Where is leica d lux 5 made

Would you choose this over the E-P2? I replaced it 2 years ago with a Canon SXIS which I love except for the fact it is slower than molasses at times and strains in low light. Canons interface is exemplary IMHO. The photographer was done and I got shots of him doing keg stands, lol. I need good low light performance and am looking to eliminate the flash as much as possible.

So, with all that in mind, is the interface different on the Leica? Easier maybe? And are there any other cameras one might recommend for a guy who just likes to capture random moments quickly and efficiently? I read somewhere that the Leica version is supposedly using components that are more in the sweet spot of QC. Has anyone else heard or read that? The Better ver. Doubt it. I would expect them to say nothing other then that anyway.

So, just to be sure once more, there are clear differences between the LX5 and the D-Lux 5 in terms of image quality and the user interface, is that correct? Spoke to Leica UK about this today and they confirmed the different Firmware which makes the camera control more Leica feel than whiz bang Japanese style, and then there are internal settings such as bias to provide better image resolution, in their opinion, but not much else so far as I could ascertain.

Of course, there is also the better version of Lightroom, the Passport insurance cover, and the longer warranty which for some of us is well worth the extra. As you say, the decision revolves around whether one is in need of a new copy of Lightroom. Thanks Steve for the fine review and your effort. I bought the LX5. Well done, lens team! But I quibble. It will be a joy to use. Steve, I purchased the Leica 24mm for the V-lux hot-shot finder and it looks dead on.

Could I be wrong? Yep, forgot to mention this in the review but I noticed the same thing. Its not as contrasty or bold looking as the previous model. I bought a D-Lux 4 Titanium a year ago. For friends and family, just out and about, and even the creative side it does it all. Use the nice and bright Panasonic 24mm finder, and the 18mm wide angle optional lens — very nice for interiors and HD video.

Steve, I have the amazing lx5, do you think the leica 24mm vf is the exact same as the pan? I find the leica lines brighter. Thank you. Seeing as Leica is German, what German digital camera company should they go to for their sensors? I think a few people fail to recognize that Panasonic needed a branding to help them position themselves as a serious contender… Sony did this with Carl Zeiss.

Where would Panasonic be without this partnership? Hard to say, maybe where Fuji is. It did help Leica as well with these comodity cameras, maybe more so because they were on the tight line between broke and not.

What seems a pity, is that Leica might not feed in to Panasonic the requirements which could make the cameras such as the LX5 even better from handling standpoint. Thanks for all of the comments guys! Here in Europe, you get extended warranty on new camera purchases anyway at no extra cost in dealerships, so the warranty feature might be more a sales point in the USA. Is our mind fooling us? In fact, on the X1 product page, see link below, Leica does assert that the camera is made in Germany.

Not that any of it matters. I own, and love, the X1. It really boils down to the quotation marks. If my product itself is marked as such, that is something different. The original run of the X1 was manufactured in portugal. Leica itself clarified that only the M and S series were final-assembled in Solms which componentes made in China.

Not sure how Leica is re-organising this in light of their move out of Solms to their all-new factory and HQ, and not sure how many manufacturing runs of the X1 there has been, given that it sells quite well.

I made print out of these threads for professional reasons, and if you want, I can get you the time markers. Put in context: this coincided with a big debate in Germany about the usage of Made in Germany in the automotive sector, where cars were referred to as such while in fact they were manufactured and assembled in Eastern European countries esp.

Back to Leica: This is not about saying whether the X1 is good or bad for some people, whoever, it seems to be the case , in fact, most German posters were not happy about the Portugal plant, which I never understood as some production runs in the s and 80s had a higher quality when coming from the Portugese plant than from the Leitz plant which was in disarray and had patchy QC.

The leather appliquee is from material used for VW and Audi cars, and the casing is made of titanium also found in VW car components.

Yes, the X1 is expensive and the focus is a tad slow, but if you can live with that probably not if you come from a DSLR the IQ will blow you away, for a machine of that size. On a recent trip to China, it was the only camera I took.

What matters is your shooting style and subjects. I would not recommend it for wildlife, weddings, sports, or serious portrait work. But, for just about everything else….

Make no mistake, these are serious photographic tools that will deliver extraordinary results when used properly. Thanks for your reply, Robert. I was kind of suspecting that, but had no basis of my own to really believe it. I use my D90 if we are going to an event or something that I want to take snapshots at and then upload quickly.

My wife has a blog food, fashion, shopping stuff and I shoot pictures for her blog — maybe food when we are out or snapshots of stores that we happen to be in.

It does help to have a faster lens I usually use a Sigma 30mm f1. I think that kind of stuff could be well served by a non-DSLR with a smaller sensor. My wife wants me to take the D90 for her blog pictures. She appreciates film, but likes the crispness and no wait factor of the D If I could take the M6 and a much smaller, but almost as capable, digital I would be happy. This is exactly what I use my LX5 for. It is a constant companion to my Leica M film kit. I am very happy to have it.

