Help!!!! DLUX 5 or VLUX 30

[icemancomet]

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Hi Everybody,

I need your help for me to decide which Leica camera is better, is it the DLUX 5 or VLUX 30. I was a nikon D90 user and thinking of replacing it with a compact camera. I am not so familiar so I hope you guys can enlighten me before I buy a replacement. Thanks a lot:)

[prunelle]

There is no possible comparison between the two cameras. The D-Lux 5 is obviously the best. It's sensor is larger and its lens is more luminous:

 

D-Lux 5: sensor 1/1.63"-CCD, lens 5.1–19.2 mm f/2 – 3.3

 

V-Lux 30: sensor 1/2.33" CMOS, lens 4.3 - 68.8 mm f/3.3 - 5.9

 

[bill]

Welcome.

 

Better in general, or better for a specific purpose, or better for...? They are two completely different products, aimed at two different market sectors. There is plenty of information about both on the internet.

 

On the other hand, you have told us nothing about yourself, your tastes, preferences, needs, level of competence, etc. In the absence of this information I would have to say buy both.

 

Or neither.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[ezc203]

Welcome to the Forum,

 

It will behove you to read around and do a little research for yourself. No one can really arbitrarily tell you which camera is better for you. The D LUX 5 is considered one of the best compacts out there because of it's sensor/lens. But also has it's short-comings.

 

Do a little leg work yourself - the search function on this forum is a good place to start, and maybe the only place you need to look - soon you'll arrive at a more accurate conclusion yourself.

[jaapv]

There is no possible comparison between the two cameras. The D-Lux 5 is obviously the best. It's sensor is larger and its lens is more luminous:

 

D-Lux 5: sensor 1/1.63"-CCD, lens 5.1–19.2 mm f/2 – 3.3

 

V-Lux 30: sensor 1/2.33" CMOS, lens 4.3 - 68.8 mm f/3.3 - 5.9

 

The VLux 30 is obviously best. The zoom is much longer.

[bill]

...and it's got GPS! AND a touchscreen!!

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[stuny]

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Actually, depending on which lens or lenses Icemancomet uses with his D90, how frequentlyand what he shoots the V-Lux might be the better choice for him. As suggested above we need to know a lot more of the backstory to give a truly meaningful reply.

[bybrett]

If you are a private investigator the V-Lux 30 is best.

[icemancomet]

Actually, depending on which lens or lenses Icemancomet uses with his D90, how frequentlyand what he shoots the V-Lux might be the better choice for him. As suggested above we need to know a lot more of the backstory to give a truly meaningful reply.

 

 

Wow! I am so amazed with the quick responses in this forum.

I was using 18-105 VR lens on my NIkon D90. I'm an architect and I love taking landscape a lot. But I want a camera that I can use in every subject and situation. Here's my flickr photostream just to give you guys an idea of what I was doing with my Nikon.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/icemancomet/popular-interesting/

 

Thanks a lot everybody. I really appreciate the time spent replying.

[prunelle]

Wow! I am so amazed with the quick responses in this forum.

I was using 18-105 VR lens on my NIkon D90. I'm an architect and I love taking landscape a lot. But I want a camera that I can use in every subject and situation. Here's my flickr photostream just to give you guys an idea of what I was doing with my Nikon.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/icemancomet/popular-interesting/

 

Thanks a lot everybody. I really appreciate the time spent replying.

You link is not working; it goes to a login page.

 

Is this your NIkon D90: Nikon | Imaging Products | D90 | Specifications ? Why do you want to replace it? Is it broken or something?

[jaapv]

If you like doing landscapes it is worth it to get the largest sensor possible. Not only megapixels, but sensor size has an impact as well. The X1 might be an interesting choice, otherwise the DLux5. Be warned however, the Leica road is slippery and often ends with an uncontrolled drop into the M snakepit.....

[stuny]

since you will be doing landscapes and architecture I suspect the DLUX5 would better meet your needs, though it's 90MM full frame equivalent lens only reaches a bit more than halfway as far as your Nikon lens.

[NZDavid]

There is no possible comparison between the two cameras. The D-Lux 5 is obviously the best. It's sensor is larger and its lens is more luminous:

 

D-Lux 5: sensor 1/1.63"-CCD, lens 5.1–19.2 mm f/2 – 3.3

 

V-Lux 30: sensor 1/2.33" CMOS, lens 4.3 - 68.8 mm f/3.3 - 5.9

 

 

They might be the specs but they are pretty meaningless. Why on earth do manufacturers insist on using those ridiculous measurements for sensor size? Nobody understands them. In simple terms, the D-Lux 5's sensor is larger so image quality should be better. (Even so, its much smaller than APS, like the X1, or "full frame" like the M9.) That tells only part of the story, though, since big advances have been made in image sensor technology in areas such as dynamic range and noise control. Practical results: better pictures of contrasty scenes, better IQ at low ISO in dim light. I short, small sensors are better than they used to be.

