DLux8 Function Buttons

[XMan]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The function buttons on my DLux8 have too many items. Is it possible to remove the items I do not use or need. If so, how do I do it please?

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[wda]

I doubt you can remove menu options. If you could, it would diminish the value of your camera and capabilities for future owners.

[XMan]

Thanks for your comment. Not necessarily. I like the Q3 camera’s ability to have the user select the function button options. With the DLux8 I am thinking it would take about the same time to set the camera knowing and using the main menu as scrolling thru the many options seemingly locked in to the buttons. 

[ckern]

An enormously valuable enhancement to the D-Lux 8 firmware would be for Leitz to mimic all the customization options that correspond to menu-settable parameters in the Q3 models.  The company clearly understood that the clarity and functionality of the Q3* menu system was a crucial selling point when they emulated it for the D-Lux 8, but the implementation in the latter is half-assed.  Even if there are nonvolatile storage or processing constraints, it surely must be possible to improve at least somewhat on the current firmware.

Is there a known method for contacting Leitz regarding an enhancement request?  A while back, I sent a note proposing an enhancement to the Q3 firmware that I know would be trivial to implement to one of the Wetzlar mail targets I found on the company's website, and received this anodyne response:

Quote

Thank you very much for your email. I will forward your suggestions to our developers so that they can be taken into account in future developments. Please always direct future inquiries to your local Leica representative.

I can't imagine that a local Leitz sales organization (e.g. Leica Camera USA) has meaningful access to the developers who are responsible for any product's firmware.  Does anyone here have contact information for the D-Lux series product manager?  Or at least know the person's name?

[XMan]

Thanks ckern.  We are precisely on the same wavelength here.  The DLux8 was touted as having the same menu setup as the Q3 and your observation is spot on.  I was pleased to see a similar arrangement for the function buttons, until I realised that I had no control over them, other than nominating one and the ability to trawl through the rest if wanting to change that selection.  

Also, Ii is quite poor that there is not a direct line of communication between we users and the developers of the firmware, and I agree that it is not the job of the sales staff in stores to manage important aspects of the camera makeup such as this.

[wda]

The firmware developers are probably deep into work on their next project.

[Le Chef]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The challenge for Leica will unlikely be met for a couple of generations of product yet. All the cameras need to have compatible processors and adequate memory. You also need a common OS that works across all the cameras. It would be nice to be able to transfer some of these from camera to camera, but that may be impossible even in the future.

You have to remember the age of the DL-8. Underneath the new wrapper is a very old camera dating back to the DL-109 and older. All they have done is given it the equivalent of Botox to see if it's viable developing as a future model. With no direct development support from Panasonic, I think that's debatable.

Yet again Leica shows a lack of commitment.

Edited January 28 by Le Chef