"Several people familiar with Leica’s internal organization are aware that medium-format R&D activities were significantly reduced and that personnel from the S development division were progressively reassigned to SL- and M-related projects. The dedicated medium format development structure itself appears to have been dissolved. This may have to do with the latest rumors about Blackstone trying to sell its share in Leica – they are trying to get the finances to look good for a potential buyer."
Leica has repeatedly confirmed that a new medium-format system was in development, but recent rumors now point toward the project being delayed or possibly cancelled altogether.
If true, this would mark a major strategic shift, especially given earlier expectations that Leica would re-enter the medium-format segment after discontinuing the S system.
So the question is: if the project is truly gone, how do you feel about Leica stepping away from medium format again?
p.1 #2 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
I am quite saddened to hear this. The S system was very nice, I'm lucky to have one. The other issue that I am curious about is that 20 years ago Leica bought Sinar and I had high hopes they would continue with technical camera and digital back development, but alas that too has fallen by the wayside. Sinar was one of the best medium format platforms, with excellent products and beautiful results. I wonder if their new sensor partner is unable to deliver high dynamic range 33x44 or larger sensors. Sad news all around. Thanks for the update.
p.1 #3 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
As in their film days, Leica should stick with what they do the best - rebadging Panasonics - I mean the M and SL series.
Leave MF to Hasselblad and Fuji.
p.1 #4 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
Stick to what they do best - small but powerful camera and lens systems. Leave it with M and Q series including M EV-1. I am conflicted about the SL series, too - doesn't fit into the successful M and Q series either due to more bulk. Leave the bulk to Canon and Nikon!
p.1 #5 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
Leica already has (parts of) a medium format system ... it's the S in the SL lenses. The FF sensor is just a center crop of the MF sensor, but the SL glass (S sized glass, L mount) has already been noted as being MF level glass by Karbe / Leica.
IOW ... the lack of a medium format (camera body) system from Leica is likely more of a blessing, than a loss (imo).
p.1 #6 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
I think it's a little strange that they gave up on the S system entirely instead of trying to pivot to sharing the same off-the-shelf Sony sensors as Fuji and Hasselblad (and maybe getting some mechanical complexity out by nixxing the mirror and putting in an EVF). I would've thought that without the NRE of having a sensor custom designed and fabbed just for them, they could've (a) potentially increased sales by making the camera cheaper, (b) lowered the number of cameras they needed to sell to make the program make sense, or most likely (c) some combination of the two. Seems like that's what makes the L-Mount Alliance / SL system work.
But yeah, if the math on that wasn't going to math, it's hard to believe there's much of anything else they could've done to make a medium format system work in 2026 when it wouldn't in 2023.
p.1 #7 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
There was a post on GetDPI already about 3 months ago saying the same thing. It later got re-confirmed by a few other people.
This is the part of the post relevant to the S system:
I met w/ Leica yesterday and took the opportunity to ask them about the S4 and the 2026 outlook. Without going into too much detail, one thing they were both adamant about was the S4 project is dead. A board decision, it’s cost them substantial money and they now view it as a losing proposition. Interestingly, more as a result of Hasselblad market penetration rather than Fuji competition. I doubt that the two of them would be so deliberately misleading, yet your contacts seemingly contradict this, so we’ll see - I’m not holding my breath.
p.1 #8 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
Sad in a way but it feels like Leica missed the train on this one.
It will most likely not happen but it would be great, if this rumor is true, if Leica partnered up or helped someone to build a proper Leica S to Fuji GFX and/or Hasselblad XCD adapter so we could continue to use the existing Leica S lenses without having to rely on unsupported solutions.
p.1 #9 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
AndereObjektiv wrote:
I am quite saddened to hear this. The S system was very nice, I'm lucky to have one. The other issue that I am curious about is that 20 years ago Leica bought Sinar and I had high hopes they would continue with technical camera and digital back development, but alas that too has fallen by the wayside. Sinar was one of the best medium format platforms, with excellent products and beautiful results. I wonder if their new sensor partner is unable to deliver high dynamic range 33x44 or larger sensors. Sad news all around. Thanks for the update.