The lens is fantastic and the handling very nice once set up for your preferences. Please, I would love to see a direct comparison with the D I have tried the LX3 and it is light years away from the D90! Well the only real test is to shoot images with D90, images with DLUX4, mix them and ask random people to find which ones are shot with ones a which ones are shot with the other.

You do that with at least 40 people. You then do statistics on the results: there are statistics methodologies to establish whether people perceive there is a difference or not. Well, apart the fact they shoot very good pictures and my pictures are so bad I mean …. I have both the D-Lux 4 and the nikon D All you have to do is go look at larger sizes of them in my sets to see that the D90 files are nicer blown up. Ahh…the D-Lux 5. Sure, the GF1 the one I have is chunky and is about the size of my old Olympus 1.

Though I do pull it out now and again to give it some love. Looks a great camera for sure but looking at the various reports and this review tells me it is not time to leave my LX3 just yet.

I took it to the practice round of the Ryder Cup golf championship yesterday and it delivered in spades. Long live the LX3! Samsung NX10, mft, nex, they all offer much better IQ at similar prices.

And here is where Leica steps in to produce a slightly different picture than the Panasonic. The differences in color may be subtle…. Nice review of a nice camera, Lightroom makes the price difference fairly palatable between the Leica and Panasonic versions, but I would not get either. For the same money m43 or Sony NEX represents a much better deal in my opinion. Not as small of course, but there will always be trade offs.

Sure you are paying a large premium for a different case, and the results would be identical, but how many of us own a Leica M6 or M7, with the same lens, a Bessa would take identical photos. I know you would actually! The other is the M9… that is a true artists tool. And hmm, I just bought the S95 as a pocket camera because of two reasons, but one was the step zoom!

Maybe its too large? As I said, not much stood out in the jungle of digititis, but this did. Those have much higher resolution 1. I liked this review. It was honest. Nice camera. Very nice. What I really want to know is.. If I may add, I see that you have made comparisons with the X1.

I have no doubt that the X1 IQ is such that the D-Lux 5 can only complement such a camera and not compete with it. I would like to see how these two cameras perform in the best light condition low ISO, f5.

I feel that, as a second camera, the V-lux 20 might offer certain alternatives GPS-tagging, long zoom, HD-video, smaller body that might complement a promenade with the M9 or X1, for example. Id go for the leica over panny any day. I had the dlux 3 and 4 before getting the X1 and as Ashwin pointed out, the DLux 5 will retain its value when you wanna upgrade to the dlux 6.

Steve, Just glanced at your review. I would say that on a small sensor camera, the 35mm equivalent refers only to what is in the frame, i. The problem is not what is in the frame, but what the contents of the frame look like. Depth of field will be a lot different, amongst other subtle differences. Thanks John and Garry. Anyone know if the relationship between DoF vs sensor size is exponential or incremental?

TDK: draw yourself a simple diagram. And primes come in various focal length of odd numbers. Just because 50mm and 35mm were easy to optomechanically calculate in the early days, and Leica made it an acquired taste to shoot with 35mm or 50mm, does not mean that there is any value in retaining them.

In fact, the 24mm equi of the Panasonic lens on the D-Lux 5 camera here is a good case in point for making a break from that. Honestly do not get your point here.

Just about everyone in the universe of photography understands what you said — if not technically at least conceptually. Heck I do not remember off the top of my head what a 18mm lens of 35mm angle of view is but I sure know exactly what it looks like in terms of angle of view.

Leave it be — what would you suggest doing — having a law of some sort banning the use of 35e terms? Most camera makers even embed it in the EXIF. If the entire history of communication of angle of view were in angle of view numbers and all of sudden this popped on the scene. I would agree with you. Robert, honestly, I do not get your point here.

I love your Weltanschauung, man! If you had read the thread in which I am posting, esp. Also: alot of newcomers read this blog, which is what makes it so great. The universe of photography might all know this, but you have no idea, it seems, how many people not part of the universe of photography go into a photostore and want to buy a camera, not having one clue what the numbers on the glass thing mean, let alone can set-up a named Album in iPhoto.

Just yesterday, I colleague asked me about exactly this D-Lux 5. He wanted to own a Leica. Because of the name, he said. It sounds good and German, and the lenses are great he read in an artbook. Another colleague mentioned that this camera is a Panasonic clone.

I acknowledged that, and was then asked how much that Panny costs. Well, guess what the reaction was. Great discussion here…. I agree that other than 24 and 90, which are the beginning and end lmits of the zoom range, along with the 35 and 50 mm focal length options due to their historic place are most needed, while the rest can be a bit arbitraty particularly the 70 mm focal length preset.

