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Leica D-LUX 3 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) | List Price: $660.00
Discount Price: $1,499.00
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Brand: Leica
Binding: Electronics
Release Date: 2006-11-01
Features: - 10-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
- Unique manual setting options give you the freedom to create images that express your own style
- High-quality Leica lens takes in stunning shots from the wide-angle to the telephoto range
- O.I.S. optical stabilization technology and ultra fast processing
- Pure, discreet, timeless design in a housing of high-quality aluminum
old enough to know better [Posted on 2007-12-13]
I love my old, heavy, rugged, film cameras, and I love being fluent in their operation. I'm also old enough to dislike lugging heavy cameras around all day, or being noticed for having lots of gear. This camera is tiny and light. It is discreetly understated. And, yes, it makes a remarkable photo. I'm going to have to learn something, but I've held out long enough: I wish I had known sooner that a point-and-shoot could do what this one does.
Nice package, but RAW mode has its flaws... [Posted on 2008-02-12]
Leica D-Lux 3 is another offspring of the Panasonic-Leica cooperation, surely benefiting both partners. D-Lux 3 is a re-badged Lumix LX2. Main asset of both cameras is clearly the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT Lens, quite sharp on both ends. Fascinating is the 16:9 ratio wide panorama mode. 10Mpix is a good resolution, helping to get over the usual noise and noise correction smearing of details, which is visible even at ISO 100. If sampled down to approx. 2-3Mpix size, even ISO 400 images can be still well usable. ISO 800 is a stretch, but no worse than any competition in such small cameras, or rather such small sensors.
Of course, all photographers who do not like Jpeg's limited dynamic range are thrilled by the RAW mode! Me too. However, herein I see two issues:
1) First, I would like to know the Analog/Digital resolution in bits per pixel. Neither Panasonic nor Leica seem to be capable of or willing to give an answer to this simple question. My impression from conversions in Lightroom is that the dynamic range of the RAW images is barely over the 8-bit range of the jpegs, maybe 9-10bit/pixel effective.
2) Panasonic RAW format produces files titanic in size, why not to use DNG like in the L1 camera? The D-Lux 3 produces always *.raw and *.jpg file, and they both occupy whopping 22Mbytes typically. This is over twice as much as in a typical 10Mpix Nikon NEF or Canon CR2 file. Writing of such a vast amount of data takes time: Leica D-Lux 3 needs 3-4sec to store a raw file even to an Extreme III class of SD card, and this clearly renders Leica/Lumix RAW mode useless in all action situations.
The LCD display is nice, but it still has a very narrow angle of view. Turn the camera by as little as 30-40 degree, and the colors will strangely change or even reverse.
Nonetheless, D-Lux 3 is a nice and handy camera for numerous occasions. Being in the $500..600 class, it opens up the noble marque Leica to many photographers, who would have otherwise not even considered to invest in equipment with the famous red circular logo! We both with my wife like to have this little great camera handy, and we like to think that the Lumix-Leica cooperation will help Leica to succeed in its transition as a provider of top-notch digital cameras.
great for what it is...(ie *not* a dslr) [Posted on 2008-02-14]
I get so tired of people whining about noise on small sensor cameras. "OMG, it is noisier than my 30D/D80/etc." Hmm...what was your first clue? Perhaps that the same number of pixels are being stuffed on a sensor that is almost an order of magnitude smaller in surface area?!?!?
The MP race is stupid, but so are most consumers. I would have preferred that Leicasonic made this a 7MP camera with really high dynamic range and able to shoot high ISO. But they didn't...because consumers want big MP numbers.
This camera is unique because it is native 16x9. That changes the way you frame and shoot. At least it has for me. This also gives you very good manual control over things. And being able to shoot RAW is a big deal to me. I got hooked on that with my D70. And speaking of that D70, I just sold it because I am happier with the images I'm getting out of my D-Lux 3. Yes, they can be noisier, but I also can fit the Leica in my pocket. The best camera is the one you'll have with you to get the shot. This beast is a very good compromise between portability and performance. You can't have it all. Where would you put it?
Only average [Posted on 2008-09-03]
I purchased the camera expecting the best point and shoot around ( I shelled out $650 for it) and after having the camera for more than six months the pictures are average, not excellent. The images lack sharpness and the shutter is crazy slow, even in burst mode. Of course I wasn't expecting DSLR speed, but if this shutter where a car it would do 0-60 in 15 seconds.
ALSO, why in the world is the camera now more than twice the price I paid for a few months ago? I HAVE NO IDEA!!! But honestly, it's not worth it.
Get the Samsung NV11, it's been getting GREAT reviews all over the place.
So far so good. [Posted on 2008-11-16]
As a Panasonic Lumix TZ3 owner I wanted the ability to manually focus and adjust aperture and that was my main reason for purchasing this camera.
I did not want to go the slr route because of the size and weight of those cameras. I put the heavy camera and the bag of lenses behind me 20 years ago. I wanted a very small and light point and shoot camera with the ability to make manual adjustments. Ironically this camera is lighter than the Lumix TZ3.
I also wanted a camera with an excellent lens.This camera choice wasn't difficult (having owned other Leica's, Nikons, Olympus, and CAnons) knowing first hand that the quality of the Leica lenses were a cut above the others.
Within 2 days of shooting with this camera I found myself using a few of the manual settings as if they were second nature,like the Auto exposure lock which I found to be a great feature. There was no frustration in attempting to take a shot that the camera wouldn't adjust to.
Focusing manually isn't that easy but it isn't necessary to focus manually all the time... It is only needed at those times when the auto focus can't focus on what you want it to focus on.
When working on the photos in Adobe Photoshop I was surprised to discover many shots did not require major adjustments or corrections. MY conclusion is the cameras operating software is top notch. Somehow the camera balances color, saturation and contrast, almost to perfection. I found myself making an adjustment and then re-adjusting back to the original over and over again.
Shooting with a wide angle lens is a must for me and this camera exceeded my emotional need for space...forground, sky, and the panoramic feel of the 16:9 ratio.
My only disappointment is that the mode dial isn't color coded and can't be easily seen without my glasses on like with the TZ3.
Having owned this camera for only a month I can say that so far I am very pleased with the results.
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