Leica rumors 2025
Last year was a busy one for the Red Dot specialist, between the launch of the Leica SL3 (the latest model in its mirrorless system), the Leica Q3 43 (a sister model to the Leica Q3) and even a "new" (well, its newest upcycle of the Panasonic LX100 II) compact camera, the Leica D-Lux 8.
And it looks like we won't have long to wait for the company's first launch of the year…
Leica SL3-S
Leica's mirrorless lineup has two tiers: the higher-resolution SLX series and the lower-resolution SLX-S range.
Historically these have taken their cue from the Panasonic SX bodies, with the Leica SL2 being modeled after the Lumix S1R and the Leica SL2-S sharing heritage with the Lumix S1.
This year, of course, has been different, with Leica taking the technological lead – so the SL3 was completely its own thing, rather than being an upcycled Lumix. The question is, will the Leica SL3-S also be unique – or will it take its cues from the Panasonic Lumix S5 II?
Either way, the latest chatter is that the Leica SL3-S (which is codenamed "Warp") will be announced on January 16 – and that it will feature a 24MP sensor, which just so happens to be the same resolution as the S5 II…
Leica M12
Another year, another M camera – but could this finally be the year that the M series goes all-electronic – and gets in-body image stabilization (IBIS), to boot? Leica has previously lamented that the M bodies are too small to implement IBIS, but later noted that omitting the mechanical shutter would free up the necessary space.
We've been hearing noise forever that an electronic viewfinder might be on the way to M cameras, too, so perhaps the Leica M12 could be the launchpad for a sweeping suite of changes.
There are also rumors that the M12 will be some 3mm smaller than the Leica M11, and that the screen could be almost an inch bigger – with chatter that this could be done to replace some or all of the physical buttons, as was the case with cameras like the Leica TL2.
According to FCC certification documents, the camera (or at least, a camera) was set to be announced on May 16. That obviously hasn't happened, though – and Leica's next camera is believed to be among those delayed by mysterious external circumstances.
Leica S4
Leica has discontinued its medium format DSLR, the Leica S3. It has long been dropping Easter eggs and teasers about going mirrorless for its next medium format camera, though, and a company exec recently all but spelled it out.
"For the moment, we are stopping S3, but I think there will be plans for a future S4," Cyril Thomas, CEO of Leica France, told Phototrend.
"When will it happen? It's not tomorrow, it's not in the near future. I don't think we will see this in 2024, I don't know about 2025, but I know that Leica has plans in terms of mirrorless cameras in the medium format."
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