Leica rumour suggests compact Fujifilm X100VI killer: D-Lux APS-C fixed-lens camera coming ^↺

Leica's D-Lux 7 camera is about due for a replacement. Not only is the compact Micro Four Thirds fixed-lens camera starting to show its age, with nearly six years under its belt, but the competition is also getting rather stiff. It seems as though Leica is ready to combat cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI, Ricoh GR III(curr. $1,019.95 on Amazon), and even Sony's compact ZV-E10(curr. $798 on Amazon) with a new launch.

According to a post on Weibo, Leica has registered a new camera in China, labeled Typ 3952A, which appears to be an iteration of the D-Lux 7's Typ 3952 registration code. While this confirms that the new camera will likely be a new D-Lux camera, it doesn't tell us much about the details of the camera.

While some speculation, like that of Andrea Pizzini on YouTube, suggests that the new D-Lux camera will have an APS-C sensor, similar to the aforementioned Fujifilm X100VI, GR III, and ZV-E10, there are some that disagree. The small change - simply adding an "A" to the end - in the Chinese regulatory registration number is the basis for the speculation that the camera will be a minor update, suggesting that an APS-C sensor may be wishful thinking.

The original D-Lux 7 was developed in conjunction with Panasonic, who has expertise in the Micro Four Thirds space, and there has been talk of a new Micro Four Thirds or compact L-Mount full-frame camera coming out of Panasonic in the first half of 2024.

Regardless, there will likely be more rumors coming out of the rumour mill closer to the expected release date, which shouldn't be more than a few months away, now that the registration has popped up in China. With the rise of compact fixed-lens APS-C cameras, it wouldn't be surprising to see Leica update the D-Lux line-up with an APS-C camera with a fast, fixed prime lens to compete with the likes of Fujifilm, Ricoh, and Sony.