Product Description

Every picture taken with the LEICA D-LUX 3 has a story to tell. The unique manual setting options give you the freedom to create images that express your own style. Use the high-quality Leica lens to take stunning shots from the wide-angle to the telephoto range. With O.I.S. optical stabilization technology and ultra fast processing, the LEICA D-LUX 3 sets new standards in its class. Choose between 3 picture formats, achieve first-class image quality with the camera's 10 megapixel sensor and assess your shots on the wide-screen display. Small and elegant, the LEICA D-LUX 3 is always ready to make your personal view of the world reality. Aperture - F2.8-F8.0 (wide angle) F4.9-F8.0 (telephoto) Flash modes Choice between automatic ON with or without preflash (red-eye reduction), manual ON (fill-in flash) with orwithout preflash, SLOW sync for longer shutter speeds (with preflash), flash OFF Video Recording - In 16 - 9 format a choice between 1280 x 720 pixels 15 fps or 848 x 480 pixels 30 fps/ 10 fps,in 4 - 3 format a choice between 640 x 480 pixels 30 fps/10 fps or 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps/10 fps.Limited only by memory card capacity, recording with audio. File formats - Still - RAW, JPEG (Fine/Standard), Movie - QuickTime Motion JPEG. Scene Programs - Portraits, sport, night scenes, night portraits, fireworks, parties, snow, self-portraits, food, high-sensitivity mode, Baby 1, Baby 2, soft skin, candlelight, starry skies, landscapes, print Dimensions (WxHxD) - 4.2 x 2.3 x 1 inches (105.7 x 58.3 x 25.6mm) Weight - 6.5oz / 7.8oz (185g/220g) (without/with battery, memory card and lens cap)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8332 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Leica
• Model: 18303
• Released on: 2006-11-01
• Dimensions: .39" h x .91" w x 1.64" l, .49 pounds
• Display size: 2.8

Features

• 10-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints
• Unique manual setting options give you the freedom to create images that express your own style
• High-quality Leica lens takes in stunning shots from the wide-angle to the telephoto range
• O.I.S. optical stabilization technology and ultra fast processing
• Pure, discreet, timeless design in a housing of high-quality aluminum

Manufacturer Description
Every picture taken with the Leica D-LUX 3 has a story to tell. The unique manual setting options give you the freedom to create images that express your own style. Use the high-quality Leica lens to take stunning shots from the wide-angle to the telephoto range. With O.I.S. optical stabilization technology and ultra fast processing, the Leica D-LUX 3 sets new standards in its class. Choose between three picture formats, achieve first-class image quality with the camera's 10 megapixel sensor and assess your shots on the wide-screen display. Small and elegant, the Leica D-LUX 3 is always ready to make your personal view of the world reality.

Stylish design
The design of the D-Lux 3 is totally in keeping with Leica tradition: pure, discreet, timeless--in a housing of high-quality aluminum.

Always on the move
The D-Lux 3 is so light, compact and unobtrusive that there's no reason why you should leave it at home. Small as it is, it's a great performer: three file formats--from simple JPEG to the RAW format rarely offered in this class of camera--ensure optimum image quality for further processing as well. The image stabilizer (O.I.S.) leads to sharply focused images even in situations where there's not really enough natural light. The camera is also perfect for digiscoping--taking photographs through a spotting scope--to capture the fascination of nature at close range.

Plenty of scope for creativity
The D-Lux 3 still gives the photographer the freedom to create his own view of the world without any automatic settings. The 16:9 picture format with the full resolution of over 10-megapixels produces fantastic images for frame-filling viewing on HDTV equipment. The brilliant 2.8-inch display also has an aspect ratio of 16:9.

What's in the Box:
Camera with lens cap and hand loop, 64 MB SD card, charger, Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery, A/V cable, USB cable, extensive software package (Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 (PC)/3.0 (Mac), Quicktime Movie Player).

Customer Reviews

Only average
I purchased the camera expecting the best point and shoot around ( I shelled out $650 for it) and after having the camera for more than six months the pictures are average, not excellent. The images lack sharpness and the shutter is crazy slow, even in burst mode. Of course I wasn't expecting DSLR speed, but if this shutter where a car it would do 0-60 in 15 seconds.

ALSO, why in the world is the camera now more than twice the price I paid for a few months ago? I HAVE NO IDEA!!! But honestly, it's not worth it.

Get the Samsung NV11, it's been getting GREAT reviews all over the place.

great for what it is...(ie *not* a dslr)
I get so tired of people whining about noise on small sensor cameras. "OMG, it is noisier than my 30D/D80/etc." Hmm...what was your first clue? Perhaps that the same number of pixels are being stuffed on a sensor that is almost an order of magnitude smaller in surface area?!?!?

The MP race is stupid, but so are most consumers. I would have preferred that Leicasonic made this a 7MP camera with really high dynamic range and able to shoot high ISO. But they didn't...because consumers want big MP numbers.

This camera is unique because it is native 16x9. That changes the way you frame and shoot. At least it has for me. This also gives you very good manual control over things. And being able to shoot RAW is a big deal to me. I got hooked on that with my D70. And speaking of that D70, I just sold it because I am happier with the images I'm getting out of my D-Lux 3. Yes, they can be noisier, but I also can fit the Leica in my pocket. The best camera is the one you'll have with you to get the shot. This beast is a very good compromise between portability and performance. You can't have it all. Where would you put it?

Nice package, but RAW mode has its flaws...
Leica D-Lux 3 is another offspring of the Panasonic-Leica cooperation, surely benefiting both partners. D-Lux 3 is a re-badged Lumix LX2. Main asset of both cameras is clearly the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT Lens, quite sharp on both ends. Fascinating is the 16:9 ratio wide panorama mode. 10Mpix is a good resolution, helping to get over the usual noise and noise correction smearing of details, which is visible even at ISO 100. If sampled down to approx. 2-3Mpix size, even ISO 400 images can be still well usable. ISO 800 is a stretch, but no worse than any competition in such small cameras, or rather such small sensors.

Of course, all photographers who do not like Jpeg's limited dynamic range are thrilled by the RAW mode! Me too. However, herein I see two issues:

1) First, I would like to know the Analog/Digital resolution in bits per pixel. Neither Panasonic nor Leica seem to be capable of or willing to give an answer to this simple question. My impression from conversions in Lightroom is that the dynamic range of the RAW images is barely over the 8-bit range of the jpegs, maybe 9-10bit/pixel effective.

2) Panasonic RAW format produces files titanic in size, why not to use DNG like in the L1 camera? The D-Lux 3 produces always *.raw and *.jpg file, and they both occupy whopping 22Mbytes typically. This is over twice as much as in a typical 10Mpix Nikon NEF or Canon CR2 file. Writing of such a vast amount of data takes time: Leica D-Lux 3 needs 3-4sec to store a raw file even to an Extreme III class of SD card, and this clearly renders Leica/Lumix RAW mode useless in all action situations.

The LCD display is nice, but it still has a very narrow angle of view. Turn the camera by as little as 30-40 degree, and the colors will strangely change or even reverse.

Nonetheless, D-Lux 3 is a nice and handy camera for numerous occasions. Being in the $500..600 class, it opens up the noble marque Leica to many photographers, who would have otherwise not even considered to invest in equipment with the famous red circular logo! We both with my wife like to have this little great camera handy, and we like to think that the Lumix-Leica cooperation will help Leica to succeed in its transition as a provider of top-notch digital cameras.