Leica’s L-Mount Alliance adds video & stills specialists

It seems a long time since the L-Mount Alliance – a development partnership initially between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma – was first announced at Photokina 2018. In many respects the world at large and the photo industry in particular is in a different place. At that time the trio of manufacturers agreed to produce own brand lenses and camera bodies based around Leica’s L-Mount. While that European trade show is no more, membership of the Alliance continues to grow – with

Leica announcing that Astrodesign Inc and Samyang Optics Co are the latest two companies to sign up. These follow 2021’s two prior joiners in Ernst Leitz Wetzlar and DJI.

Leica’s Head of Product Management

Attendant features of its bigger brother in the super telephoto 180-600mm include a minimum focus distance of 2.4m at 600mm and 1.3m at 180mm setting, while we’re told the lens’ auto focus has been optimised for shooting fast moving subjects while being ‘super quiet’ with it. This, along with suppressed focus breathing, also makes it a boon for filmmakers, who are additionally able to shoot video at long distances and achieve artfully blurred backgrounds. In terms of external protection against the likes of dust and water droplets, its manufacturer says that because the barrel doesn’t move when zooming there are fewer places for dust to accumulate, while a fluorine coat has been applied to the front lens element. As noted earlier, if attaching the Z Teleconverter TC-2.0x to this lens the maximum focal length is doubled, while if opting to use a Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x we can still achieve a 840mm reach. Both lenses are available now for inclusion in your customers’ kit bags. www.nikon.co.uk for Professional Camera Systems, Stephan Schulz, insists the new members bring experience and expertise in both the photo and video markets: “The L-Mount is an up-to-date lens interface that unifies photo and video applications in the best possible way. With Astrodesign the L-Mount Alliance gains an innovator in advanced professional video. With Samyang we welcome an agile lens maker that within a short period of time has developed an impressive lens portfolio for photography and cinematography.” www.leica-camera.com

BPI News is your mouthpiece to reach peers in the photo trade, so use it. Send ad bookings & press releases to info@bpinews.co.uk