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Which is Better For Street Photography


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Glad to have found this forum.

 

Am selling all my pro gear (long story), and am considering either the D-LUX 6, or the V-LUX4.

 

I'm leaning towards the VLUX because of f/2.8 25-600mm range.

 

I'd appreciate any of your thoughts.

 

BTW - I'd love to own an M9, but my budget allows me to purchase either of the above cameras.

 

Thank you.

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Glad to have found this forum.

 

Am selling all my pro gear (long story), and am considering either the D-LUX 6, or the V-LUX4.

 

I'm leaning towards the VLUX because of f/2.8 25-600mm range.

 

I'd appreciate any of your thoughts.

 

BTW - I'd love to own an M9, but my budget allows me to purchase either of the above cameras.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Hi,

and welcome to the forum!

I want to answer to your question concrete because it seemed you already make your choice to choose a Leica. - a good choice ;)) Because for your budget, I think you will get the maximum Image quality and service from Leica.

 

If you want to do discret street photography mostly it means to be near to the scenery. So the D-Lux 6 is ok for that, very ok, because it is small, compact and mostly not seen by people.V-Lux 4 looks like an SLR and is bigger, and many people will recognise you as a photograph or tourist. When you want to do more photography from longer distance (e.g. concerts) you may take the V-Lux 4. But recognise there is a motor zoom which is not really quick. For snapshots, it will not be a right choice. In general, for moving in streets and shooting right from the hip, 24mm is nice for 1st learnings (one can take a snapshot and later at home picking up the right frame from the scenery. So the D-Lux 6 is very good for that (maybe - if budget is a thing for you, look for a used D-Lux 5 in good condition). The built in zoom coming with D-Lux 5/6 is enough for most purposes. I also like the possibility to show the mm angle on the monitor, e.g. you can choose 35mm and also the cam is going back after switching on again. That is very useful for snapshots. Also you can train xour eye to "see" the frame in advance not looking through the camera.

 

Tell us what you finally choose. However, good luck!

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Thank you for your input. You make a lot of good points.

 

One question about this statement: " But recognise there is a motor zoom which is not really quick. For snapshots, it will not be a right choice."

 

Aha, so no manual zoom (fast), but motor zoom, which extends at it's own pace.

 

I'm used to shooting with a 28-300mm lens, and zooming manually which is very fast. The speed of the zoom is not that important.

 

What is important is focusing speed, shutter lag, the less the better, and optics.

 

I haven't read the specs for the V-LUX4, and don't know if this fact is mentioned, that is, the time it takes the zoom to fully extend. One second, two, three, etc.

 

I'm more of an across the street shooter, than up in one's face, although I have done that to some degree.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

 

Hi,

and welcome to the forum!

I want to answer to your question concrete because it seemed you already make your choice to choose a Leica. - a good choice ;)) Because for your budget, I think you will get the maximum Image quality and service from Leica.

 

If you want to do discret street photography mostly it means to be near to the scenery. So the D-Lux 6 is ok for that, very ok, because it is small, compact and mostly not seen by people.V-Lux 4 looks like an SLR and is bigger, and many people will recognise you as a photograph or tourist. When you want to do more photography from longer distance (e.g. concerts) you may take the V-Lux 4. But recognise there is a motor zoom which is not really quick. For snapshots, it will not be a right choice. In general, for moving in streets and shooting right from the hip, 24mm is nice for 1st learnings (one can take a snapshot and later at home picking up the right frame from the scenery. So the D-Lux 6 is very good for that (maybe - if budget is a thing for you, look for a used D-Lux 5 in good condition). The built in zoom coming with D-Lux 5/6 is enough for most purposes. I also like the possibility to show the mm angle on the monitor, e.g. you can choose 35mm and also the cam is going back after switching on again. That is very useful for snapshots. Also you can train xour eye to "see" the frame in advance not looking through the camera.

 

Tell us what you finally choose. However, good luck!

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Thank you for your input. You make a lot of good points.

 

One question about this statement: " But recognise there is a motor zoom which is not really quick. For snapshots, it will not be a right choice."

 

Aha, so no manual zoom (fast), but motor zoom, which extends at it's own pace.

 

I'm used to shooting with a 28-300mm lens, and zooming manually which is very fast. The speed of the zoom is not that important.

