Guest Whitewillow321 Posted May 25, 2008 Share #1 Posted May 25, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) The first time i ever saw the word "Leica" in print it was attached to some famous war photo by Robert Capa. Then i did some research on the company and discovered its reputation for quality images. Then last week i bought the Leica table tripod #14100 just to check out the company products and i am impressed. However, I am not a rich eccentric or a pro photographer and can't afford an M8. Does anyone out there own a V-Lux-1 12X zoom camera?? Please tell me if you are satisfied with it because i am close to buying one. Also, are there any rumours of a new version of the VLUX1 coming out at Photokina 2008? Ie..one with a 15 zoom...maybe a slightly wider angle at the wide end? Also, a few ideas i would like to share with any Leica engineers who are reading this. Can you make an updated Vlux1 with uber image quality say..with a couple of interchangeable lenses(ie macro, telephoto and wide)? Sort of like an entry level SLR without the mirror? Also, keep it within an affordable price range. Yes, I don't mind paying extra for quality but the M8 is just out of my price range. Also, thanks again for a beautiful and well made Leica tripod. I showed it to a professional photographer in my hometown and he was really impressed. It makes my current Canon camera look good but i would really like to put a Leica 15x zoom digital camera on top of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 25, 2008 Posted May 25, 2008 Hi Guest Whitewillow321, Take a look here Leica tripods/V-Lux-1-. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
storybrown Posted May 26, 2008 Share #2 Posted May 26, 2008 Hi, Whitewillow 321, Welcome! I can't afford an M8 yet, either, or a DMR for my R8. I don't have any firsthand experience with a V-Lux (and I'm certainly no engineer), so I can't speak directly to your queries, but I will say that if I didn't already have a C-Lux for the pocket and a Digilux 2 for the rest (digitally speaking), I would prolly buy one. (My SLRs are all film.) Everything I have seen and heard from V-Lux owners/users suggest it's great. You can search threads here for relevant stuff. Congrats on your Leica tripod. That will make anything look good - but, you're right, you need a Leica to top it off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssi_photos Posted May 26, 2008 Share #3 Posted May 26, 2008 I use a Panasonic FZ30 which I believe is very similar to the V-Lux 1. It is quite well built for a relatively inexpensive camera and it comes with the wonderful Leica designed, Panasonic built, Vario-Elmarit lens. It takes terrific telephoto pictures at 12x in daylight, and if you don't need photos larger than 3mp (in 4:3 format) the lens will even extend to 21.4x (in the V-Lux case, my FZ30 lens 'only' extends to 19.1x)! The OIS works well and it's easy to adjust the exposure using the histogram. The lens can produce beautiful bokeh and it's good at macros in auto-focus. One particularly nice feature is the articulated lcd which I find very non-intrusive while shooting portraits or street scenes. On the negative side, the camera is rather heavy and clumsy , especially with the 12x zoom lens attached; the f2.8 kit lens is not a good choice for low light situations; the lcd eye viewfinder is almost useless for focussing; and, compared to the simplicity of the Digilux 3 user interface, the V-Lux's menus are cumbersome and annoying. In the end, the V-Lux choice comes down to whether you can live with the shortcomings I have mentioned. It's a nice camera if you can live with those. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Whitewillow321 Posted May 27, 2008 Share #4 Posted May 27, 2008 Help! I have one more question about the Leica tripod. I have been looking for the engineering specs on the tripod and ballhead. Can anyone tell me what is the maximum recommended load capacity (in kg or lbs) for the tripod/ballhead combination. I do not see the specs written on the box that the tripod came in and i don't see any specs on the leica website. Perhaps some Leica gearhead could pull up a number for me. Thanks for your time. Also, why don't you put the engineering specs on your website just like your camera and lens info? I thought that the Germans liked that sort of precision! