Leica Digilux 2

AndyWest

AndyWest

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Anyone had any experience with the Leica Digilux 2? I have seen images from this camera and they are pretty amazing! I'm looking to replace my TZ6 in the near future and have been looking about for a ASP-C sized sensor in a compact and came across the Digilux 2.
 
aargh typed out a massive reply but hit the back button & lost it all :bang:

flickr group for them here http://www.flickr.com/groups/lux2lc1/

i did ask about this camera, well actually its twin sister the Lumix LC1 on here a week or 2 ago & drew a blank :shake:

i'll copy & paste my original post as it has some info links & i cba to type it all again :shrug:

i've been offered a camera from a friend a panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1 that i really wanted a little while ago but now don't really need as i have a decent compact (LX3) & my first DSLR (D200)!
it was my first real foray into digital photography since my days of blundering around with film 2 decades ago!
i used it on 3 trips abroad in 2008 & it takes lovely pictures, really sharp & great colours. its only 5mp but you'd never know by looking at the pics.
it has a lovely f2-2.4 Leica lens that works over a 28 - 90mm range (35mm equiv.) they're styled just like an old rangefinder & have all the controls exactly where you'd like them to be if you ever shot the older stuff ie shutter speed dial on the top & 3 rings around the lens for aperture, focus & zoom. add this to a solid metal body & it has a great nostalgic feel when in the hands

anyway they seem to go for £250 -300 on ebay as i think they are still a highly regarded piece. my bud said he'd let me have his little used boxed example for £150 as he knew i liked it
obviously i could buy it just to make money but thats not what i'd want to do!
what my real dilemma is, if i decide to buy it is do i really need it? would i be better off spending that money elsewhere? will i ever use it? is it just something else to carry/charge up/fanny around with etc
realistically i know i'd be better off just concentrating on learning my D200 but it has some strange kinda pull on me !
i know its not one of the ones affected by the faulty sensor problem & apparently i've used it more than the guy who owns it so its not seen a hard life & for £150 i can't really go wrong
its bigger & heavier than my LX3 but its lighter & easier to use/carry than the D200 but has lower ultimate resolution than both BUT it does take lovely pics & its a nice thing to use
i suppose i should just buy a bigger bag & carry it as my backup
its the sister model to the Leica Digilux2 if thats any help
i think i'm gonna have to clear a space in my bag

link to a review here http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_lc1-review/
first look just after release http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/panasonic-lc1-prelim.shtml

what Steve said http://www.steves-digicams.com/came...x-dmc-lc1/panasonic-lumix-dmc-lc1-review.html

an in depth test of lens here http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/DXO-Tests/DxO-LC1-Digilux2.shtml

plus a very detailed review of the Leica DL2 essentially the same camera http://photo.net/equipment/leica/digilux2/
Click to expand...
 
my impressions are that it handled very well
feels just like a real camera :thumbs:
i only used it on auto as it wasn't my camera, i hadn't used a camera for years & we were away racing our toy cars, getting pics from the events was just an extra if i had time to do it kinda thing!
the images are sharp & pretty much perfectly metered everytime!
i looked back through them the other day & they look real good :naughty:
there is some noise in all of the images but it looks more like film grain not the hideous mush you get from modern really densely packed sensors!

you lose IQ in low light & the AF will struggle a bit but its a 6 year old point & shoot! (you have to call it that as you can't change the lens)
however the lens it has is a cracker F2 - 2.4 summicron which covers 28 to 90mm in 35mm terms
with one of these you can worry less about what lens you have to use/carry & just concentrate on getting some lovely images :thumbs:
it can shoot raw but has no buffer so its incredibly slow so i just shot everything in jpeg. good news is jpegs look great straight out of the camera :love:

anyone who can hold a camera still could get really good results from this simply by using auto & taking the images as they come out :thumbs:
 
Thanks for the info etc!! Replied to your flickr mail :D
 
I was offered a trade for my D1x for a Digilux 2 some time ago - like a fool I ummed and arred, and it went. It is a super camera, such a retro feel.
 
No, its the same as Digilux 2 = DMC LC1, D-Lux = LX
 
hopefully i'll get the LC1 of my mate in the next couple of weeks :D

not really sure what i'll do with it at first as i'm enjoying learning the D200 but its too good to pass up on :naughty:
 
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