Confirmed: Leica develops camera sensor, wants to push the boundaries

Already at the beginning of the year rumors indicated that the Leica M12, unlike the Leica M11 ($10,882 on Amazon), would not use a camera sensor from Sony in Japan, but a sensor developed by Leica itself. Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, the owner of Leica, confirmed in an interview that the development of this sensor began in early 2022 and is expected to be completed around the beginning of 2027.

While it was assumed at the time that the sensor would be developed entirely in Europe, for example in collaboration with AMS Osram from Graz, as was the case with the sensor of the Leica M10, Leica is instead turning to the Chinese supplier Gpixel, which at least also has a branch in Belgium. In a press release, Leica has now officially confirmed that the two companies are jointly developing a new sensor - and has not been sparing with marketing superlatives. This sensor will "push the boundaries of what is technically possible in digital photography", while Leica's rigorous standards will ensure "unprecedented levels of image quality".

In terms of dynamic range, color reproduction and low-light performance, this sensor is expected to set new standards in several future Leica products. The press release quotes Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, according to whom this is a "true Leica sensor" that will be ready "soon". In view of earlier rumors, the sensor is likely to be installed in the Leica M12 first, but might then also be found in the Leica SL4 and the Leica Q4.