Why the lack of interest in the D Lux?
koala54;2707 wrote: Why the lack of interest in the D Lux?
I first saw this question a couple of months ago, but I wasn’t aware of any lack of interest in the D-Lux series, particularly the latest edition, the D-Lux6. But after some research and having purchased the D-Lux6 myself, here’s my guess (and it’s just personal speculation, since I’m not connected to any dealers or manufacturers):
The recent D-Lux cameras are manufactured for Leica, in whole or in part, by Panasonic. Panasonic also sells a Panasonic equivalent, without certain extras such as Lightroom, for a lower price. In the case of the D-Lux6, Panasonic’s camera equivalent is the LX7.
For some reason, a couple months ago shortly after the release of their LX7 camera, some of Panasonic’s retailers began selling LX7’s for nearly 40 percent off of the retail price. It may have had something to do with rumors that Panasonic was replacing the LX7 with another camera, perhaps the LF1, although the LF1 is a very different camera from the LX7.
In any case, some people who are familiar with the relationship between Leica’s D-Lux series and Panasonic’s LX series got to thinking that changes were coming for the D-Lux series, or maybe just the D-Lux6, and so they held off purchasing new cameras until the dust settled. So here I am these months later, and nothing has changed. I’m completely happy with my D-Lux6 camera.
Leica X2 Paul Smith edition, Leica X-E, Panasonic ZS-100.I have a D-Lux 6 (for about 3 months as of this writing). I recently took it with me as a third camera on a trip to Paris with the wife. I say third camera because I had my M9 and X2 as primary cameras. Anyway, I was shooting with the DL6 inside the Louvre and in the space of about one hour, on four separate occasions other people roaming the galleries stopped me, each one holding up a DL6. That was a total surprise! I’ve had people on the street carrying M9s stop me for a moment to compare notes and lenses (I keep my Noctilux on my M9 almost 100% of the time and this seems to be the big attraction). But four times in an hour in a museum with a little point-and-shoot? That was pretty cool. Parenthetically, I ended up using the DL6 for about 30% of the shots I took on that nine day trip. It’s a wonderfully capable little camera. I bought it because I had read that Leica “cleaned up” the Panasonic menus. My experience with Panasonic menus convinced me that that alone was worth the extra $300 the DL6 cost vs. the Panasonic LX7.
Gary,
Having tried your D-Lux 6 I agree with you that it is a very nice handling camera.
Thanks for letting me try it.JackJack MacD;4901 wrote: Gary,
Having tried your D-Lux 6 I agree with you that it is a very nice handling camera.
Thanks for letting me try it.Any time!
people think it’s the same as the LX7 but there are subtle differences. At least in jpg-files.
Nevertheless, I use the D-Lux 6 very often and for most family oriented photos it is a lovely camera, also for some other stuff like quick macros for selling something etc.
I even got the new RAW D-Liux6 which a lot of people say that it is the double the price of the LX7 but hey, the pleasure it provides me is worth every penny.
stephan;4935 wrote: I even got the new RAW D-Liux6 which a lot of people say that it is the double the price of the LX7 but hey, the pleasure it provides me is worth every penny.
I really like the G-Star Raw – the extras like the wrist strap and carry case I really use, and they account for a lot of that difference.
Leica X2 Paul Smith edition, Leica X-E, Panasonic ZS-100.
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