Advisable to buy a D-Lux 109 today?

[firoze]

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Hello,

 

I have an X Vario, but there are times when I would like a lighter more compact camera, so I am considering a D-Lux 109.

 

My question is, does it make sense to buy the D-Lux today, considering that there are strong indications a LX-200 may well be announced at Photokina this year? In general, how long after Panasonic announces a new LX model, does Leica come out with their version? Are discounts on the DL 109 available? Leica dealers are quoting list price.

[stuny]

I seem to remember there being a fairly long thread on this question recently, but I can't find it.  There haven't been any new things Pana-Leica for some time, which might indicate the partnership has reduced in scope.  My 109 is a very capable little camera, but I use it almost exclusively as back-up in case the other camera traveling with me fails.

[tgdinamo]

I have a D-Lux (109) and I think it's great for what it is - which is a small backup that produces very nice IQ/files and with great handling/controls. I would purchase it again (right now) as a wonderful backup.

By the way, Q is my new go-to camera (I have it for only few weeks but I absolutly love it - it's the best camera/lens I have ever used and I have had many). I'm also going to keep my old Canon 5DII with 70-200L for portraits/action.

[stuny]

I too am a relative newbie with a Q, and for our last holidays, to Easter Island and the north coast of Chile, I left the 109 at home, and brought the relatively small Q along, plus my V-Lux 114.

[lct]

[...] My question is, does it make sense to buy the D-Lux today, considering that there are strong indications a LX-200 may well be announced at Photokina this year? In general, how long after Panasonic announces a new LX model, does Leica come out with their version? Are discounts on the DL 109 available? Leica dealers are quoting list price.

 

Never heard of such indications so far but i'm not in the know. See my post here: Panasonic interview.

I would wait and see what happens at photokina as a precaution but i don't hold my breath.

[mikemgb]

I remember similar discussions at about this time last year.

 

Do you consider the D-Lux 109 adequate for your needs or is it missing something? If it has everything you want why wait? Go ahead and buy it.

[firoze]

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Thank you all for pitching in with your thoughts.

 

@mikemgb, ideally I would prefer a slightly longer zoom, say around 100mm, and one or two stops better high ISO performance. On the other hand, I could probably make do with the 109’s zoom range, and high ISO performance.

 

Two questions:

Do any of you find the approx 12Mpx resolution of the sensor is not good enough?

 

Regarding the angle of view of the lens, I’ve read that 24mm is the diagonal angle of view, and that this 24mm remains constant for all three aspect ratios. What I would like to know is that at the 16:9 aspect ratio, what would the horizontal angle of view correspond to? Would it be perhaps 22mm or 20mm?

[simfan]

Hi Firoze,

 

Truly nice pictures at your website !!!

Like me you seem to be a traveller.

 

I have had the 109 for about 40 months and love it.

 

I truly believe a successor is coming ... Pana / Leica hybrid.

 

I love my 109, but I do have to PP my pictures.

 

OOC, the D-Lux 109 pics are, IMHO, not perfect.

 

It is a Panasonic sensor, even though you are supposed to get Leica JPEG rendering I am not convinced.

 

However, if you do buy the 109, then I recommend to shoot RAW only and surely(!) get DxO Photolab and DxO Viewpoint softwares ... because, IMHO, then you have get yourself a near perfect '109' hardware/software combination. 

 

I, personally, am eagerly waiting for the next D-Lux though.  

 

Succes,

Stefaan

[firoze]

Hi Firoze,

 

Truly nice pictures at your website !!!

Like me you seem to be a traveller.

 

I have had the 109 for about 40 months and love it.

 

I truly believe a successor is coming ... Pana / Leica hybrid.

 

I love my 109, but I do have to PP my pictures.

 

OOC, the D-Lux 109 pics are, IMHO, not perfect.

 

It is a Panasonic sensor, even though you are supposed to get Leica JPEG rendering I am not convinced.

 

However, if you do buy the 109, then I recommend to shoot RAW only and surely(!) get DxO Photolab and DxO Viewpoint softwares ... because, IMHO, then you have get yourself a near perfect '109' hardware/software combination. 

 

I, personally, am eagerly waiting for the next D-Lux though.  

 

Succes,

Stefaan

Hello Stefaan, thank you for your kind words! I have just today read strong rumours that a new D-Lux will almost certainly be launched soon, probably at Photokina. Hence I will wait for this new camera. I too am looking forward to it.

 

Regards,

Firoze

[vikasmg]

Hello Stefaan, thank you for your kind words! I have just today read strong rumours that a new D-Lux will almost certainly be launched soon, probably at Photokina. Hence I will wait for this new camera. I too am looking forward to it.

 

Regards,

Firoze

 

Hi Firoze

 

Yes I read rumors of a new Pane-Leica too.  I wonder whether it will be a version of the LX10 or FZ2500. The latter has the longer zoom its a lot larger.

 

I find I'm very happy with the CL as a carry-around camera, particularly with the 18-56 zoom but the zoom maxes out at an effective 84mm.

 

- Vikas 

[firoze]

Hi Firoze

 

Yes I read rumors of a new Pane-Leica too.  I wonder whether it will be a version of the LX10 or FZ2500. The latter has the longer zoom its a lot larger.

 

I find I'm very happy with the CL as a carry-around camera, particularly with the 18-56 zoom but the zoom maxes out at an effective 84mm.

 

- Vikas 

 

Vikas,

 

It will be a version of the LX-200 which Panasonic will announce at or before Photokina. Panasonic top brass have already indicated that there will be a LX-200. Search for LX-200 on dpreview and you will find the info.

