There are some recent news reports that Leica is developing its own image sensor.
Petapixel: https://petapixel.com/2026/01/02/leica-is-developing-its-own-image-sensors-again/
Lecia rumors: https://leicarumors.com/2026/01/01/leica-is-developing-its-own-camera-sensor-again-most-likely-for-the-leica-m12-camera.aspx/
Excerpt:
In a recent podcast, Dr. Andreas Kaufmann (Chairman of the Supervisory Board and majority shareholder of Leica Camera AG) confirmed that Leica is again developing their own sensor, most likely for the next Leica M12 camera (Google translation):
Furthermore, as has already become somewhat known, we are also developing our own sensor again. […] Up until the M10, we had a sensor of European origin. It was manufactured by AMS in Graz, or rather, developed by their Dutch development office. And the foundry itself was in Grenoble, a French company. And then there was the transition with the M11 to Sony sensors. It’s no secret that they’re in there. At the same time, we started developing our own sensor again, in a more advanced version. I think we’ve made significant progress with that. We can’t say more at the moment.
Quick note: the title has a typo: Lecia -> Leica, right?
ReplyDeleteFixed. Thanks!
DeleteIs Huawei also designing its own image sensors for smartphones? Does anyone know?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to imagine Leica standing up a competitive image sensor design internal team just to develop their own sensor. I would venture a guess that when they say they are designing it, they are working with an outside design house on an NRE contract to specify what they want in the sensor and opine on all the tradeoffs involved. The same may be true for some of the smartphone companies and even big volume camera companies. Fab, packaging and test is also likely outsourced.
ReplyDeleteIf only image sensors could get frequent flier miles!
I guess it is the same as Meta working with Brillnics.
DeleteThe "up to" M10 sensor development was done in the Antwerp (former CMOSIS) team - even before it was part of AMS - not in a "Dutch development office"
ReplyDeleteGrenoble foundry = STMicroelectronics ?
ReplyDeleteYes. http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2012/09/cmosis-sensor-in-leica-m-rangefinder.html
Delete