D-lux 3

[mitchleland]

I just purchased the D-Lux3 with the high end leather case. I've noted on several occasions that when the camera is returned to the case the "aspect ratio" slide lever is pushed up to the 16:9 position as the camera is slid into the case. I guess the only fix is to look before you shoot...

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Mitch

[rjans]

I have not yet had this problem. The standard format I'm using with the D-Lux 3 is 16:9. I do not think there is a problem because you actually see the set format on the screen. It reminds me of situations that could occur with the APS format compacts where you where also able to choose different formats on the same film.
Best

[richam]

A couple of serious and practical ideas gained through several months' experience:

1. Get rid of the wrist strap and replace it with a neck strap. Then leave the case at home. Keep the camera in a handy shirt or cargo pants pocket, or hung around your neck, and you'll be ready for a lot more shots than you would be by fumbling around with the protective case.

2. Leave it in 16:9 position and crop later in your favorite image processor. The other aspect ratio settings just make the camera do the cropping.

[malland]

Originally Posted by richam

... Get rid of the wrist strap and replace it with a neck strap. Then leave the case at home. Keep the camera in a handy shirt or cargo pants pocket, or hung around your neck, and you'll be ready for a lot more shots than you would be by fumbling around with the protective case...

2. Leave it in 16:9 position and crop later in your favorite image processor. The other aspect ratio settings just make the camera do the cropping.

This is all very personal: I would hate a neck strap for a such a small camera and much prefer having the case on my belt and using the wrist strap when I shoot. Also, I don't like to have this camera in a pocket.

While it's obviously possible to crop, I prefer to frame at the time of shooting and therefore set the format for what I want, usually 3:2, because I feel that framing this away at the time of shooting leads to better composition.











—Mitch/Paris
Flickr: Photos from Mitch Alland

[Maggie_O]

Read the manual. It's quite good, as manuals go.

Use #2 OIS. Set in-camera NR to low. Use ISO 100, 400 and 800.

Play around, shoot lots and lots of photos and don't be afriad to try things you think are crazy. Experiment, experiment, experiment.

Here's my work with the D-Lux 3.

[cnoh]

Sort of off-topic, but didn't want to start a new thread.

For those that use the brown leather case, do you still use the lens cap? Is it okay to not attach it?

[rsh]

I do not use the lens cap when I use the case.

[gesper]

I shoot RAW only which captures the full 16:9 no matter what, and crop later. Given that there is no optical viewfinder and I often shoot quickly, this gives me a margin for error in framing. Easy enough to fine tune the composition in post.

[Half-Handed]

Yes, when I had a D-Lux 3 that really annoyed me too - it always flipped the aspect switch. I used to shoot almost entirely in 3:2 not 16:9 as well.

Nice phots Mitch, haven't seen any of those before

[Lewis]

I recently sold my Leica D Lux 3 after being dissapointed with noisy images so often...kinda wish I hadn't now before reading the advice on this forum for better shots!! I did used to get annoyed with how the dial got turned accidentily when removing it from a pocket/the leather case though, so I feel your pain!
I'm hoping to get a Ricoh GRD 2 for xmas so we'll see how that goes. Great pics by the way....i'm new also-hello everyone!

[Lewis]

Oh I also found taking the lens cap off and re-attaching it constantly during street photography to be very annoying! I guess you can't have everything right in one package.

[malland]

I don't see why you have to keep taking the lens cap off and putting it back on during street photography: I hold the camera in my right hand, the strap fairly tight around my wrist, and hold the lens cap, which is attached by its strap, in my palm between the fourth finger and the pinkie. No problem.

—Mitch/Bangkok
Flickr: Photos from Mitch Alland

[Lewis]

I just found it quite fiddly to hold as mentioned above. Has anyone else experienced problems with the picture quality on these cameras too? With noise and softening etc?

[Maggie_O]

I hold my D-Lux 3 as Mitch described, it works aces.

This camera is capable of making outstanding images, up to ISO 800, especially if you shoot RAW. BTW, RAW write times can be reduced by using a high-speed SD card, like the Sandisk eXtremeIII.

ISO 800 pix:







ISO 100:

[Lewis]

I wasn't saying that you can't take amazing pics with the D Lux 3, but I also had a lot of disappointment with it. Annoyingly I can't seem to find any 'bad pics' on my mac to show you, apart from the few below. The first three pics are with the Leica, the last with my Canon 5D. I am very impressed with th 5D in low light I have to say! Not much PP on these, just adjusted the curves of the 1st and 4th pic in photoshop, the 2nd and 3rd I haven't touched, purely to illustrate the noise issue!
Anyway, picture info is as follows:

1st Pic: This was taken on the top of the Cathedral in Milan-F2.8 ISO 100 shutter 1/1000 -1.0 exposure-Shot in Aperture Priority mode.

2nd & 3rd Pic: Taken in Berlin on a pretty overcast day
(a) F3.2 ISO 800 shutter 1/15 0.00 exposure bias
(b) F2.8 ISO 800 shutter 1/20 0.00 exposure bias

4th Pic: Again taken in Italy at the Verona arena-lovely place btw . Canon 5D, F14 ISO 640 shutter 2/1 0.00 exposure bias







Seeing that top pic kinda makes me want a Leica again, but I can't help of thinking how annoyed I was with the 'poor' photo's....

[Maggie_O]

Comparing a D-Lux 3 to a Canon DSLR in high ISO performance is sort of like comparing De La Hoya to Ali.

Are you shooting RAW or JPEG? Sean really pointed out to me how much better the RAW files are from the D-Lux 3.

[Lewis]

I wasn't comparing the canon, just showing the picture purely for info really! They are jpegs as I haven't spent the time to learn how 'fettle' raw images as of yet...I know I really ought to.

[Maggie_O]

It's definitely worth the time! The RAW files are insanely better than the JPEGs.

[Lewis]

ok ill give it a go with my canon for now, and see how I go. I'm finding myself wanting the Leica back the more I read about it...argh!