New Digital Range - Difficult Choice?

[jhluxton]

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As a current Digilux 1 & 2 owner at first I thought the logical upgrade would be to the SLR Digilux 3 - however, given the number of new releases I am not so sure.

 

In some ways I would like to raid the savings to finance a M8 but with a selection of lenses it’s going to be a high cost option and what's more one is limited to the 90mm lens. as I see the 135M lens is not recommended.

 

Now admittedly I have been limited to 90mm with the D2, however, I tolerate it it due to the fact that its 28mm wide angle is very useful for some of my shots.

 

As a ship photographer I like a wide angle for close up quayside shots and also onboard interior views, however, I could do with something much longer range for distance shots. I also take quite a few photos of other transport, industrial history and landscape subjects.

 

Now ideally the D3 has a 28mm to 100mm lens which offers a little more than the D2 - but as yet there isn't a lens available to extend the tele range and no indication of likely price either.

 

Then there is the D Lux 3 and V Lux 1. The D Lux 3 appears to offer a good wide angle at 28mm - plus the option of the landscape format - which could be useful in certain circumstances. The V Lux 1 clone of the Panasonic DMC-FZ50 has a very useful 420 mm equivelent lens at the tele end.

 

What I am considering now is should I go for the D3 and hope a 100mm plus tele lens appears at a reasonablish price or buy both a D-Lux 3 and V-Lux 1?

 

I am not in any rush to make a decision as I don't plan to upgrade until the start of next spring - this will probably give a chance for any special promotional deals to filter through. Guess who missed out on the Digilux 2 promotions of free external flash, memory card and additional battery by buying on release rather than waiting a few months! :-))

 

Does anyone else thing the that the new range makes choosing a bit difficult?

 

John

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[ozmo]

Have you thought of getting the Panasonic DMC-FZ50 for now and moving up to the D3 when its price comes down and longer lenses become available?

[sean_reid]

Hi John,

 

Just one clarification. The "90" setting on the D2 is not actually 90 mm but rather 22.5 mm, though the camera's sensor crop gives a field of view somewhat like that of a 90 mm lens on a 135 mm film camera. By the same token, although in reverse, a 90 mm lens on the M8 will be cropped by a factor of 1.33 to give it an EFOV of about 120 mm. So the M8 with a 90 will actually have more "reach" than the D2.

 

The EFOV range of the M8 is about 16 mm - 120 mm (12 mm to 90 mm actual focal lengths). One could use a longer lens on the M8 but Leica is, understandably, not recommending that.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[J Mitchum]

Since the D2 has a fixed lens I think it's best to stick with the EFOV being printed on it. I wish they would print the EFOV on the 4/3 lens actually. It's rather misleading. A 14mm 4/3 lens may be 14mm but if it only works on cameras with a 2x crop better call it a 28mm.

[jlancasterd]

In some ways I would like to raid the savings to finance a M8 but with a selection of lenses it’s going to be a high cost option and what's more one is limited to the 90mm lens. as I see the 135M lens is not recommended.

John

 

I understand that it is possible to use the Elmarit f2.8 135mm (the one with the spectacles) on the M8, as it uses the 90mm frame and magnifies the whole view to make focussing easier and more accurate

[sdommin]

Now ideally the D3 has a 28mm to 100mm lens which offers a little more than the D2 - but as yet there isn't a lens available to extend the tele range and no indication of likely price either.

 

Don't forget that the D3 is a DSLR, and you aren't limited to Leica lenses. There are many non-Leica four-thirds lenses available. I realize that we all want Leica-quality lenses, but for the occasional telephoto or wide angle, these lenses should be fine.

 

Look here:

 

Four Thirds | Products | Lenses

[jpmay]

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John, it sounds like you have a genuine actual need for long lenses due to your work.

 

I guess, no ranegfinder (digital or film) is really a great solution for long lens use. Some sort of SLR solution sounds better for your needs?

[MJLogan]

I've finally got my hands on a Panasonic L1, and was very pleased. The "dim, small" viewfinder is plenty big and bright for me, and a big improvement over the D2's EVF, I think. The manual focusing feels very satisfying, the shutter/mirror sound is solid-feeling but reasonably quiet. The dynamic buffer problem that plagued early L1s is fixed. It feels very solid and well-built, and fits my hand nicely. The extra heft of the bigger lens makes the wedge-shaped handgrip welcome. The strap lug position is a very minor annoyance--I quickly found a comfortable shooting position.

 

I was not able to take away any actual image files, so I can only comment on the externals. Those are all good to excellent, IMHO. My last doubts about buying a D3 (I'll wait for the Leica version) have been lifted, and I'm eager to get one.

[wda]

Michael, if the D2 still meets most of your requirements, why not just add an affordable long-reach bridge camera like the V-Lux-1? The two cameras could coexist. Don't forget that the D2 still has a faster lens than any of the new offerings, ideal for your ship interiors!

 

David