D-Lux 3 Questions....

[dogberry]

I totally love my D-Lux 3 and carry it with me almost every single day. The RAW files have really amazing quality and this camera is a gem for B&W. It's great to be able to shoot in B&W preview mode and yet still have the full color RAW to have the best of both worlds. As the photo below illustrates, the D-Lux 3 is even great for the beach since there's no danger of getting sand in the camera when you change lenses.

[seabreeze]

Thanks Scott and everyone else, great pictures...... Sorry it's taken me so long to answer, I was away and have just returned....... Scott, I went into B&H Photo in the City, and one of the sales rep suggested that I wait until Sept as Leica are announcing or bringing out new models...... Mind you he did not have the camera in stock, and could have just been saying this so that I would not go out and buy one!!! Except he was a really nice guy, and maybe he has some insider info...... Have you heard any rumors that there might be a newer model? If it's a long wait, then it's silly, but if it's just a couple of months, I can wait...
Thanks again for your detailed and helpful answer.....

[tummydoc]

Originally Posted by seabreeze

I went into B&H Photo in the City, and one of the sales rep suggested that I wait until Sept as Leica are announcing or bringing out new models

Whether or not that's true, it's entirely up to Panasonic, who makes these cameras for Leica. If Panasonic discontinues the LX-2, Leica will have the option to discontinue the D-Lux 3 without a successor (as they did with the DMR) or base a new model on whatever Panasonic offers. Whether the next model will be revolutionary, evolutionary, or devolutionary remains to be seen. My best guess would be a similar chip (not really many more pixels can be squeezed into those dimensions without serious issues) with revised processing designed to alleviate some of the deficiencies of the current one (noise vs smearing of details from over-zealous noise reduction). That will likely affect JPEGs primarily or exclusively. I bought D-Lux 3s for my wife, eldest daughter, and as a gift for a relative. All are quite happy with them. The only problem is one that afflicts all LCD-only compacts, it's hard to see if the sun is glaring overhead, even with the brightness booster "on".

Though it's a bit "dorky" (my daughter's assessment and terminology, not mine ) it does come with a small lanyard with which to tether the lens cap to the strap eyelet...something I insisted she and my wife avail themselves of, because I support Leica enough financially without ordering a box-ful of spares

Mind you he did not have the camera in stock

When were you there? B&H has had the D-Lux 3 in black and silver in-stock on their website for weeks, both in it's basic form and in several in-house special kits which include cases and/or SD cards.

[sdommin]

Originally Posted by seabreeze

Scott, I went into B&H Photo in the City, and one of the sales rep suggested that I wait until Sept as Leica are announcing or bringing out new models........ Have you heard any rumors that there might be a newer model?

I haven't heard any rumors about any new D-Lux models, but I will say this -

The D-Lux 2 was announced 1 October 2005.
The D-Lux 3 was announced 14 September 2006.

So, anytime about now seems to be when new D-Lux models are announced (pure speculation on my part - we'll just have to see what the future brings).

I have read some rumors on this forum about a possible new Digilux camera, mostly due to the $699 promotion on the Digilux 3, which expires on 30 September. Could it be a black-body Digilux 3 or a new Digilux 4? Who knows?

[fmil]

popflash.photo did have a few of the brown leather Leica cases in stock. I was able to get one, overnight I might add, and it's really nice. Very well consrtucted and padded.

[Black Dot]

Originally Posted by sdommin

I haven't heard any rumors about any new D-Lux models, but I will say this -

The D-Lux 2 was announced 1 October 2005.
The D-Lux 3 was announced 14 September 2006.

So, anytime about now seems to be when new D-Lux models are announced (pure speculation on my part - we'll just have to see what the future brings).

I think the real question is when did Panasonic introduce the LX-1 and LX-2 on which the D-Lux 2 and D-Lux 3 are based. It was July for both. There has been no LX-3 introduced by Panasonic as of yet.

[rob_x2004]

Well, not based on, it is the same camera. No reason to get one over the other only the paint colour and the price. Get the Leica if your heart is set on it, or the Panasonic if you dont mind either way and it is sitting on the dealers shelf in front of you at the time.

[tummydoc]

Originally Posted by rob_x2004

No reason to get one over the other only the paint colour and the price.

LX-2 has 1 year parts and only 3 months labour warranty, whilst the D-Lux 3 has 2 year parts and labour. I suppose one could purchase a third-party extended warranty for the LX-2 for less than the (approx.) $150 cost differential, but I don't know if those permit you to send the camera off to the manufacturer to be sorted, or if the service is done in an unauthorised shop.

[rob_x2004]

It would make a good survey, tummydoc. How many get returned in the warranty period. Any at all would be a strike against the camera. I havent heard of any but I havent asked before either.

[tummydoc]

HERE might be a place to start looking