Leica Camera

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Leica Camera AG

Company type	Aktiengesellschaft
Industry	Rangefinder camera, Photography, Digital Imaging, Still cameras, SLR cameras, DSLR cameras, binoculars / Monoculars, binocular telescope, laser rangefinder ophthalmic lenses
Founded	1869 in Wetzlar, Germany (Ernst Leitz Wetzlar); 1986 in Solms, Germany (Leica)
Headquarters	Wetzlar, Germany 50°33′9″N 008°32′11″E / 50.55250°N 8.53639°E / 50.55250; 8.53639
Key people	Andreas Kaufmann (Chairman, Supervisory board), Matthias Harsch (CEO)
Products	Cameras, photographic lenses, binoculars, ophthalmic lenses and other optical equipment
Revenue	€ 400 million[1]
Net income	Unknown
Owner	ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH (55%) The Blackstone Group (45%)
Number of employees	1800[1]
Website	leica-camera.com

Leica Camera AG (/ˈlaɪkə/) is a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, and rifle scopes. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869 (Ernst Leitz Wetzlar), in Wetzlar, Germany. The name Leica is derived from the first three letters of the founder's surname (Leitz) and the first two of the word camera: lei-ca (LEItz CAmera).

In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica and moved its factory from Wetzlar to the nearby town of Solms.

Leica Camera AG is 55% owned by Austrian investment firm ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH and 45% owned by The Blackstone Group^[2] which licenses the Leica brand name from the Danaher Corporation-owned Leica Microsystems GmbH.

In 2014, Leica returned its headquarters and production facilities to Wetzlar, inaugurating the Leitz Park campus, which houses its manufacturing, research, and customer experience center. The company continues to focus on high-end camera systems, including the M-series rangefinder cameras, the Q-series compact full-frame cameras, and the SL-series professional mirrorless cameras.

Leica has also expanded its influence through collaborations with Panasonic, providing optical designs for Lumix cameras, and with Huawei, contributing camera technology to the brand’s smartphones. The company maintains a strong presence in the luxury photography market, offering limited-edition models in partnership with brands such as Hermès and Zagato.

Despite increasing competition in the digital photography industry, Leica remains a prestigious name, known for its precision engineering, minimalist design, and legendary lenses such as the Summicron and Noctilux series. The company continues to appeal to professional photographers, collectors, and enthusiasts, preserving its legacy as a symbol of craftsmanship and innovation in photography.