A mode) is an evolution of the Insta360 Ace Pro interface, including a large flip-up touchscreen.

  • Body Design: The camera has a distinct tan/beige rugged casing in the photo (which may be a prototype skin or a “Desert Edition”). It features physical control wheels for aperture and exposure compensation, a first for the brand.

If this is going to be a mirroless camera with APS-C sensor…will it be fixed lens or have a mount? If it’s a mirrorless camera it would make sense for them to join the L-mount system as this would give them instant access to a ton of lenses. What do you think about this rmeote possibility?

SG.image 35mm f/2.2 L-mount pancake lens will be released before Spring!

SG-image announced the pricing and shipment time for the new 35mm f/2.2 Full Frame Autofocus lens:

  • Black: 699 yuan (around $100)
  • Silver: 749 yuan (around $110)
  • Weight: 163 g
  • Sony E-mount & Nikon Z-mount: Officially on sale January 31 (lenses released earlier this year all use the classic engraved exterior)
  • L-mount: Still in progress, aiming to launch before Spring

This one is made for agility and lightness and for little bit more than $100 this could be a perfect match for the Sigma BF and Lumix S9!

Dpreview: What we expect to see from Panasonic

Dpreview expects this from Panasonic:

Panasonic – What we expect to see

Given how well the S1II’s sensor performs for video, it feels inevitable that Panasonic will release some sort of video camera based around it. That could take the form of a Nikon ZR or Sony ZV-E1 competitor, focused on vlogging and ease of use, or it could be something more akin to the Canon EOS C50 or Sony FX3, with a cinema-style body that has even more cooling and is covered in attachment points.

Beyond that, it’s hard to predict what Panasonic might do next, given that it just updated pretty much all of its high-end, full frame cameras. It still seems a bit early to expect an update to the S5 series… if indeed the company plans on continuing that line at all, instead of replacing it with the S1IIE. Panasonic is another one where the only thing we really expect is the unexpected, be that a new camera or a feature-packed firmware update.

Panasonic – What we’d like to see

We said it last year, and we’ll say it again: we’d love to see a new enthusiast compact from Panasonic, potentially as a continuation of the LX100 series. Though, like with Canon and Sony, it seems like companies have a lot of momentum in just letting the compact market ride.

Similarly, we’d also be excited if Panasonic were to come out with a new GM or GX camera; the market is sorely missing a truly compact Micro Four Thirds option that plays into the mount’s greatest strength: its collection of solid, compact lenses. Is Panasonic invested enough in the system to do that? We’re not sure, and the fact that they repurposed a full frame body for the G9 II gives us extra pause, but that doesn’t keep us from hoping.