Back to the Future: Leica Resumes In-House Sensor Innovation

Leica CEO Andrea Kaufmann confirms Leica is developing a new in‑house image sensor
Leica is developing a new proprietary image sensor; a typical cycle takes ~5 years.

Leica confirms in‑house sensor development, potentially for M12 and SL4

Leica’s CEO Andrea Kaufmann has confirmed that the company is once again developing its own image sensor. After using AMS sensors up to the M10 and switching to Sony sensors for the M11 generation, Leica appears set to return to an in‑house solution—a process that typically spans about five years and is reportedly already well underway.

It’s notable to see Leica charting its own path again. The move raises interesting questions about what prompted the shift away from Sony sensors, which continue to set benchmarks for innovation (for example, partially stacked architectures in the A7V and ongoing global shutter advances like those seen in the A9II).Going in‑house could give Leica more control over color science, microlens design tailored for rangefinder optics, and supply chain independence. It could also enable unique feature trade‑offs that better match Leica’s priorities for the M and SL systems.It’s likely the new sensor will find it’s way in the future Leica M12 and SL4 cameras!

L-mount news roundup


Great Lenses, Bleh Anamorphics | Sirui Astra Full Frame 1.33X Anamorphics

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
ARRI Accidentally Just Made Lumix the Best Digital Film Camera (Gary Scaife)
LUMIX GH7 vs. LUMIX S1II – The Choice is Easy!? (Geeky Nerdy Tech)
Lumix S1: The Best Full Frame Camera Under $1000? (Viljar Bøe)
Gifts for the Photographer Who Has It All (Explora)
Gear Up, Part 2: Must-Have Cameras and Lenses (42West)

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CineD says the Panasonic LUMIX S1II is the overall camera of the year

CineD has shared its list of the best cameras of 2025. The Lumix S1II was chosen as Hybrid Camera of the Year!

Key reasons for the win:

  1. Dynamic Range Boost Mode

    • Offers dual modes:

      • Fast readout with solid DR

      • Or slow readout with ALEXA LF–level latitude

    • A standout feature among hybrid cameras.

  2. Pro Video Features

    • Internal ProRes RAW recording

    • 6K60p, open-gate 5.1K 3:2, and anamorphic support (including IBIS desqueeze)

    • ARRI Log C3 (optional upgrade)

  3. Reliable Autofocus & Usability

    • Phase-detection AF finally brings Panasonic up to par with rivals.

    • Excellent ergonomics, button layout, and active cooling.

  4. Post-Launch Improvements

    • Firmware updates helped resolve early overheating concerns, making it stable for real-world use.

  5. Best of Both Worlds

    • Nino notes it delivers a feature set closer to high-end cinema cameras like the ALEXA Mini LF, in a mirrorless body.

Lumix S1II at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Fotokoch, FotoErhardt, Calumet, Clifton

CIPA reports an impressive spike in fixed-lens camera sales

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CIPA has published global camera shipment data from Japanese manufacturers and there has been a spike in shipments. And as you can see from the graphs below while system camera sales are on par with last years performance the fixed lens camera market is really booming.

I am sure cameras like the Ricoh GRIV are selling hot right now! I wonder if this will convince Panasonic to revive the Lumix LX100 series!

LEAKED: New SG-image 35mm f/2.2 AF Full Frame pancake lens (coming for L-mount too)

Our reader Z.W spotted this image of a new SG-image 35mm f/2.2 AF Full Frame pancake lens. What you see is the E-mount version but Z.W. told me and L-mount version will be available too! 35mm f/2.2 Full Frame autofocus lens for L-mount…this will look great on the Lumix S9 and Sigma BF. Imagine if Panasonic would have launched the S9 with a pancake lens carrying those same specs instead of the manual 26mm f/8.0. The camera would have sold much better!

Z.W. told us the the official bundle probably includes a metal square lens hood. I hope the image quality is decent and if that’s the case it will sell very well. Also because usually SG-images are extremely affordable (you can find them here on Amazon).