Curiosity: Leica Returns to In-House Sensor Development, Hinting at a Shift from Sony

sonyalpharumors | Jan. 9, 2026, 9:13 a.m. | Original
Leica is developing a proprietary in-house image sensor; typical development cycles span about five years.

Leica’s chairman Dr. Andreas Kaufmann confirmed the company is once again developing its own image sensor. After using AMS sensors through the M10 and switching to Sony sensors for the M11 generation, Leica appears set to return to an in-house solution—a process that typically takes around five years and is reportedly already well underway.

Going in-house could give Leica tighter control over color science, microlens designs optimized for rangefinder optics, and greater supply-chain independence. It may also enable feature trade-offs that better match Leica’s priorities for the M and SL systems.It’s notable to see Leica chart its own path while Sony continues to set sensor benchmarks—for example, the partially stacked architecture in the A7V and recent global-shutter advances across the Alpha 9 line. For more context on Sony’s latest camera tech, see our A7V video series coverage , and watch for updates at the Sony CES press conference .It’s likely this new sensor will find its way into future Leica M12 and SL4 cameras.
**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

**This post contains affiliate links to eBay and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an eBay Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
New Sony A7V reviews and unboxing videos Battle of the giants: Sony 600 GM vs Sony 400-600 G and Sigma 300-600