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D-Lux 4 Market Research


Kirk

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OK, the D-Lux 3 has just shipped, but you know Panasonic has already started planning the next release. So, let's help them with a little market research in hopes of getting the PERFECT small digicam.

 

What improvements are needed, and how much extra would you be willing to pay for those features. I'll start with the obvious:

 

1. Better image quality. Put in a bigger, better sensor.

2. Increase the image buffer so I can bracket RAW images.

 

Panasonic could be the consumer model, and Leica could have the pro model.

 

I would be willing to pay $899 if you would please fix these 2 items.

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Keep the form factor - It works well

 

Allow one button ISO access.

 

Use a lossless compression on RAW files to reduce their size.

 

Give the ability to not record a JPEG along with the RAW file, to give me more card space.

 

Work on noise at the 400 ISO level, to get a good 100,200, and 400.

 

Adjust the WB/color for low light situations. It appears to tend toward a lot red tint.

 

Just My $.02.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

However, what I really want is a CM digital.

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I don't know all of the physics involved, but I have a feeling that keeping the small form factor and putting a larger sensor (1.2 or otherwise) in the camera is damn near impossible at this time.

 

As for one-button ISO, in my mind, it has it. If you press and hold the "joystick", you get a menu with ISO, metering modes, and a few other key items (don't remember them all offhand). This allows pretty fast and efficient ISO adjustments, in my opinion. Others may disagree...

 

Jeff.

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1. Improved and larger sensor with firmware that makes it the best in class regarding noise etc.

2. Optical viewfinder

3. house it in a nice titanium body with design akin to the CM

 

If it has to be slighty larger to accommodate these attributes, then so be it as long as it isn't larger than a CM.

 

I would pay close to a grand for it.

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What I like in d lux 2-3: size, manual control, image quality, raw.

What I hate: noise. My personal point of view is Dlux 3 isn´t a real update. The big problem whith dlux2 was the noise, and the noise is still there....Venus III engine isn´t the solution.

 

I would like a dlux4 the same size, very, very very less noise, we all want a cam usable at 800 iso -make what you need whith the sensor, forgive Venus III engine, what we need are clear pics no aquarels. A better optic F 1,8 to F 16, put a hot shoe for a viewfinder for the people that like to use it.

 

I´ll pay the same for this cam that and entry level SLR......yes I feel lazy.

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Go to a different chip with lower noise, even if it has fewer megapixels. Not many people are using these camera to make 20-inch prints. ISO 800 should be good, and very good with Noise Ninja; 1600 should be usable with Noise Ninja. (I emphasize low light because I think they are often used as travel cameras, shot inside places like museums and clubs, where low-light is useful, but a small flash, is often not.)

 

Get rid of the pop-up flash, and replace it with a pop-up viewfinder.

 

Create a clip-on flash (or a flash bracket) to replace the pop-up flash.

 

A faster lens would be nice.

 

For the current DLux 3, with these additions, I would pay a grand.

 

JC

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I have the three and want an accessory shoe with ability to use flash and optical zoom viewfinder , noise free up to 800, option to turn off noise filtering entirely, will pay $899

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Jeff,

 

Thanks for the information on pushing the joystick button to get to the shooting items menu directly. I was not aware of that, but just tried it now. It is a very reasonable way to do this.

 

Thanks,

 

Ray

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Been using my DLux 3 for about a week now.....

 

love every aspect of it....

Things i would improve/change:

-first and foremost, better image processing, noise reduction and JPEG compression (the sensor is small, but larger than other cameras in it's class, right ?) hopefully a firmware upgrade is coming for the D-Lux 3 ?

-optical viewfinder would be nice (not popup)

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As a dedicated D-LUX 2 user there is not much in the D-LUX 3 to tempt me, so a D-LUX 4 would have to be pretty special.

 

I was also going to suggest a hot shoe for various attachments including a decent flash. Bracketing using RAW would also be very useful. I like the idea of a titanium or otherwise more rugged housing.

 

LouisB

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I'll be more generous than you guys: I'll give Leica/Panasonic a form factor nearly up to the size of the CM to play with. What do I expect in return? Less noise in less light, the key to which isn't the sensor, it's the optics. At f/1.8 - f/2, I only need 400 to do my thing. Then 800 or 1600 gets Noise Ninja'd or whatever. Now, can they make a zoom (or fixed -- 50mm equivalent please) with that kind of performance in that small a size?

 

You know what? Now that I've written this, isn't this what the 3 should really be -- a digital replacement for the Minilux/CM size camera? Forget the zoom. Give me a speedy lens somewhere around 40mm-50mm equivalent, an aperture dial, and paint it black. Easily worth a grand or more. I'd take this over an M8 every day of the week, twice on Sunday, and just keep my 7...

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