Leica D-LUX5 10.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with Super-Fast f/2.0 Lens, 3.8x Zoom Lens, 3" LCD Display, O.I.S. Image Stabilization (Black)
by Leica
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: LeicaModel: 18151
Color: Black
Product features:
- 1/1.63" CCD image sensor with a resolution of 10.1 megapixels
- Low image noise, more precise details and natural color rendition
- Intuitive handling concept with automatic and manual setting options
- Packaged with Adobe Photoshop Ligthroom 3
- Leica, D-Lux 5, compact camera, digital, German, optics
- AmazonBasics SDHC Class 4 32GB Secure Digital Card
- AmazonBasics Leather Camera Case for Digital Cameras (Black)
- AmazonBasics Camera Case for Digital Cameras (Black)
- AmazonBasics Leather Camera Case for Digital Cameras (Black)
- AmazonBasics SDHC Class 10 4 GB Secure Digital Card
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Leica D-LUX5 10.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with Super-Fast f/2.0 Lens, 3.8x Zoom Lens, 3" LCD Display, O.I.S. Image Stabilization (Black)
Customer Review: Great point-n-shoot for real photographers
Summary: 4 Stars
I am a semi-professional photographer. Get paid occasionally, but It is at the very least a full-time hobby. And I also am finishing a B.A. in Photography. I bought this specifically as a "toss in the glovebox" camera to always have with me when I was not around any of my camera gear, and to take location scouting for various projects. Overall it is an excellent camera, with surprisingly easy controls (I'm not a gear nut so this is the only "enthusiast compact" i've ever had, but from what I can tell it is pretty awesome).
I paid just over $500 on eBay for it. The $799 price tag is pretty steep for any camera of this type, and since all the other reviews say that the Panasonic camera this is a rebrand of has the same image quality/controls, then I'd just buy that, unless you can find a detail on the Leica version. Having the Leica version is nice because it inspires more confidence when I meet with someone who is paying me money to take pictures and sees me whip out a point 'n' shoot at a location.... more so than the generic looking, generic named panasonic. I also found a non-leica leather case on eBay that is an absolute MUST for this camera. Felt lined, two-piece, it looks incredible for about $50 shipped.
The photo quality is impressive, especially from RAW (I have never seen a reason to shoot jpeg out of any camera... why cheat yourself out of editing headroom). I've done some serious "damn it i framed way too wide" cropping, I mean like taken the middle third or quarter of the image, and the images are still sharp enough to use at least in web page form, large file size. Don't get too hung up on megapixels. 12 is more than enough for most things. I print up to 24-36" on the long side, and I've made 12mp look great even at poster size. So don't talk yourself into spending an extra grand on a camera with 16-18-20+ megapixels just because you get buyer's fever. My 18mp Canon EOS 7D makes moderately sharper prints at those massive sizes, but I have printed an image from my D-Lux 5 almost that size, and I doubt anyone but me could tell they were from different cameras, and then only because they were deep focus landscapes where everything was in focus. It really doesn't matter what resolution your photo is if it has thin DOF and most of the photo is blurry anyway.
The little aperture/shutter speed adjust dial by your thumb is small, but works great considering it is almost invisible. in Aperture Priority just rotate the dial to adjust aperture just like an SLR (ditto with shutter speed in S-mode). Press the little dial in (like a button), and you have quick access to exposure comp. ISO and white balance functions are quick access.
The rear LCD looks pretty good, but these days all of them look pretty good. Not worth mentioning more.
Focusing is about as fast as any newer point-n-shoot, which is about average I guess. It is disappointing if you are used to DSLR optical autofocus. Contrast detect AF just plain sucks, and even when camera manufacturers try to improve on it, they can only make is suck slightly less. That's just the rule of the game at today's current tech level. The F/2 lens gives pretty good moderately shallow DOF considering the size of the sensor, with decent bokeh. Some of the best you will see without seeking gear that is designed for good bokeh and short DOF (I.e. full frame sensor camera, LEICA R glass, etc)
Besides the high retail price, the SINGLE issue i have with this camera, is that if I turn it on with the lens cap on, It just keeps asking to remove the cap. It doesn't look like you can just go into playback mode to quick browse through the images. You have to take the cap off, which I think is a waste of time. Why not have a simple menu item to change this, because I can't be the only one who turns their camera on to look at the pictures frequently (or to show an image to someone else). It is a pet peeve, but I judge my gear pretty harshly if it interrupts the pace I work at (especially if i pay over $500 for a damn tiny camera only to have it bug me to remove the lens cap when I don't even want to take a picture)
So I gave it FOUR out of FIVE stars for a combination of the high price, and for the lens cap annoyance. Other than that, i LOVE this camera. I find myself always taking it out of the case and handling it when i'm at rest and I have the camera with me.
More Leica D-LUX5 10.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with Super-Fast f/2.0 Lens, 3.8x Zoom Lens, 3" LCD Display, O.I.S. Image Stabilization (Black) reviews:
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Description of Leica D-LUX5 10.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with Super-Fast f/2.0 Lens, 3.8x Zoom Lens, 3" LCD Display, O.I.S. Image Stabilization (Black)
The Leica D-Lux 5 is a compact camera which combines a unique design with high functionality, styling, and quality to offer superior image quality. It features the Leica DC Vario-Summicro 1:2-3.3/5.1-19.2mm ASPH lens with a zoom range of 24-90mm, a fast lens with superior performance that enables high-quality photography even wide open. The newly develope 1/1.63" CCD image sensor increases image quality at the standard resolution of 10.1 megapixels. The camera is classical in design, ergonomic, and compact, and comes in a black anodized finish. Camera includes carrying strap, rechargeable battery (Leica BP-DC 10), battery charger, battery holder, USB cable, AV cable, power cord, lens cap, accessory shoe cover, CD-ROM with manuals in PDF format, instructions for product registration and software download, and warranty card.Digital Cameras
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