 

What is important is focusing speed, shutter lag, the less the better, and optics.

 

I haven't read the specs for the V-LUX4, and don't know if this fact is mentioned, that is, the time it takes the zoom to fully extend. One second, two, three, etc.

 

I'm more of an across the street shooter, than up in one's face, although I have done that to some degree.

 

Thanks again.

 

Shooting fotos across the street - then V-Lux 4 is 1st choice. But also look at V-Lux 1, You can buy at ebay e.g. at a very good price used. I did also. Very satisfied with it.

Reason:

-manual zoom from 35 up to 422mm. Thats enough - for me.

-Quick shutter IMHO.

-When going to 422mm it stay compact (no tubus coming out, means in lens focusssing, that is very very discrete).

-robust agains rain (normal rain).

If you buy and pay about 200-250 USD in good condition with all supplemented things coming with the orignal camera, , I think it is ok.

Maybe that is a nice camera for your purpose also.

Edited by Digitom
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The newer V Lux and D Lux models start up and are ready to shoot much quicker than the older models. They also benefit from newer sensors and software, which react quicker and have better image quality. Iif you decide on an older model I would not go back older than V Lux 3 and D Lux 5. The V Lux seems better suited to your preferred style of shooting.

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Hi

Forget them, Digilux 2 or Panasonic DMC - LC1 equivalent, is one of the best street cameras around, in good light it can't be beaten, and is available at an affordable price.

Bold statement I know, since buying an M9, and comparing the results I've had with my D2, the black and white files are very comparable

Regards

Mike

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Hi

Forget them, Digilux 2 or Panasonic DMC - LC1 equivalent, is one of the best street cameras around, in good light it can't be beaten, and is available at an affordable price.

Bold statement I know, since buying an M9, and comparing the results I've had with my D2, the black and white files are very comparable

Regards

Mike

 

You are totally right if he can live with 90mm maximum zoom, and compared to D-Lux5 the Digilux is a very nice camera, and the JPGs coming out are outstanding (no need for Raw IMHO). But the Digilux 2 is not really compact, the size is like a SLR. Just beware of that.

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The newer V Lux and D Lux models start up and are ready to shoot much quicker than the older models. They also benefit from newer sensors and software, which react quicker and have better image quality. Iif you decide on an older model I would not go back older than V Lux 3 and D Lux 5. The V Lux seems better suited to your preferred style of shooting.

 

I agree with you that V-Lux in general is maybe better for his purpose, but the biggest disadvantage of the newer models of V-Lux is, what I already told, the fact that there is no manual zoom ring, so one has no benefit of the start up time of the camera because, if one need a quick zoom, you can never beat a manual zoom ring, as it is on my V-Lux 1. The camera is ready in about 1 second after switch on, so when you switch on and hold it to your eye, it is already ready to shoot. No problem with that feature. I think that is quick enough and when the cam goes to sleep mode, coming back is also very quick. New sensor and software is not that big argument (only for the companies selling all the time in a 12 month-rhythm new models of always "better"cam). You cannot in general say that a V-Lux 1 with 10 MPIX and a very good optical image stabilizer is so old fashioned compared to a V-Lux 4 and should not be in the decision of buying a camera. As another member talsk about Digilux 2, which is more older but there is no discussion about the excellent image quality of that "very old" cam.

 

Of course, normally I also would recommend a new model and if there would be no V-Lux 1, I also would say "buy V-Lux 4". But the opener of this thread also mentioned the budget. So he can look for a used V-Lux 1 and also get some advantages of this "old" camera.

 

Today, newer camera models do not always march forward in technical merrits. Often, the companies save money in production - and tell the customer that it is always only a benefit compared to former version. I do not follow that.

In Germany, we have a word, that is "verschlimmbessern". In english translation, it is difficult to explain, it means something like "make it worse better". Maybe you understand what I mean.

 

Have a good new year

Thom

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Compact size of the D-Lux 5/6 is compelling. It's fast and easy to take anywhere. For me, 90mm maximum is fine but you may prefer a longer lens. Why not try out both to see which you prefer?

 

Also see:

 

Leica Camera AG - Photography - V-LUX 4

Leica Camera AG - Photography - D-LUX 6

The Leica Camera

Compact Cameras

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