We'll be honest, the first time we heard about the L-mount alliance, it didn't really move the needle for us. Since then, we have started to see the benefits of the mount and how its helping the member brands. It has probably had the most benefit camera wise for Leica with their SL series. Panasonic and Sigma are also seeing obvious benefits.
Samyang and Astrodesigns have now joined the alliance. This will likely mean a lot more autofocus lenses from Samyang. With the Canon gravy train no longer available to Samyang, this is likely a good move for the company.
Astrodesign isn't a company that we knew about until today, but they have been around since 1977, so a lot of people do know who they are.
Since its founding in 1977, with high-end niche as a corporate philosophy, ASTRO has sought possibilities in a market that was underdeveloped and technically difficult for large enterprises to enter. We have developed a large array of products and expanded our business beyond expectations.
Specializing in real-time high-speed digital signal processing technology, we have developed several “world’s first” or “first in Japan” products, including our many 8K devices.
https://www.astrodesign.co.jp/english/
Press Release
Teaneck, July 13th 2023. ASTRODESIGN, Inc., is the sixth company and SAMYANG Optics Co. is the seventh company to join the L-Mount Alliance since the public announcement of the L-mount standard at Photokina in 2018. The alliance consists of founding members Leica Camera AG, SIGMA, and Panasonic, as well as Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and DJI joining in 2021. The goal of the alliance is to utilize the L-mount standard developed by Leica Camera AG for cameras and lenses in future product development. This collaboration enables ASTRODESIGN and SAMYANG Optics to develop products with the L-Mount which will present great benefits for a wide range of photo and video applications.
Stephan Schulz, Head of Product Management Professional Camera Systems: “The L- Mount is an up-to date lens interface, that unifies photo and video applications in the best possible way and allows for innovative optical designs due to the shallow flange depth. With ASTRODESIGN, the L-Mount Alliance gains a member that is undoubtedly an innovator in advanced professional video. This underlines the versatility of the L- Mount Standard and the high-level ambition of the L-Mount Alliance. With SAMYANG we welcome an agile lens maker, that has undoubtedly developed within a short period of time an impressive lens portfolio for photography and cinematography”.
About the L-Mount Alliance The members of the L-Mount Alliance all utilize the L-Mount Standard developed by Leica Camera AG for mirrorless camera systems. Currently, the members of the alliance are Leica Camera AG, SIGMA, Panasonic, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH, DJI, ASTRODESIGN and SAMYANG. The partners in the alliance utilize the L-Mount Standard for cameras and lenses that are offered under their own brand names. They market their respective products as competitors, and each with their own product and marketing strategies. The alliance works together on advancing the technology of the L-Mount Standard.
About the L-Mount Standard
The L-Mount was developed by Leica Camera AG under the proviso of providing customers with a future-proof, flexible, robust and precise bayonet mount that would fulfil even the most demanding photographic needs. Since its initial appearance in 2014 within the Leica T, development of the L-Mount was continued by Leica as well as by its strategic partners, which led to significant improvements and an effectively new and more polished L-Mount technology.
To ensure maximum product diversity, the diameter of 51.6 millimeters was chosen to make the L-Mount suitable for use not only with full-frame cameras, but also on cameras with APSC sensors. The short register of only 20 millimeters enables a short distance between the lens and the sensor, which in turn enables considerably more compact construction – which is particularly helpful for developments in the wide- angle lens segment. To ensure resistance to even the most extreme conditions, and to guarantee customers maximum reliability for many years of intensive use, the camera bayonets are manufactured from wear-resistant stainless steel and with four flange segments that prevent canting and ensure secure and a precisely positioned lens attachment. The standardized L-Mount contact strip ensures trouble-free communication between the electronic components of the lens and the camera – including the possibility of installing future firmware updates for lenses to react to technological advances to exploit the full performance potentials of the lenses.
Originally introduced by Leica Camera AG in 2014, the L-Mount is now available on 12 cameras and over 60 lenses across the existing alliance partners. All lenses made for the different systems within the L-Mount alliance can be used on all cameras without adapters and without any functional limitations – this illustrates one of the numerous benefits of the common bayonet.
Further information can be found at www.l-mount.com.
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