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Leica D-Lux 4 Digital Camera (Black)
List Price: $769.00
Price: $699.00
You Save: $70.00 |
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| 10.1-megapixel resolution and 24-60 Summicron lens f2.0 |
| Small, compact design with 3.0-inch TFT LCD screen |
| 50 MB built-in memory; capture images to SD memory card, SDHC memory card and MultiMedia cards (not included) |
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Accessories
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Customers Reviews
2009-11-17
Outstanding features in a compact camera.
The biggest questions I had in my mind about this camera before buying it were "Is it worth the money?" and "Can it replace my dSLR as a carry-around camera?" After about a month of using it I have some of the answers.
The old saying goes that the best camera you have is the one you have with you. This camera with it's `ever ready' case weighs about 14 ounces. My dSLR kit with 3 lenses, a TC, and a flash weighs about 25 pounds. A tripod (carbon fiber), long lens, and macro lens adds close to 15 pounds. I hiked up the lakefront last week carrying the 25 pounds, and it got a lot heavier about half way through, downright painful. If I wanted to spend a day at the zoo I'd take everything, so I'd be lugging around 40 pounds. This is a great mental block to getting out, and it's a whole lot easier to throw 14 ounces in my jacket pocket. I also really noticed that with my dSLR people were very aware of the camera, and with the Leica people didn't even notice me, making it a lot easier to capture candid `street' photography.
So, what do you give up for this portability? Surprisingly little. The only things I can think of are the ability to change lenses and a smaller sensor size.
The lens is fantastic, starting at f/2.0, being so fast that in sunlight I could not get the shutter speed slow enough at f/11 to smoothen water or blur moving objects such as a train. I've already ordered an Opteka 52mm adapter so I can use my existing CP and ND filters. Panasonic also has a wide angle lens adapter. There is no telephoto adapter, that would be a welcome addition. The lens introduces very little distortion, buildings and trees actually look straight. I had another `famous lens maker' P&S that had so much distortion that it made flagpoles look like pretzels.
The camera shoots RAW and JPEG and RAW+JPEG in varying sizes and quality. I really wanted RAW files, that's all I shoot with my dSLR, and I really like the non-destructive and enhanced editing features you get with RAW. It comes with a full version of Phase One's Capture 4, which looks pretty sophisticated, or the files can be read and rendered by CS4 and Lightroom 2. You can change the shooting aspect ratio, focus mode, and even the simulated film type to match Leica film cameras including B&W.
What I consider to be the biggest feature of this camera is the firmware. The camera will shoot in the very easiest to use up to sophisticated options as well as video. The `snapshot' mode picks out what type of scene you're shooting and adjusts everything accordingly, you do nothing. `Scene' mode lets you pick from 23 predefined settings like `baby', `party', starry night', etc. Then there are the standard Program (which you can shift using the joystick), Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and Manual modes.
Even with the latest firmware version which is supposed to fix white balance detection, it is not good. dpreview notes the bad fluorescent settings, and I noticed that even shooting a flower patch resulted in a different WB depending on the color of the flowers in the scene. Luckily, there are 4 ways around this problem, 1) shoot RAW and adjust in the renderer, 2) set WB manually on the camera, 3) set WB temperature in the ROM, 4) set a WB preset by reading a white piece of paper in the shooting light. Even my dSLR gets confused with WB, the problem is not unique to this camera.
Other dSLR type features: Exposure bracketing, Flash output bracketing, Burst mode, Custom settings (2), Rear curtain flash sync, AF tracking, etc. To see a full list of features, you can download the camera manual from Leica.
Negatives: The accessories are incredibly overpriced. A viewfinder that is little more than a hollow tube is almost half the price of the camera. I'd like to have it to steady the camera against my face, but I won't spend that much on it. The battery is twice the price of the Panasonic battery, which is 3 times the price of a generic battery. The `ever ready' case costs more than a lot of people want to spend on an entire camera.
Forget about a Leica flash, buy a 3rd party one for the LX-3 with more output. While the body of the camera is made of sturdy metal, the I/O and Battery/SD doors are cheap plastic. I'm really careful with the battery door. While I haven't had any problem accidentally moving the mode dial when pressing the shutter as a few people have reported, the camera is a little hard to hold. It would have been nice to have a built in handle like the LX-3 or at least include the now optional handle with the camera. If you do buy the handle, it will not fit in the ever ready case. The case itself has some problems which I'll address in a separate review.
So, can this camera replace a dSLR? Yes, with the reservation that there is not a long lens available. The options common with a dSLR are there. The image quality is there.
I have a couple of other P&S's and I rarely use them mostly due to distortion, noise, slow lenses, and lack of RAW capability. I'm not willing to haul around 25 pounds everyday, but I keep the Leica next to the door ready to go.
Is the camera worth the money? A qualified maybe. It depends on how much you value two hundred dollars, that's the premium over a LX-3 or G11. Then you have to consider whether you are going to add accessories and if they will be genuine Leica accessories. The whole system is getting near fifteen hundred dollars. The two hundred does mean something to me, but if you're going to pay as much for a P&S as you are an entry level dSLR you might as well go for the Leica. And, it takes better pictures than my 10K+ worth of equipment sitting at home.