 

Those focal lengths are equally meaningless since angle of view depends on sensor size. The V-Lux 30 has a "16X" zoom lens (also a rather meaningless number) that is the 35mm equivalent of 24mm to 384mm.

 

The D-Lux 5 has the equivalent of 24mm to 90mm. It is also faster at f/2.

 

The 35mm equivalents are relevant only because more people are familiar with them and they are a common standard. Field of view in degrees is helpful. 24mm covers 84º. 90mm covers 27º. 384m is very narrow, about 7º.

 

As suggested, the whopping zoom range of the V-Lux 30 might be useful if you are a PI. Or if you wanted to shoot wildlife or sports, though I don't know how stable it would be without a tripod.

 

Although both lenses are 24mm-equiv. at the wide end, I would think the optical quality of the D-Lux lens would better. Generally speaking, large zooms trade quality for versatility. f/2 is more than a stop faster which is useful in low light, especially indoors without flash.

 

The combination of small sensors (on both cameras) and wide angle means large depth of field. Even at 90mm on the D-Lux 5 you can only blur the background slightly.

 

It comes down to application. I have found the D-Lux 5 very useful for buildings, indoors and out, and have been pleasantly surprised at the overall image quality. I keep it set on P mode, as I don't like setting apertures or shutter speeds by squinting into an LCD. I try to keep it on ISO 1000 as much as possible, ISO 400 is acceptable, up to ISO 800 or 1600 only for "gritty" low light scenes like night markets.

 

Speaking of LCDs, I find them tricky to compose accurately in bright light. For that reason I use an accessory 24mm optical finder.

[icemancomet]

You link is not working; it goes to a login page.

 

Is this your NIkon D90: Nikon | Imaging Products | D90 | Specifications ? Why do you want to replace it? Is it broken or something?

 

You can try this one:

Flickr: icemancomet's Photostream

 

It's not broken, I just want to to replace it with a smaller lighter camera that can do the same functions and produce same image quality. Hoping that less people looking at me while I'm taking pictures.

[icemancomet]

They might be the specs but they are pretty meaningless. Why on earth do manufacturers insist on using those ridiculous measurements for sensor size? Nobody understands them. In simple terms, the D-Lux 5's sensor is larger so image quality should be better. (Even so, its much smaller than APS, like the X1, or "full frame" like the M9.) That tells only part of the story, though, since big advances have been made in image sensor technology in areas such as dynamic range and noise control. Practical results: better pictures of contrasty scenes, better IQ at low ISO in dim light. I short, small sensors are better than they used to be.

 

Those focal lengths are equally meaningless since angle of view depends on sensor size. The V-Lux 30 has a "16X" zoom lens (also a rather meaningless number) that is the 35mm equivalent of 24mm to 384mm.

 

The D-Lux 5 has the equivalent of 24mm to 90mm. It is also faster at f/2.

 

The 35mm equivalents are relevant only because more people are familiar with them and they are a common standard. Field of view in degrees is helpful. 24mm covers 84º. 90mm covers 27º. 384m is very narrow, about 7º.

 

As suggested, the whopping zoom range of the V-Lux 30 might be useful if you are a PI. Or if you wanted to shoot wildlife or sports, though I don't know how stable it would be without a tripod.

 

Although both lenses are 24mm-equiv. at the wide end, I would think the optical quality of the D-Lux lens would better. Generally speaking, large zooms trade quality for versatility. f/2 is more than a stop faster which is useful in low light, especially indoors without flash.

 

The combination of small sensors (on both cameras) and wide angle means large depth of field. Even at 90mm on the D-Lux 5 you can only blur the background slightly.

 

It comes down to application. I have found the D-Lux 5 very useful for buildings, indoors and out, and have been pleasantly surprised at the overall image quality. I keep it set on P mode, as I don't like setting apertures or shutter speeds by squinting into an LCD. I try to keep it on ISO 1000 as much as possible, ISO 400 is acceptable, up to ISO 800 or 1600 only for "gritty" low light scenes like night markets.

 

Speaking of LCDs, I find them tricky to compose accurately in bright light. For that reason I use an accessory 24mm optical finder.

 

Thanks David! Very helpful info and explanation:)

[Fang]

If you like doing landscapes it is worth it to get the largest sensor possible. Not only megapixels, but sensor size has an impact as well. The X1 might be an interesting choice, otherwise the DLux5. Be warned however, the Leica road is slippery and often ends with an uncontrolled drop into the M snakepit.....

 

Agree 100%. Got the DLux5 and now I am the proud owner of a M9 with a 35 cron. BTW I am also an Architect - loves landscape and good Architecture.

 

 

:)

[cernobila]

One thing I found reading in other review sites is that there is a difference in the sensor type.

In short, all else being equal.......the CCD sensor is better for stills taken at normal rate but not as good in rapid or video shooting......and

The CMOS sensor is better for rapid or video shooting but not as good for regular stills shooting.

This may play a part in your camera selection.