Two queries on the D-Lux 8

[Me Leica!]

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I'm considering selling off a big heavy camera, which I mainly bought for a trip, and replacing it with something smaller. The two cameras I'm considering are both second hand and available in local stores: an X Vario, which is a known quantity to me as I've used it before. If the one I'm looking at doesn't have the battery latch issue, I'd be inclined towards buying it because my previous copies were great when it came to what counts: usability, colour / IQ, portability, etc. The other camera is a D-Lux 8. Similar but different: 28-70 with large-ish sensor, and 24-75 with smaller sensor. Swings and roundabouts. More range (especially at the wide end) with a smaller sensor.

I haven't used a D-Lux before, but I have (heresy) used one of the Panasonic versions. One thing I noticed with that Panasonic is that without correction either in-camera (JPEG) or software, I got the odd picture taken at the widest end with incredibly noticeable distortion. I mean, bending the horizon into a banana type distortion. Might have been a bad copy, or maybe the distortion is just that extreme.

I'm trying not to use Adobe if I can help it; I prefer Affinity for iPad, but admittedly it doesn't have the same level of compatibility with the same range of cameras. I'd prefer something that can correct distortion automatically rather than messing around and trying to do it myself.

The second question is about the aspect ratio slider. I assume that if shooting JPEG, then the crop is applied then and there and can't be reversed, but what about the RAW? I know that some cameras with variable aspect ratios apply a crop, but leave the full sensor image available if you change your mind. What's the D-Lux 8 like in this respect?

All advice received with gratitude.

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[Dazzajl]

The crop is baked into the DNG files too. Here are the sizes you’ll get 

 

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[SrMi]

The distortion in D-LUX 8 and all previous versions is strong and needs support from a post-processor to rectify it. The distortion correction instructions are embedded in the raw file. Note that the Q camera also has substantial distortions.

[ljclark]

1 hour ago, SrMi said:

The distortion in D-LUX 8 and all previous versions is strong and needs support from a post-processor to rectify it. The distortion correction instructions are embedded in the raw file. Note that the Q camera also has substantial distortions.

To give you an idea of the computer lens correction with the D-Lux8, this is a link to a photo I took with the the camera fully wide:

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(Sorry if I frightened you...)

I shoot at this spot (the Varsity Theater in Ashland, OR) whenever I do night work with new gear.  All that tile is fun.  In my case, I ran the DNG file through DXO PureRaW, and then followed up with minimal post-processing in DXO PhotoLab 8.  DXO's lens and camera correction models are pretty comprehensive.  (I didn't bother doing a corrected version because that wasn't the point of the picture.)

This particular picture is in an album of D-Lux 8 trials in Flickr.  I really like the camera.  I got it primarily for travel and walkabout.  With good PP software, the results can be surprising.

A while back I had the original LX100, but I never got on well with it.  Other than the lack of the step zoom, I'm happy with the extra work Leica did with this camera.

Edited September 12 by ljclark

[davidzvi]

On 9/11/2025 at 8:21 AM, Me Leica! said:

.....

The second question is about the aspect ratio slider. I assume that if shooting JPEG, then the crop is applied then and there and can't be reversed, but what about the RAW? I know that some cameras with variable aspect ratios apply a crop, but leave the full sensor image available if you change your mind. What's the D-Lux 8 like in this respect?

All advice received with gratitude.

I posted this over in another thread; I'll link to it instead of reposting.  But the quick answer is that the crop is not "applied" except in the case of 1:1.  The pixels used for the ratio actually change.