Leica User Forum - View Single Post - v-lux 1

adan · 16.11.2008, 09:20

The V-lux is not bad within its class - small-sensor pseudo-SLR with a "35-432mm" zoom and actually rather good optical image stabilization for those hand-held "432mm" shots.

It has a very small sensor, which is what makes that long zoom range possible (real focal length range is about 6-72mm), but also means a lot of noise processing is needed.

Panasonic did a whole series of these DMC-FZ(x)0 cameras, with basically the same lens, starting at 4 Mpixels 5 years ago (FZ-10) and working up to the FZ-50 which the V-Lux is based on. There are very loyal fans to the design among Panny users because the lens is tops in the class and because many competitors were several years behind Panasonic in adding IS. For Panny they've been a gold-mine, and will likely stay in the lineup until sales slump.

I think the V-lux was sort of a market test for Leica, along with the Digilux-3 4/3rds SLR. Neither has been a sales bonanza, regardless of actual quality. IMHO they were too middle of the road for the majority of Leica buyers, who either wanted, and could pay for, "real" R and M cameras, or were happy with the C/D-Lux pocketable cameras.

16.11.2008, 09:20	#6 (permalink)
adan Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: 04.03.2004 Location: Denver Posts: 2,856	Re: v-lux 1 The V-lux is not bad within its class - small-sensor pseudo-SLR with a "35-432mm" zoom and actually rather good optical image stabilization for those hand-held "432mm" shots. It has a very small sensor, which is what makes that long zoom range possible (real focal length range is about 6-72mm), but also means a lot of noise processing is needed. Panasonic did a whole series of these DMC-FZ(x)0 cameras, with basically the same lens, starting at 4 Mpixels 5 years ago (FZ-10) and working up to the FZ-50 which the V-Lux is based on. There are very loyal fans to the design among Panny users because the lens is tops in the class and because many competitors were several years behind Panasonic in adding IS. For Panny they've been a gold-mine, and will likely stay in the lineup until sales slump. I think the V-lux was sort of a market test for Leica, along with the Digilux-3 4/3rds SLR. Neither has been a sales bonanza, regardless of actual quality. IMHO they were too middle of the road for the majority of Leica buyers, who either wanted, and could pay for, "real" R and M cameras, or were happy with the C/D-Lux pocketable cameras.