Leica announces partnership with Capture One and freebies for customers

Leica has announced a strategic partnership with Capture One, the creator of one of the leading image editing apps on the market. While Capture One Pro has previously been able to process photos from virtually all digital Leica cameras in the past, the collaboration is primarily intended to make tethered shooting more powerful and reliable.

Leica describes it as a "reliable and extremely fast" tethering workflow. When a compatible Leica camera is connected to a computer running Capture One, captured photos can be transferred directly, while the camera can also be remotely controlled from the computer and shooting settings can be adjusted directly from Capture One. This allows photos to be edited immediately, discussed with clients, and viewed on a larger, more color-accurate display. Since Capture One is also available on the iPad, this functionality is also available for on the go.

As Capture One's compatibility database shows, Leica lags behind many of its competitors when it comes to tethering. Not a single camera from the manufacturer currently supports wireless tethering. Only the Leica SL3, SL3-S, M-EV1, M11-P and Q3 can display a live view image in Capture One. Leica's inconsistency in this area is further demonstrated by the fact that the Leica Q3 43, Leica M11 and Leica M11 Monochrom do not support Live View tethering, despite having identical electronics to cameras that do.

Leica customers get Capture One free for three months

The partnership means that customers can use Capture One Pro free of charge for three months. To take advantage of this offer, users must create an account in the Leica Members Area, register a camera eligible for the promotion, and subscribe to the newsletter. Capture One Pro normally costs $17 per month, and Capture One All-in-One with iPhone and iPad apps costs $34 per month.