Re: [Leica] Digilux 2

["Red Dawn" <reddawn@singnet.com.sg>]

Hi

the main problem with the Digilux 2, IMHO, is not the controls, or even the
price. It is the size of the sensor. No doubt u might be able to make a good
11 x 14" print with it, but it will have to be at its lowest ISO, which is
100. Anything above will be noisy, like ALL other consumer digicams. Yes, I
haven't played with one yet, but is it really so hard to see the potential
problem? the 3 megapixel D30 digital SLR can give better quality than a 4 or
5 megapixel consumer digital point and shoot precisely because it has a
larger sensor capable of producing smooth noise free images. This allows
potential for larger print sizes. The D30 goes from ISO 100 to 1600, with
very usable 800 and acceptable 1600 if u keep the print size to 5 x 7".

Now you have the 6 megapixel Canon 10D, the 5 megapixel Nikon D100, the 6/12
megapixel Fuji S2Pro, all with considerable larger sensors than that of the
digilux 2, which is basically not much bigger than any other digital p&s.
All go from ISO 100 to 3200, with very very good ISO 800s and 1600 quality.
And the new digital rebel is also 6 megapixels with the same large sensor,
goes from ISO 100 to 1600, and costs less than USD $2k with a lens in kit
form.

Even the E1 with its smaller sensor (but larger than the digilux 2) has
noiser images at the higher ISOs. What makes us think that Panasonic is able
to do any much better with the small 2/3s CCD they have? how many of us
shoot only at ISO 100? certainly not me......

the other problem is the electronic EVF that we have to put up with in the
Digilux 2. Is anyone taking note of this? How confident are we that the EVF
from Panasonic is going to be any better than that of Minolta's offerings in
their Dimage series? If it is not much better, how are we going to shoot in
low light with a grainy, lagging, dim EVF? or in good light, for that
matter.

btw if we are less biased and are willing to try new things, the Canon 10D
(or for that matter, the Nikon D100) is certainly not as bulky as some of us
wants to think. It's small and light, and amazingly, it has a quiet shutter
with no film transport noise (of course!). It may not be as quiet as the
Leica M that i have, but it certainly is more discreet than its film
counterparts. It also has a responsive shutter with minimal lag. Yes it's an
SLR, but at least it has ground glass viewing and focusing, compared to
peering at an electronic image and trying to decide how early to press the
shutter to overcome the lagging, slow to update EVF problem.....

boon hwee

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Dory" <dorysrus@mindspring.com>
To: <Leica-Users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2004 8:43 AM
Subject: [Leica] Digilux 2


> There is a sub cult of Leica bashing.  Right now, the bashing is on the
> proposed price of the Digilux 2.  However, I assume most readers of this
> list have paid similar high prices for their Leica gear.  Why?  Because,
> for some situations, there is no better tool in the world, period.
>
> So, to answer B.D. direct question, what if the Digilux 2 works like the
> M?  What if the shutter goes click when you press the release?  What if
> you can do that over and over just like an M?  How about controls that
> you can figure out by feel in the dark?  How about real manual focus so
> you can set your hyper focal and bang away with confidence?  What if the
> lens/sensor/software lets you make beautiful 11X14's?
>
> So, why don't we all wait about a month until we see what it really is?
> I know that the Panasonic FZ10 makes beautiful 8X10's and the manual
> focus feels like a Canon ring USM lens which is no bad thing.
>
> I also think that if it works much like an M and produces images that
> scale well then I might just be a customer.  I have tried almost all the
> digicams out there and frankly have a mostly hate relationship.  Perhaps
> this iteration will work.
>
> The initial price of a tool is trivial if it does what it was intended
> to do: my dad has a set of furniture knives (think of router bits) that
> his grandfather used to make furniture, with them I can match exactly an
> edge molding originally made 150 years ago.  I have a twenty year old M6
> that I have hammered for years and it keeps the film etched: I have a
> forty year old M3 that has had one cleaning, it also keeps on ticking.
> Who really cares if they were two or three times the price of a Nikon F?
> I have worn out an F and a Canon F1; I haven't been able to wear out my
> M's
> :)
> Don
> dorysrus@mindspring.com
>
>
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