RE: [Leica] More Digilux 2 images

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

B. D., you're certainly correct that the Digilux 2 price is sublimely 
ridiculous.

BUT. . .  let's say the Panasonic LC1 version ends up priced about where 
the Sony 717 is now--$800-ish. Let's say it gives similar image quality to 
the 717, has a fast autofocus and little shutter lag, and the EVF is 
usable.  Then it may be worth that price.  It may even be worth a bit more, 
because the film-camera-like controls make it faster and easier to use.

You were very happy with your E-20, which is, like the D2 and LC1, a 5 mp 
2/3 sensor camera.  You've often demonstrated that the E-20 was perfectly 
acceptable for many situations.  If you could have a camera with similar 
image quality, but that was lighter, faster and more handy, and had the 
controls where God and Oscar Barnack intended--wouldn't you consider such a 
camera for yourself?  I certainly will.

No, it isn't a real Leica, any more than any digicam is.  It isn't worth 
2-3x the price of comparable digicams.  But, it might be useful for someone 
who wants the convenience of digital with some of the operational qualities 
of an M.  I think we need to separate the camera from the marketing.  If 
you do that, you realize that the D2 is a grossly overpriced useful hybrid 
camera, but the LC1 may turn out to be a reasonably priced useful 
hybrid.  Leica will try to make us believe that the D2 is truly different 
and better.  And I predict that just like the LC5/D1, they will be 
identical except for the shell and perhaps a couple of parameter defaults.

And besides, the LC1's lens still says "Leica," even if it doesn't have the 
red dot.  :-)

- --Peter Klein
Seattle

At 05:45 PM 1/26/04 -0800, "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> wrote:
>Images look 'okay' - They do NOT look as though they were produced by a
>5 mgp fixed lens camera that sells for more than TWICE the price of its
>competitors - because they sure are not twice as good - in fact, they
>don't look any better. But, hey, you get a red dot with the damn thing,
>so go for it...:-)


- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html