While the Sigma certainly earned its title petapixelPhoto Company of the Year In 2024, the famous German photo company leica Wasn’t far behind. Not only did LEICA prosper in several camera system segments, but the company also posted Highest revenue in its 110 year history,
Four new cameras, each from a different system
LEICA operates in a variety of segments. The company has full-frame SL series interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras, M-mount rangefinders, premium all-in-one cameras (Q series), and even point-and-shoots (D-Lux). All four series were updated in 2024. Sure, we didn’t get any new V-Lux, C-Lux, or TL cameras this year, but neither of them have been refreshed since 2019 at the latest (V-Lux 5).
Leica starts its busy year with new cameras in May leica sl3This full-frame L-mount camera was the best high-resolution option within the L-mount system at the time of its launch and remains so today as neither Sigma nor Panasonic has released a high-resolution camera this year.
Very good The SL3 features Leica’s trademark build quality, excellent image quality from its 60-megapixel sensor, and mostly effective phase-detect autofocus. petapixelMatt Grocott, senior news editor, selected it as one of his Favorite pieces of gear of 2024And with good reason. The LEICA SL3 is very much a LEICA camera, and that’s never a bad thing – even if it’s often pricey (literally, it’s a $7,000 camera).
Just a few weeks later, Leica made headlines again by taking advantage of the current compact camera trend D-Lux 8Arriving more than five years after its predecessor, the D-Lux 8 hasn’t changed much inside. It still has the same 21-megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor (of which only 17 are used to capture photos) and 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 equivalent lens.
However, things are quite different from the outside. The D-Lux 8 abandons the design language of the 7 in keeping with Leica’s recent Q3 cameras. Not only D-Lux 8 looks like Like the Leica Q, but it also has Q-like controls and a new user interface.
Chris Nicholls writes, “You can look at the D-Lux 8 as a relatively minor upgrade of an old camera that’s just trying to capitalize on the trendy resurgence that any old thing automatically has when it’s cool again. ” petapixelD-Lux 8 Review“And you would be absolutely right. But I had a serious case of déjà vu using the D-Lux 8 and the memory it brought back was fun.
Nicholls concluded, “Congratulations to Leica for jumping on the bandwagon and hopefully inspiring other companies to do the same.”
The Leica Q series got more love this year than the D-Lux 8. Leica announces Q3 43 in SeptemberThe very popular 60-megapixel Q3 premium all-in-one camera is bringing a new APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 ASPH lens. The only thing that’s changed is the lens, but that’s not a bad thing – not at all.
“I would like the camera to be updated a bit too, but I have to admit that I had more fun with the 43mm lens than the previous Q3; And I really enjoyed the last third quarter.” Nicholas writes in his Q3 43 review,
The fourth Ducati camera, expected to launch in 2024, is also a different spin on an existing product. The Q3 takes the core of the Q3 and changes the way it is used, just like the 43 leica m11-d Provides the same basic imaging capabilities of LEICA M11 will be released in 2022However, the M11-D does this without any display. It’s a digital camera that embraces the analog experience.
This isn’t the first time Leica has done this – the company launched display-less digital cameras in 2014 (m version 60), 2016 (MD), and 2018 (M10-D,
“With each new display-less digital camera, some photographers roll their eyes while others rub their hands together in anticipation. That’s the case with most of the offerings from Leica – those who are into the famous German company are really into it, while those who aren’t definitely aren’t,” petapixel Wrote this in September when Leica announced the M11-D. It is as accurate now as it was then.
just a new lens
While Leica was very busy with new cameras this year, the company was unusually quiet in terms of new optics. While Leica released six new lenses last year, including four L-mount lenses and two M-mount lenses, only one new lens arrives in 2024: LEICA Vario-Elmarit-SL 70-200mm f/2.8 ASPH,
The new lens completes Leica’s f/2.8 SL zoom trifecta, joining the Super-Vario-Elmarit-SL 14-24mm f/2.8 ASPH and the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. Like those lenses, astute photographers may notice that Leica’s f/2.8 SL zoom is very similar to Sigma’s lenses, which are also available for L-mount, of course. The new Leica zoom is essentially a custom-tuned version of the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS sporting some of the same styling as the DSLR.
Along with this lens, Leica also announced a new 2x teleconverter. By the way, it appears to be a Sigma design inside a Leica case, although it costs more than twice as much.
Other LEICA news in 2024
There were other interesting Leica news this year. The company is not only celebrating its 110th anniversary but also the 70th anniversary of the Leica M camera. To celebrate this occasion, LEICA announces glossy black editions Its Leica M11 digital rangefinder and Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 ASPH lens.
Laika also announced leica m version 70 film camera To celebrate M’s birthday in October. This “unique collector’s item” is limited to only 250 copies worldwide and will set wealthy Ducati enthusiasts back $23,000. The camera comes with a Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH lens, which at least reduces the impact on the bank account a bit. This is undoubtedly a beautiful analog rangefinder camera.
Old Laika cameras were in the news in November for being sold for huge sums. A unique leica iiig prototype camera Sold at auction in China for about $3.8 million,
and in Vienna, another Ducati prototype, a Ducati M, Sold for $2.14 million,
Although not a Leica-made product, accomplished photographer Hugh Brownstone and his friend, architect and passionate photographer Ed Palisok created it together. The incredible He3 handgrip for the Leica Q3It has excellent grip and proved to be so popular compared to brownstone and palisock Launched a version for Q2 In just a few months, there’s potentially more in the works.
leica grading in 2024
We love lenses here petapixelSo it’s a bit disappointing that Leica didn’t launch additional glass this year. However, Leica did something with all four of its active camera lines, and it’s pretty impressive. Lika marches to the beat of its own drum, and it hit that drum hard in 2024.
Grade: B+
Image Credit: Exclusive image created using assets licensed through gathering photo,
