Leica D-LUX 3 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
by Leica
Our Price: $1,999.99
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: LeicaRelease Date: 2006-11-01
Model: 18303
Color: Black
Product 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
- Serif PhotoPlus X3
- Adobe Photoshop CS4 Upgrade [OLD VERSION]
- Aperture 3
- Pixelmator [Old Version]
- AmazonBasics SDHC Class 4 32GB Secure Digital Card
Digital camera reviews of Leica D-LUX 3 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
Digital camera Review: A good (not great) camera. Nice but not super-nice. Yet very chic & cool.
Summary: 3 Stars
First off, let me tell you I have been shooting with a Canon20D with 3 different lenses for the past four years, my basis for review IS biased, opinionated, and thus the Leica is being forced to compete with an SLR worth 2-3x the value of itself. Gyeah!
It's sort of a Leica. The camera is metal and has a retro-feel to it. I do like the simplicity of the dials. But it's made in Japan and it wouldn't take a die-hard camera-guru to tell you it's a souped up Panasonic.
I feel like I bought a Lexus with a maserati emblem on it. It's really good, but I expected fantastic.
NOISIER THAN A SLAYER CONCERT! My goodness this thing has trouble with dark lighting. Uggghhh. I wouldn't shoot this anywhere I didn't need sunglasses. 4 out of 10.
THE COLOR IS DECENT. An 8 out of 10.
LAGS! Press the shutter, wait, wait, wait, think about what you might have for lunch tommorow, wait, wait, wait... okay. Picture time. If you want to take a photo of any sport faster than chess or catfish noodling, don't get this camera. 2 out of 10
OVERALL PHOTO QUALITY.
It does take good photos. It collects a surprising amount of detail. The focusing is ingenious (sp?) for a point and shoot, and the options are nearly unlimited (3 different ways to photograph babies! 2 different skintone options) THere is a brain in there. 9 out of I'd go 8.5, but the focusing is quite brilliant, i.e. depth of field.
MANUAL SETTING.
THe programming is nearly unlimited, you need to spend at least half an hour to an hour to read and understand all the different settings available. But, in manual mode, THERE IS NO FOCUSING RING! You merely push the button up or down to tell it to focus in or out (like cheap video cameras). Left and Right button control aperature, and there are film speeds to choose from (100-200asa for me, buddy). But no it's not manual in the sense one would expect from a "swiss/german" camera-smithery. 4 out of 10
FLASH
Wow! 10 out of 10! Why? Because it's manual. When you want the flash, you press the MECHANICAL button and the flash MECHANICALLY pops up and the flash is in use. When you don't want the flash, you press it down MECHANICALLY. It's built in, of course, but it's not "built-in". And in baby mode, the flash reduces the flare and glare as to not burn second degree scars into the baby retinas.
BUILD/FINISH/STURDINESS
It's metal! Just like those more expensive good cameras. It's satiny, and it has a big bright red logo that let's everybody know you only get the best things you can afford. YOur fancy, and you like to spend money! People will admire you more and treat you with respect. Just like a Gucci purse, or six hundred dollar sequined jeans that were ripped on purpose at the factory and sprayed with acidic bleach by robots. IF your REALLY materialistic and want everyone to think your a rockstar, this is the camera for you. THere is a fifteen thousand dollar gold Mamiya with diamonds on it, but I'd rather get the Hassleblaad h3 for that price.
Just kidding, some people do just like really good cameras, like me. I guess it's pretty strong, my girlfriend dropped it at the gunrange today and it was fine. 9 out of 10. It could be sturdier, heavier, more made for Nepal/Tenderloin expeditions.
BANG FOR BUCK
5 out of 10. FOr the same price you could probably get a decent Canon Rebel, or a super nice Canon point and shoot. Or for 170$ you could get a nice Sony, Panasonic, or Canon and spend the rest on a nice weekend roadtrip vacation and have something to take pictures for. And if you spent twice as much as this camera you would have a real sweet digital SLR! But SIX HUNDRED BUCKS? FOR A POINT AND SHOOT? 5 out of 10. It is ten megapixels though.
LCD SCREEN
14 out 10. That's right 14 out of 10. The screen is so ridiculously nice and big, I could watch Lawrence of Arabia on it. I've seen airplane seats with smaller LCD screens. The screen is so frickin' nice, I'm terrified I bought a two hundred dollar camera with a four hundred dollar LCD screen attached to it. I wish the company had put the money and technology towards the sensor, the lens, and the overall sturdiness. 14 out of 10.
LENS.
Sweet lens. I'm not sure if it's german, swiss, or Japanese. But it's from one of the three and it is nice glass. Most point and shoots have lenses the size of Charles Manson's pupils, but it's impressive. I also LIKE the fact it doesn't fully retract into the camera. Most people probably don't like this feature, because it's bulkier and harder to store. But for the purpose of PHOTOGRAPHY, (the purpose of having a camera, duh), it makes for a better camera, that it doesn't retract fully back into the camera (which brings more afghan dust and somali sand in the camera). Maybe it even has SLR style mirrors in there? I don't know, I'm not an expert, I'm just a guy who OWNS and USES this camera. 9 out 10. I'd give it 10, but there is no bloody focusing ring.
OVERALL
6 out 10.
It's a nice camera, but not super nice. I do like the big lens, I do like the retro feel and the nice old school dials, it keeps it simple. The metal finish is great. It has a great LCD screen. It says Leica, it's made of Metal, but it's Panasonic as that radio/tapeplayer I had back in 87 that was aqua green and shaped like a anti-hystamine gel-tab. For a hundred or two, or a thousand more, you could have a really nice camera. I was expecting Leica. Heavy metal with a great lens and mechanicality above computer. (yes, I do know the difference between 35 and digi, but I want what I can't have) Get the Panasonic instead.
THIS CAMERA HAS A CHEAPER TWIN BROTHER WHO DOESN'T WEAR A SWISS/GERMAN TUXEDO WITH A RED ROSE IN THE FRONT POCKET.
More Leica D-LUX 3 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) reviews:
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Summary of Leica D-LUX 3 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
The D-Lux 3 is a 10mp digital point-and-shoot with O.I.S. optical stabilization technology and the ability to choose between 3 picture formats - from simple JPEG to RAW format. The image stabilizer (O.I.S.) leads to sharply focused images even in situations where there s not really enough natural light. The camera is also perfect for digiscoping - taking photographs through a spotting scope - to capture nature at close range. The D-Lux 3 also gives the photographer the freedom to create his own view of the world without any automatic settings. The 16:9 picture format with the full resolution of over 10 megapixels produces fantastic images for frame-filling viewing on HDTV equipment. The brilliant 2.8 display also has an aspect ratio of 16:9.Digital Cameras
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