I am also sad to hear this, but I think it makes sense for Leica. On a more personal level, I never liked the 3:2 ratio as much as 4:3, so the S system to me was a bit of a swing and a miss for me. Nice lenses, but fully electronic and no aperture rings, so very, very closed, the usual obscene prices, and just no particular reason to get into that system other than if you have red dot fever. Fuji does pretty much everything equally well, with a larger lens range.
I fully agree on Sinar, they were really the prototypical medium format digital camera makers. I still own a Hy6 and the 54LV back (48x36mm). Quirky, but exceedingly good quality within a narrow range. I also do own a 645 and 6x6 film back, so it gets some exercise via that route too.
I never considered Hasselblad, the company has not been the same for me since they stopped making V and F cameras. Spurious strategies, attempts at squeezing money out of customers in weird directions, Asian manufacture with European prices, they don't feel like a proper camera manufacturer to me any more, more like a company who hired a financial expert as CEO, although they do seem to have stabilised around the X cameras now. Also obscene prices based more on history than value, IMO. Several false starts in various directions, and abandoned products everywhere.
p.1 #10 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
Lee Saxon wrote:
I think it's a little strange that they gave up on the S system entirely instead of trying to pivot to sharing the same off-the-shelf Sony sensors as Fuji and Hasselblad (and maybe getting some mechanical complexity out by nixxing the mirror and putting in an EVF). I would've thought that without the NRE of having a sensor custom designed and fabbed just for them, they could've (a) potentially increased sales by making the camera cheaper, (b) lowered the number of cameras they needed to sell to make the program make sense, or most likely (c) some combination of the two. Seems like that's what makes the L-Mount Alliance / SL system work.
But yeah, if the math on that wasn't going to math, it's hard to believe there's much of anything else they could've done to make a medium format system work in 2026 when it wouldn't in 2023....Show more →
I think that if they used the same sensor, they would have trouble differentiating themselves. I also cannot recall Leica ever dropping prices on anything.
p.1 #11 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
Sad but sensible. There is no way Leica could compete in the new MF pricing structures of Hasselblad and Fuji, and so it would have been very limited market penetration and extremely expensive - not to mention a resource drain.
Years ago, handled an S and had to put it down - it felt so good in the hands, but it was a road one had to be very careful if traversing. The simplicity of the Ms (although hard to make) serve them well, and the SL is the workhorse.
Lesson here seems to be to focus on where the products one makes do well, not necessarily in all the areas that could be explored.
p.1 #12 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
geoffreyg wrote:
Sad but sensible. There is no way Leica could compete in the new MF pricing structures of Hasselblad and Fuji, and so it would have been very limited market penetration and extremely expensive - not to mention a resource drain.
Years ago, handled an S and had to put it down - it felt so good in the hands, but it was a road one had to be very careful if traversing. The simplicity of the Ms (although hard to make) serve them well, and the SL is the workhorse.
Lesson here seems to be to focus on where the products one makes do well, not necessarily in all the areas that could be explored. ...Show more →
This. Hasselblad has the same historic benefit of brand recognition beyond actual current performance, so both can charge more than other brands for similar products, but there’s no way Leica can charge higher prices than Hasselblad for medium format unless they would offer a real value proposition.
p.1 #13 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
In my opinion Leica is M. It is what they do that no one else does. A true digital rangefinder. It is what seperates them for eveyone else. If I were to buy med format digital it would probably be Hasselblad.
p.1 #14 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
carstenw wrote:
I think that if they used the same sensor, they would have trouble differentiating themselves. I also cannot recall Leica ever dropping prices on anything.
What I recall is one time - for one of the earlier SL series cameras when it sold far below expectations. Leica also gave rebates on this model for a while to attract more buyers.
p.1 #15 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
airfrogusmc wrote:
In my opinion Leica is M. It is what they do that no one else does. A true digital rangefinder. It is what seperates them for eveyone else. If I were to buy med format digital it would probably be Hasselblad.
