Leica Digilux 2 - actual camera images

[Chuck Jones]

I have not only seen the images, I got to shoot a Digilux 2 prototype for about ten minutes last month.  Clearly, what I was shooting was using beta software, so it is probably not fair to make any real judgements based upon this brief experience.  I will say that the images did look very good, better in my opinion than the other offerings from Canon/Nikon in the 5MP range.  There didn't seem to be any serious shutter lag either, which was a real treat.  This puppy does have a great Leica lens, something that should give all the competition cause for pause.  The images were very sharp, and no signs of noise in the final JPG.  It also shoots a proprietary RAW file in addition to the JPG's.  

The two things I didn't like about it were the viewfinder and the time it took to write out to the SD card.  I'm sure the write time will be fixed prior to product release, but that dang little TV set in the viewfinder is going to take some serious work as far as I am concerned.  I won't go so far as to say "useless" as again, it was a preproduction model, but if this is the wave of the future we're all in for some major adjustments in shooting style.  I simply couldn't get used to the constantly changing image as well as the rapid rise and fall in light amplitude.  It would give me a headache in no time.  The good news is the rear LCD was crisp, clear, and had good brightness at least indoors where I was shooting it in a bright room.  Overall, I would say the Digilux 2 is a huge improvement from the Digilux 1 it replaces.

[Chuck Jones]

Bob, I am sure you are right.  Ten minutes was not enough time to even get familiar with holding the camera, let alone a totally new concept in viewfinder.  One problem I doubt I could ever get around though is the fact that I wear glasses, have a grey beard now, and eyes the same age.  For me, trying to see anything detailed on that small TV screen was almost impossible, and short of laser surgery I'm not sure anything can be done to correct that.

[Graham Welland]

<new topic - I got bored by f-stop/sensor 101 ...>

Has anyone seen any examples of the shots from the Digilux 2? I'm assuming that the elecronics are the same as the Panasonic (even if the packaging is slightly different).

I'm tempted by the camera due to the ergonomics but obviously only if the actual captured images are at least as good as current Canon/Nikon 5MP digicams. (I was burnt by the Diglux 1  -  great camera, very good default colour, but frustrating noise in the images).

Anyone seen any results from this one yet?

[Bobtrips]

You won't get used to an EVF in "ten minutes".  It took me a couple of days to get used to my first one.  

Remember how folks living deep in the brush in Africa couldn't identify elephants in the first movie they saw?  It's a learning thing....

[Bobtrips]

Hey Chuck, I've got a set of eyes like those of yours!  

I think the answer for old fogies such as us is a top notch auto-focus system.  About three years ago I spent several months (more that 12) scanning in about 12,000 slides that I had shot over the years.  

That was enough to convince me to purchase my first digital.  It was also my first auto-focus camera.  Immediately I found that auto-focus was better than I had been even 15-20 years earlier.  Sure, I could and still can do fine shooting a landscape.  But anytime I need to capture the moment I'd rather be freed up to concentrate on the composition, aperture and shutter speed.

My EVF is certainly not as easy to focus manually as an OVF, but I can do it.  And in those circumstances in which I'm likely choose to manually focus (i.e. static subjects) it doesn't matter that it takes me a second or two longer with the EVF than it would with an EVF.

(BTW, did you adjust the diopter lens in the viewfinder?  All I have to do is find the sweet spot in my progressive lenses.)