Teaneck, NJ—Leica Camera reports that the L-Mount Alliance membership has expanded with two new members. Astrodesign, Inc., is the sixth company and Samyang Optics Co. is the seventh company to join the L-Mount Alliance. The L-mount standard was announced at photokina in 2018.
“The L mount is an up-to-date lens interface that unifies photo and video applications in the best possible way. And it allows for innovative optical designs due to the shallow flange depth,” said Stephan Schulz, head of Product Management Professional Camera Systems. 
“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.”
L-Mount Alliance Membership
The alliance consists of founding members Leica Camera AG, Sigma and Panasonic. It also includes Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and DJI, who joined in 2021. The goal of the alliance is to utilize the L-mount standard developed by Leica Camera for future cameras and lenses. This collaboration enables Astrodesign and Samyang Optics to develop products with the L mount to benefit a range of photo and video applications.
Moreover, the members of the L-Mount Alliance all utilize the L-mount standard developed by Leica Camera AG for mirrorless camera systems. The partners in the alliance employ the L mount for cameras and lenses that are offered under their own brand names. They market their respective products as competitors—with their own product and marketing strategies. However, the alliance works together on advancing the technology of 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 fulfill even the most demanding photographic needs,” an alliance spokesperson stated.
The L Mount
Since its initial appearance in 2014 with the Leica T, development of the L mount was continued by Leica as well as by its strategic partners. This led to improvements and an effectively new and more polished L-Mount technology.
To ensure maximum product diversity, the diameter of 51.6mm was chosen to make the L mount suitable for use not only with full-frame cameras but also on cameras with APS-C sensors. The short register of 20mm also enables a short distance between the lens and the sensor. As a result, it permits a considerably more compact construction, which is particularly beneficial for the development of wide-angle lenses.
What’s more, to ensure operability in extreme conditions, the camera bayonets are manufactured from wear-resistant stainless steel. Four flange segments prevent canting to ensure a secure, precisely positioned lens attachment. In addition, the standardized L-mount contact strip provides communication between the electronic components of the lens and the camera. Consequently, it enables the installation of firmware updates for lenses to keep up with technological advances.
Leica Camera AG originally introduced the L mount in 2014. Notably, it is now available on 12 cameras and more than 60 lenses across the alliance partners. All lenses made for the different manufacturers’ systems within the alliance can be used on all cameras. They can be used without adapters and functional limitations, reflecting the benefits of a common bayonet.