+1. Plus the Q-series which is also a good seller for Leica Cameras. IMO the success or demise of the M EV-1 will determine the fate of the SL system. It could have been kind of decided already if the M EV-1 was priced much more reasonably for what it offers. If consumers prefer to use smaller M lenses with EVF instead of mounting them on the larger AF-centric SL system (or using the larger SL lenses), it would be another bummer for the SL system. I guess time will tell.
p.1 #16 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
Too bad. I am a C1 user, so a digital Hasselblad is a no-go, making Fuji the only game in town/reality (a Phase One system is not part of my reality). This (https://www.720.ch/blog/test-the-best) review makes the S3 look like a winner in my book, so I was looking forward to what Leica would do with the S4 as they continue to give Fuji some competition.
But perhaps they are bumping into high costs at diminishing improvements?
Anyway, sad to see them making watches while shutting down a medium format camera. But I understand the importance of making profits so they can keep the lights on.
p.1 #17 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
I predicted this after seen sub 8K Hasselblad X2Dii. There is no business case for S anymore.
Leica have been choosing easy path for past 10 years. Anything requires vision or tech, they just failed miserably. s MF mirrorless is 5 to 8 years late and then they just cancel it. SL line is just rebadge sigma, Panasonic glasses in past few years. Summicron SL focus slow, laud and big heavy for their speed. SL3 is so underwhelming compare to brilliant SL2 years ago. These sound harsh but that is true IMHO.
They are not looking good TBH. I don’t see anything sparkling other than maybe Q. There is only M left and Leica is selling its legacy and brand name, how long that can last?
p.1 #18 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
zhangyue wrote:
I predicted this after seen sub 8K Hasselblad X2Dii. There is no business case for S anymore.
Leica have been choosing easy path for past 10 years. Anything requires vision or tech, they just failed miserably. s MF mirrorless is 5 to 8 years late and then they just cancel it. SL line is just rebadge sigma, Panasonic glasses in past few years. Summicron SL focus slow, laud and big heavy for their speed. SL3 is so underwhelming compare to brilliant SL2 years ago. These sound harsh but that is true IMHO.
They are not looking good TBH. I don’t see anything sparkling other than maybe Q. There is only M left and Leica is selling its legacy and brand name, how long that can last? ...Show more →
It's lasted for decades. How long did it take for them to put a meter in an M. They have resisted auto focus and other things the other makes moved to decades ago. The reason M is doing well still is they are the only option that is completely different from herd. When that changes and they try to make the M like all the others then that might cause a lot of folks to just buy what's already out there for a lot less. With the M 11 and rumors of what the M 12 might be I'll just stick with the M 10s. I'm not the only one that feels this way.
p.1 #19 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
zhangyue wrote:
I predicted this after seen sub 8K Hasselblad X2Dii. There is no business case for S anymore.
Leica have been choosing easy path for past 10 years. Anything requires vision or tech, they just failed miserably. s MF mirrorless is 5 to 8 years late and then they just cancel it. SL line is just rebadge sigma, Panasonic glasses in past few years. Summicron SL focus slow, laud and big heavy for their speed. SL3 is so underwhelming compare to brilliant SL2 years ago. These sound harsh but that is true IMHO.
They are not looking good TBH. I don’t see anything sparkling other than maybe Q. There is only M left and Leica is selling its legacy and brand name, how long that can last? ...Show more →
+1. Leica put the S system on life support for probably 6-8 years till it was discontinued in 2023 and now we are again 3 years later.
In the meanwhile Hasselblad and Fuji went full forcce ahead for about a decade.
So, was there any other logical conclusion? No, there wasn't, but Leica already knew that since a very long time as well...
p.1 #20 · Leica Medium Format Camera Project Is No More…
johnvanr wrote:
This. Hasselblad has the same historic benefit of brand recognition beyond actual current performance, so both can charge more than other brands for similar products, but there’s no way Leica can charge higher prices than Hasselblad for medium format unless they would offer a real value proposition.
Plus, if Leica wanted to compete with Hasselblad, they would have needed to design a system that would mostly cannibalize the SL system...
The only way would have been to find their own niche between Phase One and Hasselblad/Fuji... not straightforward...
