Leica Camera
Leica Camera AG (/ˈlaɪkʌ/) is a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, and rifle scopes. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869 (Ernst Leitz Wetzlar), in Wetzlar, Germany. The name Leica is derived from the first three letters of the founder's surname (Leitz) and the first two of the word camera: lei-ca (LEItz CAmera).
Company type
Andreas Kaufmann (Chairman, Supervisory board), Matthias Harsch (CEO)
Cameras, photographic lenses, binoculars, ophthalmic lenses and other optical equipment
ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH (55%)
The Blackstone Group (45%)
1800[1]
In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica and moved its factory from Wetzlar to the nearby town of Solms.
Leica Camera AG is 55% owned by Austrian investment firm ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH and 45% owned by The Blackstone Group[2] which licenses the Leica brand name from the Danaher Corporation-owned Leica Microsystems GmbH.
Antique trade and collecting[edit]
Leica cameras, lenses, accessories and sales literature are collectible. There are dozens of Leica books and collector's guides, notably the three-volume Leica, an Illustrated History by James L. Lager. Early or rare cameras and accessories can sell for very high prices. For instance, an anonymous buyer bought a rare 1923 Leica camera for 2.6 million euros ($2.8 million) at an auction in Vienna.[21] Notably, Leica cameras with military markings are highly valued;[22] this started a market for refurbished Soviet copies with fake markings.
During the 2018 Photokina in Cologne, Leica announced that Sigma and Panasonic had become licensed for the L-mount platform. The three companies would form a strategic and technical alliance, yet remain independent.[23]
Leica-branded lenses, such as some Nocticron, Elmarit and Summilux lenses, have been used on many Panasonic (Matsushita) digital cameras (Lumix) and video recorders since 1995. Panasonic/Leica models were the first to incorporate optical image stabilization in their digital cameras.[24] Several Panasonic/Leica lenses have been produced for the Micro Four Thirds mount, including the 12 mm f/1.4 Summilux, 15 mm f/1.7 Summilux and 25 mm f/1.4 Summilux prime lenses, and zooms including a 12–60 mm f/2.8–4 and 100–400 mm f/4–6.3.
Leica and Minolta signed a technical cooperation agreement in June 1972.[25]
In 2020, Leica entered a strategic partnership with Insta360 to help produce the ONE R 1-Inch Edition.[29] Since then, ONE R has been recognised as one of TIME magazine's best inventions of 2020.[30]
Since 2016, Leica has established partnership with the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, and Leica cameras will be co-engineered into Huawei smartphones, including the P series and Mate series. The first smartphone to be co-engineered with a Leica camera was the Huawei P9.[31] The partnership ended with the Huawei P50 series in 2021.[32]
In 2021, Leica has established technology partnership with Sharp Corporation, and Leica cameras will be co-engineered into Sharp smartphones for the Japanese market only. The first smartphone to be co-engineered with a Leica camera was the AQUOS R6 with 1-inch-sensor camera.[33] Then Leica with the SoftBank introduced the smartphone Leitz Phone 1 which have same specifications as AQUOS R6 but different design.[34]
In 2022, Leica entered a strategic partnership with Xiaomi to jointly develop Leica cameras to be used in Xiaomi flagship smartphones, succeeding the partnership between Huawei and Leica. The first flagship smartphones under this new partnership were the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, launched in July and August 2022, respectively.[35]
In 2014, to commemorate Leica camera's 100th anniversary, they partnered with Swiss watch manufacture Valbray to develop a limited edition chronograph wristwatch with Valbray's signature Leica aperture inspired dial.[36]