Leica product line strategy

[onceuponatime]

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Dlux vs Xvario

= 2x faster lens, faster af possibly 10x faster, inbuilt evf, same manual control

= better proposition than Xvario.

 

Xvario covered by Leica T & 18-56 vario Elmar

T with primes is competing with X lux 1.7, XE.

 

 

SOLUTION

 

1. Leica puts T in Xvario body

T body is the sore thumb in Leica body range, looks as a Sony Samsung. whilst hand polishing each T just isn't commercially viable for large sales.

 

2. T just for Vario zooms.

 

3. Drop Xvario

 

4. Replace Xvario with a range of X primes.

 

We already have X Summilux 1.7, XE although XE should been

XL = landscape 16mm (24mm equivalent) Elmarit 2.8 ;

add

XP = portrait 60mm (90mm equivalent) Summaron 2.5

 

5. Now we have a clear distinction : T, X

T = tele = zooms.

X = primes.

 

6. Result = 6 clear product lines no overlap.

1" super zoom Vlux, , m43 fast compact Dlux, apsc tele T, apsc primes X, FF M, MF S.

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[carlosecpf]

I was about to purchase the XVario 2 weeks ago and I happy that I remembered that Photokina was coming.

 

The Dlux is exactly the camera I was looking for . The only drawback it doesn't have manual zoom ring like my digilux 2 or the XVario. Not a deal breaker for me.

[rjans]

I was about to purchase the XVario 2 weeks ago and I happy that I remembered that Photokina was coming.

 

The Dlux is exactly the camera I was looking for . The only drawback it doesn't have manual zoom ring like my digilux 2 or the XVario. Not a deal breaker for me.

 

I have my X Vario almost one year. Got it second hand at a reasonable price but if it was now, I would take the D Lux: faster lens, smaller body, build in electronic viewfinder, less expensive, ... . But last year is not now and the X Vario delivers outstanding pictures, the lens sensor combination is perfect. I hope it will serve a few more years, and I still have my D2. Think the new D Lux could be seen as the succesor of the D2.

 

Best

[imants]

Yep the wonders of Panasonic:)

[IkarusJohn]

Yep the wonders of Panasonic:)

 

I guess it depends on whether you want a Leica or a Panasonic.

[imants]

Having owned both varieties they are still panasonic products, leica does some tweaks with jpegs and the camera's facade, no difference when it comes to raw images.....it doesn't make either variety bad just one cheaper

[lct]

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What does "X = prime" mean if i may ask? X is for fixed lens cameras no? And why putting a T, which is an interchangeable lens camera in a X which is a fixed lens? Also why comparing a DLux, which is a 4/3 camera, to the X Vario which is APS?

What we have is:

1. Large format cameras with interchangeable lenses (Sinar)

2. Medium format cameras with interchangeable lenses (Leica S)

3. 24x36 cameras with interchangeable lenses (Leica M)

4. APS camera with interchangeable lenses (Leica T)

5. APS cameras with fixed lens (Leica X)

6. 4/3 camera with fixed lens (PanaLeica)

7. Small sensor cameras with fixed lens (other PanaLeicas)

Am I missing something?

[Paolo.Battista]

Please consider that we still need to understand the real IQ of the Dlux.

But in case:

 

1. the sensor has the quality of the last m4/3 sensors from Olympus and Panasonic
   
2. the lens performs really well (consider that it's a very challenging lens: large sensor, fast aperture, compact dimensions, usually there is no such a free lunch in the optics world...)
   

 

it will be clearly a though competition for the X Vario. The little gains of the APS-C sensor in ISO and other parameters are blown out by the much slower lens, that will require to use very often a higher ISO value for shots. At the same time the price of an X Vario with EVF is almost 3 times higher than Dlux.

 

A more conventional Leica T body (say like the X Vario body but with integrated EVF) could be a good rationalization of production and R&D for Leica in the medium period, thanks to concentrating in only one lens development for APS-C sensors line.

This would end in merging the actual X line into the T line and reserving the X brand to future FF products.

[lct]

I have nothing against the new Pana Lx100 / D-Lux cameras at all but they are 4/3 cameras made by Panasonic and not APS made by Leica. Different beasts, apples and oranges and so on . Also X cameras are APS fixed lens cameras which are not supposed to compete with full frame Ms in my humble opinion.

[Guest odeon]

Please remind, Four Thirds sensor size is smaller than APS-C sensors. It has 225 mm3 area. Leica X Vario's is 370.5 mm3 and x1.65 times of Leica D-Lux's.

On the other hand, Leica S's sensor size is x1.56 times of Leica M's. Everyone can see the difference between Leica M and Leica S. Leica S produces much clearer results. Also you can imagine the difference between Leica D-Lux and Leica X Vario.

[jankap]

I have nothing against the new Pana Lx100 / D-Lux cameras at all but they are 4/3 cameras made by Panasonic and not APS made by Leica.

 

I have a D-Lux4. The sensor is smaller than 4/3.

Fourthird crops 2 times against FF. One fourth of the area of FF.

The crop of the D-Lux4 is 4.7 times against FF, because the focal length is 5.1 to 12.8mm (= 24 to 60mm). Then the sensor area only is 1/22 of FF! It makes fine pictures still.

Jan.

[lct]

I was referring to the new D-Lux (typ 109) which is almost 4/3 seemingly.