L-Mount Lenses

One of the newer systems in photography and videography, L-mount represents an exciting step forward for image-making on mirrorless cameras. The system, which made its debut in 2018, was announced as a partnership between three significant names in photography and videography – Sigma, Panasonic and Leica.

Essentially, the three brands would jointly be developing cross-compatible cameras and lenses for the new system, echoing the Micro Four Thirds partnership between Panasonic and Olympus, which was announced almost precisely a decade prior.

L-Mount

Just as with Micro Four Thirds, the L-mount alliance means that photographers and videographers using L-mount cameras made by Panasonic, Sigma or Leica can pick freely by corresponding lenses made by all three manufacturers. As such, while L-mount is as mentioned a relatively new system in the mirrorless world, it has already expanded considerably, and there’s a huge amount of choice when it comes to lenses.

Other manufacturers have also joined the alliance to develop gear that’s compatible with L-mount, further expanding the flexibility of the system and opening up new shooting possibilities. Notable adopters include drone manufacturer DJI, video specialists Blackmagic and lens makers Samyang, among others.

The mount was originally developed by Leica, based on the premium manufacturer’s ‘T’ mount, which began as an APS-C system before subsequently expanding to full-frame. The L-mount’s diameter of 51.6mm means it is able to accommodate both sensor sizes.

The system of L-mount lenses for mirrorless cameras is characterised by an extremely short flange distance (the distance between lens and sensor) of just 20mm. This allows for relatively compact lens designs, keeping the overall weight of the system down, and means that lenses offering ultra-high quality elements and fast maximum apertures can be made with smaller and lighter bodies than equivalent lenses for other mirrorless systems. If you want a lightweight and portable system that doesn’t skimp on quality, L-mount is definitely one to consider.

In terms of its physical construction, the bayonet mount is made from welded stainless steel. This gives it a high level of resilience against general wear and tear and ensures that the system is long-lasting. It uses a four-tab structure that means it can support plenty of weight, so there’s no need to worry when using super-telephoto lenses. The system is designed to facilitate the construction of weatherproof cameras and lenses, with a tight flush mount that permits no water ingress.

One thing that the alliance members are keen to stress is the future-proofing of the system, which is also bolstered by regular electronic firmware updates. The mount uses a standardised bar code across all manufacturers to ensure smooth and fast electronic communication between camera and lens, meaning features like autofocus and stabilisation are highly responsive.

L-mount represents something that should excite image-makers everywhere. Multiple well-respected manufacturers, each with their own individual strengths, collaborating on a shared system that allows photographers and videographers to reap the collective benefits. Founded on principles of co-operation rather than competition, this is a system that’s pushing imaging technology in exciting directions.