L-Mount Alliance

Last updated
Kazuto Yamaki (Sigma), Andreas Kaufmann (Leica Camera) and Junichiro Kitagawa (Panasonic) during the announcement of the alliance on 25 September 2018 at photokina in Cologne Kazuto.Yamaki.Andreas.Kaufmann.Junichiro.Kitagawa.A.photokina.2018.jpg
Kazuto Yamaki (Sigma), Andreas Kaufmann (Leica Camera) and Junichiro Kitagawa (Panasonic) during the announcement of the alliance on 25 September 2018 at photokina in Cologne

The L-Mount Alliance is an alliance between Leica Camera AG, Panasonic and Sigma, launched on 25 September 2018, whereby Panasonic and Sigma will make use of the L-Mount standard initially developed by Leica and will offer cameras and lenses utilising this lens mount with improved firmware and full compatibility among these Alliance products. [1] [2]

Contents

On the same day, Panasonic announced its S1R and S1 full-frame L-mount cameras, [3] and Sigma announced a full-frame L-mount camera using the company's unique Foveon sensor technology. [4] [5] Panasonic's cameras will launch with three new lenses, and Sigma will initially release the same L-mount variants of existing lenses as they are producing for the Sony E-mount. [2] [6]

Six cameras and 39 native lenses have been announced for the L-Mount by 2020.

Expansion

On 13 July 2023 it was announced that Astrodesign and Samyang would be joining the alliance. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leica Camera</span> German optics company

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Thirds system</span> Digital camera design standard

The Four Thirds System is a standard created by Olympus and Eastman Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) and mirrorless camera design and development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital single-lens reflex camera</span> Digital cameras combining the parts of a single-lens reflex camera and a digital camera back

A digital single-lens reflex camera is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a solid-state image sensor and digitally records the images from the sensor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigma Corporation</span> Japanese camera and camera lens manufacturer

Sigma Corporation is a Japanese company, manufacturing cameras, lenses, flashes and other photographic accessories. All Sigma products are produced in the company's own Aizu factory in Bandai, Fukushima, Japan. Although Sigma produces several camera models, the company is best known for producing high-quality lenses and other accessories that are compatible with the cameras produced by other companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lumix</span> Brand of digital cameras made by Panasonic

Lumix is Panasonic's brand of digital cameras, ranging from pocket point-and-shoot models to digital SLRs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Image sensor format</span> Shape and size of a digital cameras image sensor

In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micro Four Thirds system</span> Digital camera design standard

The Micro Four Thirds system is a standard released by Olympus and Panasonic in 2008, for the design and development of mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras, camcorders and lenses. Camera bodies are available from Blackmagic, DJI, JVC, Kodak, Olympus, Panasonic, Sharp, and Xiaomi. MFT lenses are produced by Cosina Voigtländer, DJI, Kowa, Kodak, Mitakon, Olympus, Panasonic, Samyang, Sharp, Sigma, SLR Magic, Tamron, Tokina, TTArtisan, Veydra, Xiaomi, Laowa, Yongnuo, Zonlai, Lensbaby, Kowa, Venus Optics and 7artisans amongst others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1</span>

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 was the first digital mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC) adhering to the Micro Four Thirds system design standard. The G1 camera is similar to the larger Four Thirds system format DSLR cameras, but replaces the complex optical path needed for the optical viewfinder with an electronic viewfinder EVF displaying a live view image directly from the sensor. Eliminating the mirror box and optical viewfinder allows for smaller and lighter camera bodies, while the less complex optical path also allows for smaller, lighter lens designs.

The Samsung NX-mount is the lens mount used on NX series mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras by Samsung. The mount was first implemented in the Samsung NX10, and Samsung initially referred to the NX line as 'hybrid digital cameras', citing their combination of attributes of both DSLR and compact cameras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirrorless camera</span> Compact camera with a user-removable and replaceable lens

A mirrorless camera is a photo camera featuring a single, removable lens and a digital display. The camera does not have a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but may have an electronic viewfinder. Many mirrorless cameras retain a mechanical shutter. Like a DSLR, a mirrorless camera accepts any of a series of interchangeable lenses compatible with its lens mount.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony E-mount</span>

The E-mount is a lens mount designed by Sony for their NEX and ILCE series of camcorders and mirrorless cameras. The E-mount supplements Sony's α mount, allowing the company to develop more compact imaging devices while maintaining compatibility with 35mm sensors. E-mount achieves this by:

The Pentax Q series is a series of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras made by Pentax and introduced in 2011 with the initial model Pentax Q. As of September 2012, it was the world's smallest, lightest interchangeable lens digital camera. The first models used a 1/2.3" back-illuminated sensor CMOS image sensor. The Q7, introduced in June 2013, uses a larger 1/1.7" type sensor. The Q system is now discontinued.

The Samsung NX series was a series of APS-C mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras with Samsung NX lens mounts from Samsung Electronics, introduced in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leica SL (Typ 601)</span>

The Leica SL is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera announced by Leica Camera AG on 20 October 2015. The SL is promoted as a camera system for professional applications. Beside the Leica S-System, the Leica SL-System is the 2nd professional camera system in the company's product portfolio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5</span>

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless interchangeable lens camera body announced by Panasonic on 4 January 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leica L-Mount</span>

The Leica L-Mount is a bayonet mount developed by Leica Camera AG for interchangeable-lens autofocus digital cameras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon Z-mount</span> Digital camera lens mount

Nikon Z-mount is an interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its mirrorless digital cameras. In late 2018, Nikon released two cameras that use this mount, the full-frame Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6. In late 2019 Nikon announced their first Z-mount camera with an APS-C sensor, the Nikon Z 50. In July 2020 the entry level full-frame Z 5 was introduced. In October 2020, Nikon announced the Nikon Z 6II and Nikon Z 7II, which succeed the Z 6 and Z 7, respectively. The APS-C lineup was expanded in July 2021, with the introduction of the retro styled Nikon Z fc, and in October 2021, Nikon unveiled the Nikon Z 9, which effectively succeeds the brand's flagship D6 DSLR. The APS-C lineup was further expanded with the Nikon Z 30, announced at the end of June 2022.

The Leica SL2 is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera released by Leica Camera on 6 November 2019. The camera uses the Leica L-Mount lenses range and is part of the L-Mount Alliance of camera bodies that Leica co-developed with Panasonic and Sigma.

The Leica S-System is a medium format digital single lens reflex camera system introduced by Leica Camera in 1996. Beginning with the Leica S1, a prototype top-end studio digital camera unveiled at Photokina 1996. It went into production at the end of 1997.

References

  1. Bracaglia, Dan (25 September 2018). "Leica, Panasonic and Sigma will work together, announce L-mount alliance". DPReview. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 Etchells, Dave (2 October 2018). "Sigma interview at Photokina 2018: CEO Kazuto Yamaki gives us a peek inside the L-mount alliance". Imaging Resource. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  3. Goldstein, Mark. "Panasonic S1R and Panasonic S1 35mm Full-frame Mirrorless Cameras". Photography Blog. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  4. Butler, Richard. "Sigma to take Foveon full frame and adopt L mount". DPReview. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  5. Goldstein, Mark. "Sigma to Develop L-Mount Camera with Foveon Sensor, Release Canon EF to L-mount Adapter". Photography Blog. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  6. "Sigma Photokina 2018 Press Event (live streaming) by pttl.gr" on YouTube
  7. "L-mount expansion: Samyang and Astrodesign join the L-Mount Alliance". DPReview. Retrieved 2023-07-19.