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted May 27, 2008 Share #5 Posted May 27, 2008 Help! I have one more question about the Leica tripod. I have been looking for the engineering specs on the tripod and ballhead. Can anyone tell me what is the maximum recommended load capacity (in kg or lbs) for the tripod/ballhead combination. Load capacity is a difficult concept with this combination. Mechanically the tripod and ball head are very strong. I have the previous model of table tripod which is less strongly built than the current one but still easily handles a vertical load of 7kg on the central axis. On the other hand the combination is so small and light that it doesn't take much of an off-centre load to make it unstable. Even when using a film M (with its off-centre tripod bush) with a standard lens you have to position the legs carefully. Also, why don't you put the engineering specs on your website just like your camera and lens info? I thought that the Germans liked that sort of precision! This forum isn't Leica, and we have no control over each other, let alone over the Leica website;) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth Posted May 28, 2008 Share #6 Posted May 28, 2008 What about a Leica CL. I had one a long time back in an earlier guise and got terrific results on colour reversal film. Compared with main stream Leica cameras it is much more compact and it will not overpower your tripod. I think I am right in saying that it is one of the smallest RF cameras with interchangeable lenses. A small CL system would be very portable and you would be sampling a little Leica history. The guys on this forum will be able to direct you in the right direction as far as acquiring one is concerned. Good luck in whatever you choose Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geoffg9896 Posted June 10, 2008 Share #7 Posted June 10, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi I am a recent purchaser of a V-Lux and on the whole I am pleased with the camera..BUT it's not a great camera as maybe I had hoped. I'm still experimenting to get the best out of it, which strangley is one of the nice things about owning it. I've seen what it's capable of in a good pair of hands, so it's provided me with a new challenge. I'm hoping that in time I'll learn to love it. Geoff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Edwards Posted June 10, 2008 Share #8 Posted June 10, 2008 Also, a few ideas i would like to share with any Leica engineers who are reading this. Can you make an updated Vlux1 with uber image quality say..with a couple of interchangeable lenses(ie macro, telephoto and wide)? Sort of like an entry level SLR without the mirror? Also, keep it within an affordable price range. Yes, I don't mind paying extra for quality but the M8 is just out of my price range. Also, thanks again for a beautiful and well made Leica tripod. I showed it to a professional photographer in my hometown and he was really impressed. It makes my current Canon camera look good but i would really like to put a Leica 15x zoom digital camera on top of it. ...what you ask for already exists in the form of the digilux3 with interchangeable lenses...imho, a great dslr counter-part to the m8 with some fantasic lenses and at roughly 1/3 the price...or you could still go the v-lux1 route and get an extremely competent dslr-like camera that is capable of producing some excellent pictures (serach this site for examples)... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elansprint72 Posted June 12, 2008 Share #9 Posted June 12, 2008 On the negative side, the camera is rather heavy and clumsy , especially with the 12x zoom lens attached; the f2.8 kit lens is not a good choice for low light situations; the lcd eye viewfinder is almost useless for focussing; In the end, the V-Lux choice comes down to whether you can live with the shortcomings I have mentioned. It's a nice camera if you can live with those. Interesting first post- total rubbish. Please could you point me to another 420mm (equiv) camera and lens which fits in a jacket pocket? 12x zoom f2.8 kit lens? Implies that lens can be changed, wrong. f2.8? Wrong again. As with any camera, it's about the bloke behind it. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/54014-leica-tripodsv-lux-1/?do=findComment&comment=580337'>More sharing options...
basktbljones Posted July 23, 2008 Share #10 Posted July 23, 2008 I have owned this camera for about 1yr and a half. I really have enjoyed it. There are some shortcomings. But, no manufacturer is going to make the "it does everything you need in one camera"- camera. They wouldn't sell anything else and it would be really expensive. But this does come pretty close. Here are some of my images. It's the twelve inches behind the lens that counts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
storybrown Posted July 27, 2008 Share #11 Posted July 27, 2008 Basketball Jones! - those are great shots - the other fella's views of the old racers are pretty fine, too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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