Quote from Leica D-Lux Description in Spring 2003 LeicaView

[matt_sachs]

"When you look through this new Leica digital real-life viewfinder,

you immediately recognize the superior image quality produced by its

high performance Elmarit-Vario ASPH triple zoom lens."

[michael_kastner]

I don't know whether you wanted to hear this from me or not, but after reading this ad, I'd say... "So what?"

 

I don't have a digital, I maybe could use one, and when I buy one for the first time, it certainly won't be a Leica digital. (I love my M6 TTL.)

[franciszek_czekala]

I doubt whether you will recognize the image quality on its meager 3MP sensor. I guess Leica is drowning and is desperate to stay afloat. I you are interested in high quality (metal body!) pocket digicam with full manual control check Canon S50. A field review and many sample images are available on Luminous Landscape.

[h._p.]

OK, if it's kick Leica time, how about a Nikon Coolpix 990: swiveling lens head, takes custom designed extension lenses, tough metal body.

 

No?

 

Oh well...

 

:-)

[fotografz]

Neither the Leica or the Canon mentioned above shoot RAW

files. Neither does the new Contax TVS Digital. This really

relagates them to P&S status with little opportunity to process

better 8X10 prints possible when working with RAW files. The

Canon G3 does provide RAW capibility, but is a bigger camera.

 

For just goofing around the new Canon mentioned above is a

good choice primarily because it is 5 meg and uses CF cards.

[chip l.]

Marc,

 

Correction, the Canon S50 does do RAW. And teh ability to work with RAW files depends more on how much post processing that an individual wants. Digital RAW allows much more in terms of controling contrast, sharpness, saturtation than the JPG file. The JPG is more akin to film. What you see is what you get, though some minor tweaking is possible.

 

Cgip

[franciszek_czekala]

A quote from the above mentioned article on Luminous Landscape:

 

'Another aspect of the S50 (and the rest of the PowerShot line) is that it is able to produce RAW files (not all brands of digicams do). I almost never shoot JPGs, much preferring to have a "digital negative" which allows me to work with 16 bit images and adjust values like colour balance after the fact. Furthermore the S50 comes with software for the Mac that supports OS X, which numerous other camera manufacturers still don't.'

 

Now my text:

A big plus for Canon S50 is also the fact that the selection of shooting modes on this camera is the same as on Canon EOS 33 (Elan 7 in USA) and on 10D I think - including T, Av, M - but there is no way I could carry a 33 in my pocket. Someone who is accustomed to using Canon SLRs should find Canon S50 very familiar in operation. Morevoer S50 has a metal movable plate protecting the lense which makes it suitable to carry the camera with you at all times. I had this camera in my hands (although i do not own it at present) and it is very small and handy. It is the only digicam I would consider buying now and it does look very tempting. As to goofin around - at 5MP it is not so any more. And when you consider Neatimage even shooting at ISO 800 starts to make sense. The more I get involved in photography the more I discover that I need a small camera to carry with me everywhere - but I do not want to lose picture quality. Big SLR cameras with big lenses and accompanying photo bags require special events to take them out of the closet. When I go out for a walk with my child I do not want to carry around several kgs of equipment - I want to have fun with my family and when the occasion arises to take a photo. Canon S50 is perhaphs the first and for the time being the only digital camera that I am considering seriously. And at 600$ it really makes sense. Now add to this the fact that 2GB Compact Flash become available and it starts to look as a very serious camera. Note also that Canon describes S50 as 'high end digital camera'.

 

Now, returning to Leica, there is another ridiculous quote concerning D-Lux:

 

`Leica's typically long product life cycles ensure that the camera will not be replaced by a successor model after only a few months,� explains Roland Wolff.'

 

A 3MP camera that won't have a successor in a forseeable future?Equally well they could say they are going to shut down their business within a few months. But of course you will get a leather case and you can even engrave your name on the camera. Good for Leica users.

[michael_darnton1]

For my money, there's no future in VF digital until the finders are something better than what you get in a $10 throw-away. Tiny crummy screens at arm's-length are no better. If you want a digital that acts like a real camera, get a recently-discontinued Olympus E-10 at blow-out prices before they're all gone.

[fotografz]

Well I'll be damned, the Canon S50 does shoot RAW! Thanks for

the correction.

 

When at a demo show this past Sunday, I directly asked the Rep

if the S-50 shot RAW and he said that it didn't. I asked because I

was compairing it to the Contax TVS digital which is also 5 meg.

but doesn't shoot RAW. I would have bought the darn thing at the

show discount if I had known it shot RAW files. However, I did

notice that there was still a bit of shutter lag with the S-50. Am I

wrong on that also?

[Robin Smith]

Marc

 

You are a man who just cannot say no to a camera- don't you have a G3 too?

[fotografz]

Yes Robin, I can say no...but it's damned hard.

 

I love the G3, but it is to big for a pocket camera to take along to

parties and dinner out etc. My son's OM camera finally kick the

bucket (sad, but true) and he has been hinting for a digital from

dear old dad (he is an Art Director, so good on a Mac and

PhotoShop). I think the G3 will be his shortly.

[franciszek_czekala]

I have a friend who owns E-10 and each time I meet him he regrets

selling his previous pocket-size Olympus digicam (I do not know the model). E-10 is a solid but big and heavy SLR and we are talking about cameras that you can take everywhere without any effort.

 

Obviously there must be some shutter lag with S50 unless it has manual focusing which I doubt. Moreover the lense is rather dark going down to f4.9 at the longer end which is not very encouraging. These things hold me back from rushing to buy this camera. I would love to see a digital Rollei AFM 35 - what a camera this would make!

Unfortunately the engineers in companies like Rollei or Leica do not seem to have the guts to come up with a digital camera with a decent sensor, devoid of all the bells and whistles, LCD displays etc., a camera which would simply give you full control and allow to shoot as in the good old days but digital instead of film. I have an impression that Leica addresses their products towards people who want to show their financial status rather than take photographs. That would explain the quote that started this discussion.

[h._p.]

Wouldn't it be nice if Leica brought out a digital model with very short shutter lag and the ability to take M series lenses...

 

Oh damn, we've been here before.

 

:-)