AlbertoDeRoma Posted December 19, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 19, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Today at lunch I went for a walk at a park near my office and brought both the D-Lux 4 and the Digilux 2 with me. I was not interested in conducting semi-scientific/objective picture quality tests - because it was hardly a controlled environment and I was much more interested in the subjective fun and usability factor with each camera. I do believe that a camera you enjoy using so that you use it a lot and learn its "secrets" will make you a better photographer and lead more great photographs than a camera with somewhat better specs. So, which of these two cameras would become my favorite FOR OUTDOOR SHOOTING? After one hour, and about 100 shots (ISO set at 100 on both cameras), I came to the following conclusion. Remember these are subjective and, as they say, your mileage may vary. If I had to pick just one camera for outdoor shooting - especially on a sunny day - it would be the Digilux 2 for the following reasons: 1) The much maligned EVF is actually easier for me to use than the display on the DL4. It's crude by modern standards, but with the full-screen option for focusing it's quite usable. Furthermore, I don't have to put on my reading glasses with the viewfinder - this is huge for me and it's, arguably, the biggest plus. 2) The manual controls on the Digilux are soooooo much more fun and rewarding than fumbling with the menus on the DL4. I ended up taking many more shots (with different settings) with the Digilux 2. 3) The form factor and weight of the Digilux 2 makes it much easier to hold it steady. The DL4 has the advantage in speed and portability. Reviewing on the display it's also more gratifying on the DL4, but overall I felt more like a "real photographer", had more fun, and took more - and more deliberate shots - with the Digilux. I am beginning to appreciate why so many people are in love with this camera - despite its shortcomings. I am looking forward to some free time during the holidays to master this camera and take some forum-worthy shots. Alberto P.S. I qualified this as an OUTDOOR shooting "test" because indoor I find the DL4 display much more usable and the DL4 is much less noisy at 200 and 400 ISOs. It would be a more even match. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 19, 2009 Posted December 19, 2009 Hi AlbertoDeRoma, Take a look here Digilux 2 vs. D-Lux 4 – fun and usability outdoor. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
elgenper Posted December 19, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 19, 2009 Have both, too, and agree on every single point, also I have another to add.... I live in Sweden, so I´m used to cold (tonight we woke up to - 16 deg C), and like to shoot on fine winter days as well. With the DL4, there just is no way to handle it properly with gloves on, so your fingers will be frozen stiff in minutes. The D2 can be handled with gloves; I use fleece "shooter´s mitts", with slots wehere I can stick out the required numbers of fingers momentarily, then withdraw them again. Works great with the D2; with the DL4 the fingers are needed all the time... Also, in sun and glaring snow, that LCD could just as well be off; one can´t see a thing on it. The EVF on the D2 saves the day. Strangely enough, batteries haven´t been a problem with either of them, as long as they´re fully charged when you start out, and don´t stay out too d-mn long (you´ll want a hot toddy rather soon anyhow in this kind of weather... Condensation is a killer, of course, but that´s the same with any camera except an underwater one... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveleo Posted December 19, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 19, 2009 i have the D2 and the panasonic LX3, and i much much prefer handling the D2 on every ocassion. i recently bought the LX3 as my knock-around camera, and 99% of the time i point and shoot with it (having preset all my "film" preferences, etc). this will sound stupid, but so what .... i no longer bring the D2 to parties or barbeques or whatever for people snapshots because it invariably becomes the topic of discussion (red leather and the Leica logo) and pretty much ruins any spontenaity (sp?) of a "snapshot" .... people just get all serious when they see a red Leica pointing their way, but they completely ignore a black P&S.... hence i bought and use the LX3 for fast, cheap kicks. however .... if you desire to get some warm gushing envious attention .... pull a red Leica out of your bag .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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