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2009-11-13
Leica D-Lux 4
I bought this camera to supplement my Canon Eos 5d SLR. This camera is extremely well made. The controls are intuitive. I really did not need to read the manual. It handles much better than my Canon G9 which I sold on Ebay. The ability to add an external flash and viewfinder also add to the utility of this camera. This is fairly expensive for a camera without interchangeable lenses, etc. It is much smaller than the Canon G11, which is cheaper. There is now way to add any filters, since there is no threading for this on the lens. I confirmed this with Leica today. I normally put a filter on an expensive lens right away. This camera can shoot in RAW, so you can use it with Photoshop. I think it is worth the price. One other consideration for those looking for a fine camera that is small would be the Panasonic GF1 or the soon to be released Olympus EP2. These take interchangeable lenses, including some made by Leica. These cameras are larger though and cannot go into a coat pocket. The auto focus on this camera is also fast and for a point and shoot that is not a DSLR, there was very little shutter delay.
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2009-11-02
Leic Dlux -4 a New Cassic
A great camera that is high quality takes pics equal to many DLSR cameras. Very good wide angle excellent close ups in 16:9 mode.
The 16:9 mode extends the wide angle and makes it better.Get an Panda adapter to protect the lens which easily screws on after you screw off the retainer ring then put a UV filter on it .This will be a 52mm filter. Some infared is possible but I havent tried that yet I use a Sony DSC-v1 for that . A 52mm circular polarizer is a nice lens filter to have handy. With the lens adapter you cant use the fancy overpriced leather cases and it is no longer a pocket camera. Also pick up on ebay a used Petri or Yashica (For electro 35) Viewfinder .This slips on the cameras hot shoe and is a good cheap addition for framing in bright sunlight. This camera is destined to be a classic in league with the Digilux 2 but more compact. The pinhole option is unique and you should try that setting. The one bad thing is the manual is almost useless .Try to find how to do 3 bracket pictures at different EV for HDR photos and you will see.
Instaed download a free copy of the Panasonoc DMC-LX3 al,ost identical camera ( Leica does do seperate processing built in for JPGS which is better) Raw is the same in both cameras but JPGS are so good save the time in most cases just shoot jpgs. Not much more money then the LX3 so go for it better warranty also from Leica.
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2009-10-31
Great all-around camera with superior images
It's funny, my experience is exactly the opposite of "Ema EL"'s review previous to this. I also compared the Leica with the Nikon D5000, and I found the Leica superior in every way. I took parallel shots with the two cameras of the same subjects, and in every case the Leica had sharper images with greater color richness and reproduction. I wasn't expecting to find such a difference, since I own a Nikon DSLR, but even though the Leica was much less expensive I found it took better pictures. I wished the Leica had a little bit greater zoom, but otherwise it's Leica quality in every way.
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2009-10-27
what a disappointment at Leica dlux 4
Hi everyone,
I was looking for a compact camera with Dslr features and after reading many highly reviewed Leica d lux4 I decided to get it. Also bought Nikon d5000 to compare and pick one of them.
Well , for me like for many of you the image quality and the color are on the first place. The Leica is the best for sharp and great colors in outdoor shooting even in auto mode. As for indoors , the images are fine if there is a good day light , though as soon as it gets darker, the pictures will start getting visible noise, but worst thing is yellow-greenish tint on the pictures. Adjusting WB and other light corrections are not much of a help - the images are still tinted with that yellow cast.
Night shots are sharp, but again the street lights and lit up streets don't have true colors: the greenish tint is everywhere. In one word the colors in Leica are different from what you taking.
Another big minus is flash: it's too bright that makes everything washed out and gives a "dead" look.
LCD gives a very bright, too saturated images and in sunny days you need to put some shields over it to see what you are shooting.
There are other minor negatives but you can, probably, get used to them: slippery body, small to hold, even for my little woman's hands, some of the menu features are awkward comparatively my Sony's.
Such a disappointment. My old P/S sony cybershot gives far better colors in lcd , pc and prints. The only problem is it doesn't have an image stabilizer.
As for D5000, the colors are great: what you see, that you get in the camera and prints. However, the sharpness is not as in the Leica dlux4 unless you use tripod or other support. Indoor pictures are very pleasing without any effort even in quite dark rooms. Manual mode gives even better results. White balance has a wide range, plus color correction which Leica lacks .
Great images with flash.
Easy to use menu not mentioning flexible LCD .
A little bit big for me even though it's lighter and smaller than Canon DSLRs .
Now I am thinking to go back to Sony but with image stabilizer and decent sensor size for compact cameras.
Ema
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Product Details
Batteries Included: 1
Binding: Electronics
Brand: Leica
Color: Black
EAN: 4022243183520
Floppy Disk Drive Description:
Has Red Eye Reduction:
Is Autographed:
Is Memorabilia:
Label: Leica
Legal Disclaimer:
Manufacturer: Leica
Model: D-Lux4 Black
Publisher: Leica
Release Date:
Special Features:
Studio: Leica
System Memory Size: |
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