V-Lux 114 vs. Panasonic DMC-FZ1000

[Pebraun]

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Hi members,

 

I'm planning to buy a high-end bridge camera. For the moment I have two favorites: Either Leica V-Lux type 114 (@ 1.100 EUR) or Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 (@ 730 EUR). Both cameras are nearly the same but price difference is significant (370 EUR or 300 USD).

For what reason(s) should I buy the more expensive Leica?

Pls. note:

I don't need the Adobe Lightroom which is bundled with the Leica.

Panasonic will provide 2 years of warranty (in Germany) and Leica 3 years, which is "only" one year more.

 

I would be grateful for any advices, recommendation or further information.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Peter

[Manoleica]

The real ? Is - do you want a Leica? Leica offers something more than just a camera out of the box..

I have the previous model, it lives in my car and is my general work and go to for quick work..

Edited July 14, 2015 by manoleica

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[dhsimmonds]

If you wish to secure a good price for your camera when it comes to resale, then the Leica is the one to go for if that is very important to you.   For me I would go for the Panasonic as I had two of them many years ago with a 4mpx FZ100 and then the 5mpx FZ200 and both cameras were widely used and never went wrong in the three years each that they were in my ownership.   I did sell them for about 40% of what I paid for them but I would have spent far more in film and developing costs than I would in the FZ's depreciation.   If Lightroom is not needed then go for the Panasonic!  Same sensor, lens and shutter mechanism and probably made in the same factory and that red dot Leica emblem is very, very expensive!

[ChrisRL]

Peter, grusse!

If you want a red dot you will have to pay more for it.

That's what the red dot is about. 

Does is make a difference to you?

Is it worth the difference?

 

Would you like to be a man who drives a Porsche? or a VW? or a Honda? or a Hyundai? All four cars have plusses and minuses, all will get you there and back. Eventually they're all transportation.

Same for cameras. It's not just about getting there and back, but how. i.e. the style of getting there and back.

So.

Do you care about style? How much? Does it make a difference to you? Or does form follow function?  "sein" versus "aussehen", or words to that effect (sorry, my German is rusty!)

 

 

Those are the real questions behind the red dot, especially today when other manufacturers (like Hyundai) are making great products, as good as anybody else's.

 

My story is that the people who started me and trained me started me on Rollei TLR, Nikon F series, Leica M and R series. Now they may well have used Hasselblad, Canon, Panasonic, Sinar, Linhof, but they didn't.

 

So I have handled Nikon, Rollei, Leica cameras more and from earlier, I'm more used to them. I don't think about how to use them, I just do. I'm thinking about the photos, not the cameras. With other cameras I don't know, it takes more time to use them and I'm more thinking about how to use them instead of what I'm meant to be doing, which is taking the photo.

 

Funny thing is here that I include in my list of unfamiliar cameras the Leica D-Lux that I have on my belt. It's not like an M as much as my D2 is, so I find myself reaching for my D2 many more times than my DL... strange but true.

 

So for me, Leica is in my roots, and so that's why I choose the red dot.

 

 

What's your story?

 

Best

Chris

Edited July 14, 2015 by ChrisRL

[euston]

 

I would be grateful for any advices, recommendation or further information.

 

If Leica branding is important to you, go for the V Lux. If the price difference matters more, opt for the Panasonic. Under the skin they are the same camera. Both are manufactured by Panasonic. Both are products of the longstanding co-operation between the two companies.

[ellz90]

lol, am I the only one that finds '370 Euro = 300 USD' most eye-catching??

 

And to the question, if the leica brand doesn't matter much to you or price difference is an issue -> Panasonic. Quality wise shouldn't be any difference (or at least not much)

 

I own a dlux which also has a sister Pana version, but I developed this brand liking early from my dad, so wasn't a difficult choice for me at all.

 

Good luck!

[Guest]

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I had a similar decision regarding D lux 109 and Panasonic LX 100. I went for the Panasonic LX 100 due to the DLux being almost double the price once a spare battery and case where put into the equation . I did get the LX on a special deal and having done a back to back test with a friends DLux I can not see any difference. My bank account tells me their is a big difference however. You pays your money etc.

I have a lot of Panasonic equipment in the home and always been pleased with it.

BrianP

[just4fun]

I am a big Leica fan, I own more than 50 of their products and was not mind to pay extra for the red dot instead of the Pan.

However, I have been patiently waiting for a firmware update from Leica to catch up with FZ1000 since last December... still no news, looking like Leica is forgotten.

Here is the list of features that Typ 114 is lacking over FZ1000:

1/ NO AVCHD (no problem though since AVCHD codec is very old anyway but I heard somebody still use it)

2/ NO 24p in 4K movie mode (only 30p for North America Version)

3/ NO 4K PHOTO mode

Sonny

[HFNotts]

Depends on how you look at things.

I'm not interested in the video capabilities so any firmware update in that regard is irrelevant to me.

I LIKE the red dot and the extra year's warranty.  Not interested in the Lightroom offer as I use CC but, for me, its Leica every time.

Having said that I bought a Panny for my wife but it still has the Leica branded lens!  She doesn't do as much photography as me.

[just4fun]

Yeah, people are different but since OP asking for further information so I provide that... Not only price is higher, user will also get less features over FZ1000.

Btw, The #3 is actually a photo feature and  IMO, a very useful one.

Sonny

 

 

Depends on how you look at things.

I'm not interested in the video capabilities so any firmware update in that regard is irrelevant to me.

I LIKE the red dot and the extra year's warranty.  Not interested in the Lightroom offer as I use CC but, for me, its Leica every time.

Having said that I bought a Panny for my wife but it still has the Leica branded lens!  She doesn't do as much photography as me.

Edited July 15, 2015 by just4fun

[ChrisRL]

Funny thing is that a lot of the red dot guys I know have covered it up... : )

 

They wear black T shirts, and use either black bodied cameras or tape up their chrome bodies with black gaffer's tape. In either event the red dot (and in some cases also the red light) are both covered up.

 

And so I suppose that if they wanted to, they could all use Panasonics since then the only thing different from the front would be the "LEICA" at the top of the lens bezel... and that's only for those who really know what to look for.

 

But it isn't really that, is it?

I guess it's also about the relationships with their dealers, their service techs?

Or mainly about what they feel like when they have the cameras in their hands?

Edited July 17, 2015 by ChrisRL