In summary
A beautifully crafted metal body and M-System styling make Leica’s Digilux 2 stand out from competing cameras – as does its high price tag. Unlike many high-end digicams, where zoom, aperture and focus are accessed via lever/rocker switches or menu settings, on the Digilux 2, these settings are the same as on a film camera. Metering options (centre-weighted, multi-field and spot) are selected via a ring surrounding the shutter button. Click-stops minimise the risk of accidental setting changes. The DC Vario-Summicron lens is big, very fast and distortion-free and its aperture range is much wider than most digicams provide. . . [more]
Full review
Leica Digilux 2
A beautifully crafted metal body and M-System styling make Leica’s Digilux 2 stand out from competing cameras – as does its high price tag. Unlike many high-end digicams, where zoom, aperture and focus are accessed via lever/rocker switches or menu settings, on the Digilux 2, these settings are the same as on a film camera. Metering options (centre-weighted, multi-field and spot) are selected via a ring surrounding the shutter button. Click-stops minimise the risk of accidental setting changes. The DC Vario-Summicron lens is big, very fast and distortion-free and its aperture range is much wider than most digicams provide.
On test, the Digilux 2’s imaging performance in non-contrasty lighting was excellent. Colours were accurately recorded and natural looking in all types of lighting except indoor incandescent. Camera response times varied widely. We measured a combined shutter and focus lag time of 1.45 seconds on average, which reduced to 0.3 seconds with pre-focusing. Image processing times also varied, with JPEG shots being processed almost instantaneously, while RAW shots took roughly 10 seconds. The camera locks while this takes place. The Digilux 2 comes with a three year replacement warranty – but its jaw-dropping $2995 price tag will deter many.
Strengths
- High-quality optics deliver sharp, detailed pictures
- Well integrated manual and digital controls
- Excellent menu system
- Effective built-in flash
Weaknesses
- Very high price for a 5-megapixel camera
- No fluorescent white balance setting
- Inefficient RAW image processing software [BG05]
Specifications
Image sensor: 8.8 x 6.6mm CCD with 5.24 million photosites (5.0 megapixels effective)
Lens: 7.0-22.5mm Leica DC Vario-Summicron f2.0-2.4 (equivalent to 28-90mm in 35mm format)
Zoom ratio: 3.2x optical, 2x or 3x digital
Lens multiplier factor: (((??))
Dimensions (wxhxd): 135 x 82 x 103mm
Weight: 630g (without battery and card)
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