Leica L-Mount Explained

Mount Name:Leica L-Mount
Type:Bayonet, digital interface
Inner Diameter:51.6 mm
Tabs:4
Flange:20 mm
Connectors:10 electrical pins

The Leica L-Mount is a bayonet mount developed by Leica Camera AG for interchangeable-lens autofocus digital cameras.

The L-Mount has an inner diameter of 51.6 mm[1] and a flange depth of 20.0 mm.[2] The L-mount exists in two versions, an APS-C version (TL) and a full-frame version (SL). The two versions are mechanically and electronically compatible. TL lenses mounted on full-frame cameras will cause the camera to use a crop mode from the center of the sensor, corresponding to the APS-C coverage of the lens. SL lenses mounted on TL cameras function normally, providing a 1.5x crop field of view, as is typical with APS-C cameras.

In 2018 Leica formed the L-Mount Alliance, licensing Sigma, Panasonic in the same year, to use an upgraded version of the mount for their own products, opening the way for a more extensive system of fully compatible cameras and lenses.[3]

Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH, the cine lens business of Leica, joined the L-Mount Alliance in 2021,[4] DJI followed in 2022,[5] Samyang, Astrodesign[6] and Blackmagic Design in 2023.[7]

T-Mount to L-Mount

It was introduced in April 2014 with the Leica T (Typ 701) camera. At the time of introduction, it was called the "T-mount", but this was changed to "L-mount" with the release of the Leica SL, a full-frame sensor camera using the same mount. The Leica T was renamed to the Leica TL at this time,[8] to permit marketing clarity for the L-mount lens line: TL lenses would cover APS-C sensors, while SL lenses would cover full-frame sensors.

The mount is used by the Leica TL (discontinued), TL2, Leica CL (2017) and Leica SL systems. The L-Mount is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG.

L-Mount Alliance

See main article: L-Mount Alliance. On 25 September 2018, the L-Mount Alliance between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma was announced, enabling the partners "to make use of the L-Mount standard developed by Leica for their own developments and to offer both cameras and lenses utilising this lens mount" with full compatibility between the three companies' products.[9]

According to Sigma CEO, Kazuto Yamaki, the "L-mount system is not exactly the same as the existing one. We updated it a little bit to work better with such lenses through lens adapters."

On the same day, Panasonic announced its S1R and S1 full-frame L-Mount cameras and three L-Mount lenses, with seven more lenses to be launched by 2020.[10]

Sigma announced that it will launch a full-frame camera in 2019, using the L-Mount and the company's Foveon sensor, as well as a range of L-mount lenses and adapters for Sigma SA and Canon EF lenses.[11]

Six cameras and 39 native lenses are confirmed for the L-Mount by 2020.

Cameras

APS-C

Leica T/TL cameras use APS-C sensors. The TL mount version is not dust- or splashproof.

Superseded

Current

Full-frame

Leica SL cameras use full-frame sensors. The SL version is dust- and splashproof.

Current

Withdrawn

Lenses

Leica has an existing range of fifteen L-Mount lenses.[19]

Panasonic committed to releasing a total of ten lenses for the L-mount by the end of 2020, beginning with the 50mm F/1.4 prime and the two zooms listed below; stating that they would provide details at Photokina 2019. [20]

Sigma plans to release a wide range of lenses. 14 primes from Sigma's 'Global Vision' range, primarily designed for reflex cameras with short flange depths and currently available for the mirrorless Sony E-mount, will also be released in L-Mount from 2019. These will be followed by a range designed specifically for mirrorless parameters.

APS-C

Prime

Zoom

Full-frame

Prime

Zoom

Third-party

Manual third-party lenses are being produced in L-mount by Irix Cine, 7Artisans (Photoelectric series), Meyer-Optik (Görlitz series), and Kipon HandeVision (IBELUX and IBERIT series').

Lens adapters

Notes and References

  1. Web site: L-Mount | Questions and Answers.
  2. http://www.leicasl.com Leica SL Details.
  3. News: Etchells . Dave . Sigma interview at Photokina 2018: CEO Kazuto Yamaki gives us a peek inside the L-mount alliance . 7 October 2018 . Imaging Resource . 2 October 2018 . en-us.
  4. Web site: ERNST LEITZ WETZLAR JOINS THE L-MOUNT ALLIANCE.
  5. Web site: DJI joins the L-Mount Alliance | Leica Camera CH .
  6. Web site: L-mount expansion: Samyang and Astrodesign join the L-Mount Alliance .
  7. Web site: Blackmagic Design Joins the L-Mount Alliance . 15 September 2023 .
  8. News: New Leica TL System announced. 2016-11-08. Leica Forum Blog. 2018-07-24. en-US.
  9. News: Goldstein . Mark . L-Mount Alliance Between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma Officially Announced . 25 September 2018 . Photography Blog . en.
  10. News: Goldstein . Mark . Panasonic S1R and Panasonic S1 35mm Full-frame Mirrorless Cameras . 25 September 2018 . Photography Blog . en.
  11. News: Butler . Richard . Sigma to take Foveon full frame and adopt L mount . 26 September 2018 . DPReview.
  12. Web site: Media Blackmagic Design . 2023-09-15 . www.blackmagicdesign.com.
  13. Web site: Han . Jakub . 2023-09-14 . Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K Announced - Full-Frame, L-Mount, 3:2 Open Gate for $2,595 . 2023-09-15 . CineD . en-US.
  14. Web site: Media Blackmagic Design . 2024-04-12 . www.blackmagicdesign.com.
  15. Web site: LUMIX S series . Panasonic . 11 July 2019 . en.
  16. Web site: LUMIX S5 - Panasonic.
  17. News: Sigma announces ultra-compact 'fp' L-mount camera, teases full-frame Foveon sensor . DPReview.
  18. https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1307445.html シグマ、開発中のフルサイズFoveonセンサーを白紙に
  19. Web site: Leica SL lenses . Leica Company Website . Leica Camera AG . June 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170814021532/http://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-SL/Lenses . August 14, 2017 . dead .
  20. PanasonicLumixVideo channel
  21. Web site: The APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH.: A wide-angle lens with state-of-the-art technology for the Leica SL-System // 2021 // Press Releases // Press Centre // Company - Leica Camera AG.
  22. Web site: Panasonic developing two full-frame mirrorless cameras with Leica L-mount . Keller . Jeff . September 25, 2018 . DPReview . January 25, 2019.
  23. Web site: Panasonic Launches Three L-Mount Interchangeable Lensesfor the LUMIX SSeries Full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera . Panasonic Global Website . Panasonic Corporation . February 1, 2019 . March 2, 2019 .
  24. Web site: SAMYANG Launches the AF 35-150mm F2-2.8 L. LK Samyang. 4 June 2024 . en.
  25. Web site: Adapter-Finder of Novoflex . Novoflex Company Website . Novoflex . June 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180213135839/http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/adapters/adapter-finder . February 13, 2018 . dead .

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