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Leica D-Lux 4 Digital Camera (Black) | 
 enlarge | Brand: Leica
Category: Photography
List Price: $769.00
Buy New: $685.00
You Save: $84.00 (11%)
New (11) from $685.00
Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 1111
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: Yes
Optical Zoom: 10
Display Size: 3
Maximum Focal Length: 12.8
Minimum Focal Length: 5.1
Maximum Resolution: 10
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.5 x 4.5
MPN: D-Lux4 Black
Model: D-Lux4 Black
UPC: 799429183523
EAN: 4022243183520
ASIN: B001H8DF0G
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Leica quality | | • | Sharp,Fast Leica Lens | | • | Full Feature and Fully creative | | • | Extremely Compact Size | | • | Large Brilliant Veiwing Screen |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The compact nature of the D-Lux 4 means it can be with you all the time. But despite its compact size, it offers top Leica quality and gives the photographer plenty of artistic freedom. The D-Lux 4 is ideal, whether for subjects composed with lots of forethought or for spontaneous reportage.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
 Great Camera - Excellent Images - Miserable LCD Viewfinder June 27, 2009
Leo A. Iantosca (Lewiston)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Unbelievable photographic tool. Image quality is superb, shadow detail, colour, B&W plus the ability to bracket multiple film types are just the beginning. User controls are a bit small but highly functional & intuitive. ISO is highly usable up to 400 beyond which the usual compromises begin to take hold. The speed of the lens at f2.0-f2.8 combined with the image stabilization system makes for the BEST low light camera I have had the pleasure of using. The focal length 24-60mm is quite usable-- need 10x this is not the camera for you - use your feet get up move around compose, try different viewpoints - its called photography -- experiment let the limits nudge you into your more creative side. Multi- Format 4:3 3:4, 16:9 allow for a lot of creative possibilities and experimentation. I don't understand some of the complaints from other users and reviewers about barrel distortion - I have not seen it as a problem - unless you are more interested in technicalities of the device rather than the outcomes and the pleasure of a well composed photograph. The grid line option in the viewfinder is a god send for properly aligning and composing.
Now the only complaint and it is a major one is the LCD VIEWFINDER IS Useless in most daylight situations. It totally defeats the ability of carefully composing and constructing a well taken photo. The LCD is more like a mirror rather than a viewfinder. I realize Lieca had to make some compromises in terms of size and all BUT this is ridiculous. I tried the 24mm hot shoe viewfinder - very useful if all you shot is 24mm otherwise at half the cost of the camera hardly worth it. The only acceptable although somewhat kludgy solution comes from The Hoodman - product name is the HoodLoupe3.0 with the cinema strap option for attaching the Loupe. Actually works quite well once I figured out how to attach with minimum interference on the cameras miniature controls. Obviously increases the size of the kit quite a bit but it essentially turns the d-lux 4 into a mini digital view camera !!! So given the obvious compromises I still give the D-Lux 4 a 5 Star rating- why because life is full of compromises even if you had unlimited resources - we as consumers need to stop looking for perfection in things and focus on whats important in life - whatever your choices - Enjoy and stop fusing over meaningless specs and measurements in the end the photo is what matters. Capture the light and the moment.
 Don't believe the hype June 24, 2009
Fazal Majid (San Francisco, CA United States)
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
Reviewers hail the Panasonic LX3 (of which this is only a rebranded version) as a low-noise camera. I bought one, wasn't impressed with the lens and horrified with the noise as early as ISO 320, and returned it to get a Sigma DP2 instead.
Perfect for my needs June 23, 2009
Gary Wise (Houston, Texas)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I read the reviews to replace my aging Olympus E-10.
I went for image quality, lens speed and low footprint.
If I were a pro, I'd probably go for a DSLR.
As a food blogger, it's stealth and great macro are a bonus. It's unintimidating profile encourages candid 'moments' and I can't find sufficient hyperbole to describe image quality, particularly as all I do is web. The anti-shake really works with F2.0 1/20 shots to avoid attention. I rarely use the internal flash.
Battery life is great; hi-def movies and bright screen [even in Texas sun] don't faze it much.
It shoots 16:9, 4:3 & 3:2 aspect ratios. HD movies [albeit with fixed zoom]are in 10 minute bursts.
The leather case [aka fast-release belt holster] and 'red dot' help; one with protection [I've dropped it twice with NO damage] and the other with semi-pro shoot cred. The cachet premium has been worth it for me.
With leather case, extra [branded] battery & 16GB card [images are 9MB or so, and movies 180MB approx], it was half the price of my E-10 8 yrs ago, and blows the Olympus away in every respect.
Initially I was concerned with the cheaper-feeling plastic body & parts, but the camera seems tougher than it looks. I wish there was a daylight filter to avoid lens damage.
I am having fun again, and a great investment/upgrade...
Impressive little camera June 21, 2009
APM
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a photographic powerhouse! I just came back from a trip to Colorado, took many pictures of Monument Valley, arches, and the beautiful Colorado scenery, and they are the most beautiful pictures I have ever taken! The colors are amazing, the images seem to come out of the pictures, as if they were 3D. All in all, a purchase you will not regret. I will always own a Leica from now on.
D-Lux 4 = LX3 June 9, 2009
Paul Noble
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
I'm just fascinated to read all these reviews extolling the virtues of the D-Lux 4 versus the LX3.
Guys, the D-Lux 4 IS the LX3. Panasonic makes it, completely, 100%. The whole thing. Box and all. So yes: it has, surprise, a 'Made in Japan' label! It is functionally identical to the LX3, give or take a tweak or two to the firmware. It just costs a lot more only except that:
Either Panasonic misjudged the demand or it is about to replace the LX3, which is therefore currently back-ordered by Panasonic, so it costs, from various predatory camera stores smart enough to have stockpiled it, as much as the Leica.
Benefit of Leica: significantly better case design and nicer packaging - certainly to my eye. Brand appeal. Benefit of Panasonic: half the price until recently and firmware updates come a month earlier than Leica's tweak which may or may not add any value.
No other way Leica can actually differentiate their private label version, frankly. both are otherwise technical identical right down to the terrific little lens that Panasonic pays a license fee to Leica to use their name on and just possibly Leica had some role in its design.
Am I against Leica? Not at all. I have and love their M6, and love their product design and cachet. And their M series lenses are extraordinary. Indeed, historically their optical and mechanical engineering was without parallel.
But let us please, please call a spade a spade and not talk about the D-Lux as some incredible German masterpiece.
It is a truly, absolutely fantastic Japanese camera designed and manufactured by Panasonic.
PS: as the very, very happy owner of an LX3 I am even thinking of getting a D-Lux 4 and giving my LX3 to one of my kids. The D-Lux 4 is that pretty and the camera, regardless, that fantastic. But I'm just not kidding myself that I'm getting anything else beyond the snob appeal and a nicer, cleaner case and a cute minimalist white box and a three year warranty - as if you or I will still be using a 2008 camera in 2012. And some nice, expensive leather accessory cases also.
I don't mean to pop anyone's bubble, but I don't think I am wrong on any of this.
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