The Leica M11 uses a Sony sensor. Image: Leica Leica is reportedly developing a proprietary sensor with an advanced design, according to Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG.
Speaking as a guest on the Leica Enthusiast podcast, which was reported by Leica Rumors and PetaPixel, he shared a very brief (and vague) glimpse into the company's ambitions.
The Leica Enthusiast podcast is in German, so we relied on machine learning translations. While the episode touches on a variety of topics, the most noteworthy part is that, partway through, Dr. Kaufmann unveils, "We are also developing our own sensor again. " When asked about the development time, he simply said "five years. " It isn't clear whether that's how long Leica has been working on the project or if it's the expected timetable for a finished product, but to us it seems likely that it's the former.
Dr. Kaufmann then briefly went into some of the history of the sensor in the M series to provide some context. He explained that the M10 utilized a sensor that was entirely developed in Europe. Development was conducted by AMS in Graz, Austria, with design work handled by AMS’s Dutch development office, and fabrication taking place at a French foundry in Grenoble. With the M11, though, Leica switched to using Sony sensors.
"Work began on developing a proprietary sensor again, with a more advanced design. "
That appears to be changing, however. When discussing the switch to Sony sensors in the M11, Dr. Kaufmann added that "at the same time, work began on developing a proprietary sensor again, with a more advanced design. And I think we have made considerable progress there. " Unfortunately, that brief comment is all the information that's currently available. "At the moment, we cannot say more," he said.
There's a broad range of things that "developing a proprietary sensor" could mean. It could involve anything from building its own sensor from the ground up (which would be a massive undertaking, especially for a company of Leica's size) to customizing an existing design from another manufacturer. For now, as per usual, we'll just have to wait and see what Leica is actually up to.
. dpreview.com2026-1-10 23:47
