Leica to Expand into CSC Business, AP Says

June 22, 2011 | Zoltan Arva-Toth | Compact System Camera | 1 Comment |
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Leica is looking into producing compact system cameras (CSCs) to compete with the mirrorless systems of Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. In an interview given to Amateur Photographer (AP), Leica CEO Alfred Schopf and chairman Dr Andreas Kaufmann revealed that the company is planning to announce a compact system camera featuring “an imaging sensor at least as large as an APS-size” at Photokina 2012. The news comes as a surprise, especially given that a number of Leica-designed (and -branded) Panasonic lenses are already available for the Micro Four Thirds system, including the Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. Mega O.I.S: (read review) and the brand new Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH. From the interview, you can also learn - among other things - whether Leica is still considering the introduction of a digital R system and whether they are outsourcing the production of Leica lenses to China.

Source: Amateur Photographer

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#1 rob

I don't understand why this announcement comes as a surprise. In my view, Leica made a right choice.

They seem to finally get a hint that they have no chance competing in the most popular category of small-sensor point-and-shoot-cameras. And they may be able to shake up the field of mirrorless system cameras a little bit (if they won't take too much of their usual sweet time to release the actual product).

For those who don't mind spending extra money for the quality, this announcement is worth watching and following, especially in the light of the statement saying that “an imaging sensor at least as large as an APS-size”.

11:19 pm - Tuesday, June 28, 2011