Leica smashes sales record as centenary celebrations continue as camera company records €596m revenue

Leica Film graphic
(Image credit: Leica)

Leica Camera has announced record revenues for the fourth year running, marking a milestone in its centenary year of the original Leica I. For the 2024/25 financial year, the German optics brand achieved the highest revenue in its history, with sales climbing 7.6% to around €596 million ($699m) compared with €554 million ($649m) the previous year.

(Image credit: James Artaius)

Growth was led by Leica’s core Photo division, while its expanding Mobile segment, including smartphone collaborations, also made a significant contribution. Other product areas – such as high-end home cinema projectors, luxury watches, and premium spectacle lenses – all reported substantial revenue increases. Despite a challenging market, the Sports Optics segment also held firm as Leica’s second-largest business area.

Matthias Harsch, CEO of Leica Camera AG, comments: “We are meeting the global growth in demand for cameras with high-quality products ‘Made in Germany’. Over the past financial year, we have launched both new classic camera models and novel products, such as the Leica LUX app and the Leica Cine Play 1 mini-projector. Our business success is rooted in innovation and the expansion of our own global sales network.”

Leica enjoyed strong results across all regions, with Europe leading the way at 7.6% growth, driven by an 11.4% increase in Germany alone. Sales in Asia rose by 7.3%, while North America climbed to 6.2%. The company also expanded its retail footprint, opening new Leica Stores in Wuhan, Tokyo, and Seoul, while online sales jumped by a further 12.5%.

The Photo segment has remained at the heart of Leica’s success. The Leica Q3 was the standout bestseller, while the Leica SL3 and Leica SL3-S full-frame system cameras also proved highly popular.

In 2024, Leica added the compact D-Lux 8 to its line-up, and for purists, the Leica M11-D offered a digital rangefinder without a rear display, staying true to Leica’s analogue heritage.

Leica M11-D 100 Years of Leica (Image credit: Leica)

Elsewhere, the Sports Optics division broadened its reach beyond traditional hunting and nature users, introducing the Ultravid Compact Colorline binoculars aimed at travellers and urban explorers. In mobile imaging, the Xiaomi partnership continued to flourish with the launch of the Xiaomi 14T and 15 series featuring Leica optics, alongside the debut of Leica’s own iPhone app, Leica LUX, which passed one million downloads in under a year.

Leica also pushed into lifestyle and entertainment, with the Cine Play 1 mini-projector for home cinema enthusiasts and the Leica ZM 12 watch, launched in February 2025, adding to its growing accessories collection. Together, these developments underline Leica’s strategy of building on its optical heritage while diversifying into new segments and experiences.

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Sebastian Oakley
Ecommerce Editor

For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and holds a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since his film days using a Nikon F5. He saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still, to this day, the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, the British Equestrian Writers' Association.

He is familiar with and shows great interest in 35mm, medium, and large-format photography, using products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2, shooting Street/Documentary photography as he sees it, usually in Black and White.

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