Speaking to BJP and other UK photography magazines, Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, head of the supervisory board at Leica, says that the firm was still studying plans for such a system. "We can't produce enough of what we already have," he explains. "There's a project in place, but no timeframe. But you should come to our event on 17 September to see what we have."

Alfred Schopf, Leica's CEO, goes further. "We already have the best compact camera system here, with the M9. Now, we have to look at the size of the lenses. Do we like having a Coca-Cola can in front of a small camera body. The combination between the camera body and the lens has to fit." Asked whether it meant that the new product might not be a "compact" model, Scholf acquiesced.

Last year, Leica explained that a new interchangeable lens camera system was more than an idea. "You will see something at the next Photokina," said Scholf at the time. He added that the new system would use an "APS-C sized sensor at least."

It remains unclear whether Leica will share its plans for such a system in September, but Kaufmann says that Photokina will be a "huge" event for the brand.