[simfan]

Hello again firoze and all,

 

Indeed over @ Leica Rumors it was suggested it might even come very soon ! ...

 

(BTW I do hope I am allowed to put that RUMOR link here, FWIW anyway !?...)

 

https://leicarumors.com/2018/04/28/new-leica-1546-camera-registered-in-asia.aspx/

 

I would be so delighted if Leica would finally introduce the new D-Lux !

 

My 109 is still going strong, but I do suffer from a severe case of Leica-fever to get that one too ... asap :-) !

 

Kind regards,

Stefaan 

[firoze]

A new Leica model is always most welcome, so let’s hope we see a new D-Lux soon.

[Guest]

Thank you all for pitching in with your thoughts.

@mikemgb, ideally I would prefer a slightly longer zoom, say around 100mm, and one or two stops better high ISO performance. On the other hand, I could probably make do with the 109’s zoom range, and high ISO performance.

Two questions:

Do any of you find the approx 12Mpx resolution of the sensor is not good enough?

Regarding the angle of view of the lens, I’ve read that 24mm is the diagonal angle of view, and that this 24mm remains constant for all three aspect ratios. What I would like to know is that at the 16:9 aspect ratio, what would the horizontal angle of view correspond to? Would it be perhaps 22mm or 20mm?

I have the LX 100 which as far as performance is the same camera as the 109. I print to A2 with very acceptable results with a little care. I considered the 109 when I bought the LX100 but the price in the uk for the package I bought,camera/spare battery/case/ memory card was £475 as against £910 for the 109. My camera has had a lot of use over the past 3 years and has worked perfectly.£435 is a lot of money for a red dot.

[simfan]

Hi BrianP,

 

OTOH in Belgium, Europe the price difference was very small indeed.

For less than 100 EURO/USD more for the Leica (LX100) variant I also got the perfect Leica 3-year Warranty and a, IMHO, much nicer looking camera.

Used the 3 year warranty twice in those 3 years and each time the Leica Service made my camera new again, simply replacing all parts that showed some use/wear.

I did use my D-Lux 109 under harsh conditions (and +15.000 shots) and it showed of course ... but Leica replaced all parts nevertheless under warranty for free.

Dunno about the Panasonic after sales Service but the Leica Service in Belgium/Germany is a prime example of good customer Care (even for a cheap camera ... like the D-Lux 109) !

 

Kind regards,

Stefaan  

Edited May 2, 2018 by simfan

[Guest]

Hi BrianP,

 

OTOH in Belgium, Europe the price difference was very small indeed.

For less than 100 EURO/USD more for the Leica (LX100) variant I also got the perfect Leica 3-year Warranty and a, IMHO, much nicer looking camera.

Used the 3 year warranty twice in those 3 years and each time the Leica Service made my camera new again, simply replacing all parts that showed some use/wear.

I did use my D-Lux 109 under harsh conditions (and +15.000 shots) and it showed of course ... but Leica replaced all parts nevertheless under warranty for free.

Dunno about the Panasonic after sales Service but the Leica Service in Belgium/Germany is a prime example of good customer Care (even for a cheap camera ... like the D-Lux 109) !

 

Kind regards,

Stefaan

 

You make a good point and the odd time I have used Leica service in the UK it has been good. I recieved a 5 year warranty and an assurance that in the unlikelly event of a problem the camera would just be exchanged for a new one.The 109 is a nicer looking camera and if the difference had been say £100 I would have bought the 109.However £435 is a lot of money and the end results are identical.

[lct]

[...] The 109 is a nicer looking camera and if the difference had been say £100 I would have bought the 109.However £435 is a lot of money and the end results are identical.

 

True for raw users, less so for jpeg shooters due to different color rendition. The Leica is fine for soccer mum photogs i would say . Just kidding, Lx100 user speaking .

[Le Chef]

In the US the price gap, after factoring in a free copy of Lightroom, was negligible. It’s a real plus having a smaller camera that can shoot raw.

 

Service from Leica has been excellent the one time it was used for the well documented battery discharge issue. I needed the camera back quickly to take it on vacation, but Leica chose to replace the camera to ensure I could take it with me.

 

I like the 109 and find little to criticize: edges of images can be a bit soft when wide open, but for most uses that doesn’t matter. It could be a fraction bigger: with largish hands it’s sometimes hard to focus. The EVF could be a fraction bigger for spectacle wearers. I wish the ISO could be set to 100 rather than 200. They’re all small ‘nits’ - nothing big to put you off buying one.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Le Chef

[Guest]

True for raw users, less so for jpeg shooters due to different color rendition. The Leica is fine for soccer mum photogs i would say . Just kidding, Lx100 user speaking .

Leica did alter the firmware to “improve” the jpegs, but I was never all that convinced it was an improvement.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Lux

[simfan]

Hi all,

 

The typ 109 only shines when used with RAW, developed with DxO Optics Pro (PRIME Noise Reduction) and lens adjusted by DxO Viewpoint.

IMHO the D-Lux 109 can then be considered to deliver APS-C sensor quality.

OOC JPEGs are, again IMHO, surely not the best way to get optimal results from this camera.

I am always amazed at what I get out of the 109 by simply using DxO soft with all of it's automated features.

The 109 is a superb camera that kicks above it's weight.

But better not use it in Auto and OOC jpegs if you want to really always get 100% IQ out of it !

Yet this is true for most advanced cameras, so that may not surprise us.

 

Regards