Getting used to the D-Lux 4 - challenges and opportunities

[AlbertoDeRoma]

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Yesterday, I spend some time taking shots at a local marshland. After many years of using SLRs and DSLRs with powerful zooms, I found using the DL4 quite a challenge for 2 main reasons:

 

1) The LCD can be hard to see under some lighting conditions.

 

2) There were several great shots of birds, but the 2.5x zoom did not allow me to get "close enough" to take a photo of the birds - as opposed to a photo of the landscape with birds in it.

 

I am not complaining, because I knew what I was getting into, just stating the facts.

 

One can view these as limitations or opportunities. In my case, I will focus on the opportunities which I see as follows:

 

1) Instead of relying on a zoom, make an effort to get closer to the subject. It's more physical and, at time, it takes quite a bit of effort and overcoming of obstacles.

 

2) Focus on the "big picture." Taking zoomed-in shots of birds and other interesting small/medium items is interesting but being able to capture the big picture can be equally, if not more, interesting IMO. Without a powerful zoom, your natural vision (i.e. your eyes) and that of the camera are much more closely aligned. You end up taking pictures that are better at making the viewer "feel there."

 

I believe that the 2 points above are what make Leica photography (and that of most rangefinders without mega zooms as well as vintage cameras) special. It's a very different form of photography from what most people (who use [D]SLRs with zooms) experience. It takes more work, but it can also be much more rewarding. I realized that I am barely a beginner when it comes to the challenges and opportunities of this form of photography, and that I will have to learn a lot of "new tricks" to make the most of it.

 

I am pretty sure that I am stating the obvious for many experienced Leica and rangefinder users, but this is my first foray into this class of photography and I am interested in hearing other people's thoughts on the subject.

 

Thanks,

 

Alberto

 

PS Just to be clear, I know that the DL4 is not a rangefinder or a proper Leica, but hopefully your get my point about the differences between the two styles of photography and that the DL4 is closer to the Leica rangefinders in terms of style and possibilities than to most SLRs.

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[henry lesesne]

I have the d-lux 4 and love it for it's size and quality images. It's " fine" JPEGS are better looking than I had expected. The limitation of the d-lux 4 is that the LCD is almost useless outside in daylight. For outdoors a DSLR, M8, or M9 is what the situation demands. I have a D90 and just bought a M8 at a good price.

 

My first choice in cameras when going out the door is still the D-lux 4. If I think I might encounter a possible " bright " situation then I grab the M8. The M8 range finder is a good answer for everything when one focal length ( 28mm in my case) can be used. The M is still small enough to not make you look like a papparazzi .

 

The big DSLR is needed when a long lens, or a long zoom lens is needed. But kids, old ladies, and dogs are frightened by it.

 

The D-lux 4 is fun because it has a excellent lens, is small, and takes images that look better than good.

 

When using either the d-lux 4 or the M8, people respond better to me . I imagine they see me as a nice older man with an old man's old fashoned camera, i.e., non threatening.

 

I often have people stop me to tell me where there are some other good camera shots in the neighborhood. I am not too sure I would get the same response if I were lugging a concrete block sized camera around.

 

My opinion only... You may have a different take on things.

[Ed_K]

I too love my D-lux4 and find out its pros outweigh its cons, that is with my style of photography. Many of us are well aware of the above cons when they bought this digicam, and most use another system to compliment one another, for example myself got a Sony dslr but i only use it for telephoto purpose, and would hardly lug it around these days given the compactness and quality of our D-lux4.

[John Z. Goriup]

Yesterday, I spend some time taking shots at a local marshland. After many years of using SLRs and DSLRs with powerful zooms, I found using the DL4 quite a challenge for 2 main reasons:

 

1) The LCD can be hard to see under some lighting conditions.

 

I and quite a few of my friends in photgraphy are all "men of a certain age" and have discovered that our eyesight ( among several other physical functions) just ain't what it used to be.

 

I have found the Hoodman ( www.hoodmanusa.com ) viewer with built-in diopter to be an indispensible accessory for my digital photgraphic endeavors.

 

Try it, I think you'll really like it.

 

JZG

[ricardojh]

I dropped my Canon 20D, rendering it useless. Canon sold my a refurbished "like new" 50D for a great price - a beautiful camera, BUT I find myself leaving the house with my D- Lux 4. It was also my only camera on a recent trip to Ireland. The JPEG colors and the overall results were wonderful. I use the viewfinder in bright sunlight and keep it to 24 mm as much as possible.

RJH