[Leica] Digital Leica - entry level approach

[puff11 at comcast.net (Norm Aubin)]

Greetings all,

I made the step into digital last week by purchasing a Leica branded
Panasonic - the D-Lux 3.  B+H photo notified me when they got their first
set in and I ordered the next day - and one day before they sold out.

I figured it was about time to find out if the convenience of digital was
worth the quality loss - at least for snap shot use and such - I doubt it
will replace the film cameras that I already have (at a reasonable cost) for
some time yet.  What I want to know is if the work flow and the rapidity of
turn around is worth it - the instant gratification of seeing the shots in
hours instead of days and weeks.  

Some initial observations (pix to follow next week when I return from
business travel) - The camera is a small critter - about the size of a
regular deck of playing cards - with a small bulge up front for the lens to
protrude.  Once uncapped and powered up the lens extends a tad bit more -
and further yet when zooming.  The display has two power levels - a good
thing outside as the low level is too dim in sunlight - the full power
display is great though.

It has raw capture, as well as two levels of ,jpg, and the 1 gig cards at
133 MHz take a good two seconds to store a raw capture - fractions of a
second for .jpgs.  According to the manual it can write to (address) a 16
gig card - once those are less pricy we'll see - for now four Lexar 1 gig /
133 MHz cards are working fine.  Batteries are the same as the earlier
versions - they sell for 49.00 USD, although USBATTERY has them for 15.00
USD.  The charge is supposed to last for 150 - 250 images - time will tell.

Kinesthetics - the damn thing is small!  It hardly fits my hand - and I'm
all over it as a result!  It also take a lot of getting used to NOT having a
viewfinder - the M6 has trained me how to see through a camera - the TV
screen is alien and a little irritating - I want a viewfinder!  I'll adjust
- it's no worse than ground glass - but it's different than what I use every
day.  It weighs next to nothing - so when you're used to the robust feel of
an M6 this thing is a will 'O the wisp.  That brings it's own problems, but
it fits in the shirt pocket - and it's always there when I probably wouldn't
bring the M6 - so I will adjust!

The few images I have made with it are fine - they have vibrant color and
good sharp rendering - the Raw converter is a P.O.S. - but needs must - it
came with the camera and until I get P.S. CS2 vice P.S. 7  - I'll live with
it.

The menu is not too bad to sort out - but not using electric cameras has me
wondering why people need all that many options - I've done well with the M6
for a decade now - why do we need so many dang options?  I've sorted out the
things that I needed - enough to have basic control and take pictures - that
took about 45 minutes and two slow readings of the manual - one while the
battery charged - another after I could turn on the camera and try things
out as I read them.  It makes sense - if you're into all that electrical
stuff to start with, I guess it helps some that I used to use a Canon A1 and
AE1 at one time - a long, long time ago!  

So far I like it - it gives me hope that someday I'll eventually settle into
the digital flow altogether - and then the M6 will be a down payment on an
M8.

I'll post some pictures next weekend.  All things considered though - I like
this little critter - and it gives me hope that the eventual conversion to
digital for 35mm type work won't be a bad thing - at least once I get past
the technological gaps in my education!

Best of light,
Norm