At Adobe MAX last week, Adobe, Frame.io, and Leica announced new Camera to Cloud (C2C) capabilities for the Leica SL3 full-frame L-mount camera. Alongside this news, Leica announced that Camera to Cloud integration won’t stop with the SL3 — C2C is coming to additional Leica models.
“Collaborating with our partners from Adobe again, marks a significant milestone in the continuous pursuit of innovation at Leica, providing photographers and videographers with seamless workflow solutions. The inclusion of Frame.io Camera to Cloud in the Leica SL3 enhances this commitment for offering increased speed and flexibility that empowers professionals in both photography and videography,” explains Nico Köhler, Head of Product Experience at Leica Camera in Wetzlar, Germany.
This C2C integration, arriving in 2025, will enable Leica SL3 users to swiftly and easily transfer assets to Frame.io in seconds while shooting. This means that editors and other remote people can access images and videos shot on the SL3, edit them as needed, and publish them online or deliver them to clients within minutes.
The necessary SL3 firmware will arrive via wireless update using the Leica FOTOS app or through manual download from Leica’s global website as soon as it is available.
While this alone is great news for Leica, and a significant step forward in the relationship between the legendary German photography company, Adobe, and Frame.io, the collaboration will extend to “selected Leica mirrorless system cameras” beyond the SL3.
Leica says the SL3 is kickstarting the Leica x Frame.io collaboration but stops short of saying which other Leica mirrorless cameras may soon work with Frame.io or in what fashion. PetaPixel was on site in Miami for Adobe MAX. In conversation with Frame.io’s senior product manager, JJ Powell, he explained that Frame.io allows individual manufacturers to determine how best to deploy Frame.io integration with their products. While some companies may use Frame.io only for transferring video proxy files, others may enable Camera to Cloud for photos, including RAW files, and videos at full resolution.
As for Leica, it clearly targets photo and video applications for the SL3’s Camera to Cloud capabilities, but it may take a different approach in future C2C-enabled cameras. An obvious choice for future C2C integration is the Leica Q3 and the brand-new Q3 43, which are demonstrably photo-first cameras.
Adobe and Leica’s strong relationship goes beyond Frame.io integration, as Leica has been a significant partner when it comes to Content Credentials and C2PA technology. The Leica M11-P was the first camera to create a seamless chain of authenticity when it was announced nearly a year ago, for example. Leica has long placed significant emphasis on authenticity and targeted reportage applications with its products.