I would have preferred that Leica use a 75 mm focal length option over 70 mm, given that this is an option that they have for in their prime lens line up, so who knows why symmetry? I think it will be an option for those familiar with those equivalent focal lengths, to play with a way of zooming that limits them a bit more, while challenging and possibly freeing up some more creativitiy.

I tend toward hyperbole and irony in my communication style. The historical references were only to suppress any possible desire to re-explain a point that I was not arguing. I could live without the 70mm as well — if I am going narrower than 50 I will go right to I find it great help at least for those whop have been used to film and do use different formats.

Not so much a problem to know my few medium format lenses, but with the smaller sensor cameras and all kind of different sensor size it does make sense for me to have a reference. Excellent, in depth, non-technical, real world review. Love the balance you shared in LX5 vs D-Lux 5 comparison. Interesting discussion, clearly illustrated in your sample images.

Great review Steve! Excellent review. Thanks Steve. The best thing about the LX5 is the redesigned grip. It is feels superb. I loved my DLUX4 but the flat surface made is somewhat uncomfortable to use for extended periods.

Hello Steve, I have often been critical on this site. However, I have to congratulate you for a very honest and balance review. You have been able to highlight the very good points of this superb camera and its limitations. Again, congratulation for a very objective and unbiased review. I feel that small cameras with much bigger sensor are going to be available really soon. I currently use LR 3. I am quite excited about htis camera! And that expensive red dot does buy some resale value, but yeah, this is a niche camera for the Leicaphiles in us, and the LX-5 should perform quite similarly!

I love the black and white conversions you did. They look great. Nice n simple. Certainly does make me think twice about the idea of an X1 though as this Leicasonic is producing great files for a small sensor. Thanks for the great review Steve! Bought the LX5 myself and love the camera. I would be very disappointed if I had to pay extra to get Lightroom which I already own. Also, where I live we get the same warranty with both cameras and the difference in price is about the same as in USD.

I am interested in either the S95 or the LX5 as an additional camera to others and my heart says Pana but my head says the S95 is real pockable the LX5 not really. About the S Especially when carrying the camera ready to use it. Got the ring to fix it and it did help.

Prefer the joystick of the LX3 and no dedicated video button… I still use the S90 a lot, mostly due to it being real pocket friendly. From my testing so far. I will be end up with one of these cameras and I will do an update with RAW conversions soon. This one has to go back today and only had it for days. Latest Posts. A Baby Summilux. Gorgeous but worth the premium? The Dream Queen. The Features of the Leica D-Lux 5 The feature list below was taken from the features of the Panasonic LX-5 but again, these are the same cameras, so the features are the same.

Dynamic Range The expanded dynamic range is made possible by the improvement of on-tip-lens design with larger light concentration and VCCD expansion while deepening the photo diode to manage richer signal more effectively. Digital Zoom Thanks to intelligent resolution technology, the intelligent zoom is available which extends the zoom ratio by approx. Step Zoom The Step Zoom function, allows you to set the zoom to 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 70mm or 90mm via the menu. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market. The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range , and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation.

Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Leica D-LUX 5 among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics , as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives. Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The D-LUX 5 indeed provides movie recording capabilities.

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Leica D-LUX 5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

One convenient feature of the D-LUX 5 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas. Leica announces D-Lux 5 premium compact. Quick specs. We are retrieving offers for your location, please refresh the page to see the prices.

Tweets by dpreview. Nikon Z9 initial review. Sony a7 IV initial review. Nikon Nikkor Z mm F2. Sigma mm F Discover more challenges ». You would need about 15 rolls of film to do that, but technology now offers average layman an opportunity to do things that would have been impossible to dream about a decade ago.

The battery is small in this camera which is both a plus and a minus because you will need to change the battery if you like to do a lot of photography. I find that this to be no problem because I pretty much fill out the memory card with one battery charge which then means you will need to put in another memory card to continue shooting anyway.

For me, I prefer using the extended ISO settings on D-Lux 5 to capture decent quality images which then can be used on the internet or the social media platforms. All in all, it is a good lens and camera combination for everyone who wishes to be able to capture images without the bulk of having heavy lenses and big full frame bodies. There are so many other features which I have not mentioned about this camera that it would take many more pages to explain, I rather say that it is a good camera to have anywhere anytime.

If you are in the market to buy any of the Leica Camera products mentioned in this article you can check out the links below. Leica TL2 Camera. Leica X-U type Camera. Leica CL Camera. Leica M10 Camera. Leica Q Camera. Barcelona April 19 — Rome April 26 — London May 3 — 6.

Paris May 10 — Vancouver June 7 — San Francisco May 24 — Tokyo November 8 — Hong Kong November 22 — I hope you have enjoyed this article. We look forward to bringing you other reviews and articles on Leica products. You must be logged in to post a comment. First Name. Last Name.