Leica DLux4 short supply

[budaapple]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I am about to purchase my first Leica and it will be the dlux4. Here in the states everyone is sold out and backordered. Are they selling that well or could there possibly be a Dlux5 being released. Does anyone have any ideas or info on this subject.

Thanks and anxious admirer

[leicanut2]

I found a place that has them in stock. Koh,s Camera $699.00

I think it may be to soon for them to come out with a D-Lux 5 maybe next Febuary.

 

Cheers Jan

[john_newell]

I was talking to an old friend and retailer last week and asked why so many of all of his brand of P&S cameras were out of stock. He said it was an ongoing situation across nearly all manufacturers. I wouldn't draw any conclusions about the next model.

[Shootist]

Simple fact is when a camera, any camera, is first introduced there is a lot of demand for it. Because of that the first run of the camera is the largest. If they see it selling really well they order up another production run of maybe the same size or slightly smaller. If after about 4 months the camera is still selling well they may order another run. But if the second run takes X amount of time to sell then they wait for orders before commiting to another run.

The D-Lux 4 has been out for what 9-10+ months. A lot can and does change in the digital world in that amount of time.

 

Leica does not make this camera. It is made for them by whoever makes Panasonic cameras. Leica must commit to a certain # of them everytime they place a new order for them.

It is the same for every other camera maker. You can't buy a new Nikon D200 unless it is from old stock and just before the Canon G10 came out there wasn't a G9 anywhere.

[earleygallery]

I have a major client, a Japanese manufacturer of consumer electronics. Their turnover estimates for the coming year are almost a third of last years. That's how hard it's hitting. Needless to say their production runs of any given product are proportionately less.

[Mystic]

If theres a Panasonic LX-4, there will be a Leica D-Lux5, so lets see what Panasonic does.

[jimbo035]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

If theres a Panasonic LX-4, there will be a Leica D-Lux5, so lets see what Panasonic does.

I'd rather wait to see what Leica does...

 

Now let's see if this reply lures those in our midst who beleive that the D-Lux 4 is merely a re-badged LX3 :-)

[budaapple]

So does that mean that you gentlemen think they will revise this camera? I have always wanted a leica branded camera and even though I know Pannie makes the dlux4 is it worth the extra money instead of buying the Pannie it mirrors. I don't want to buy the Dlux 4 if they update it soon.

Thanks

[jimbo035]

So does that mean that you gentlemen think they will revise this camera? I have always wanted a leica branded camera and even though I know Pannie makes the dlux4 is it worth the extra money instead of buying the Pannie it mirrors. I don't want to buy the Dlux 4 if they update it soon.

Thanks

I merely assume there will be a D-Lux 5, but if I didn't already have a D-Lux 4 would still buy one rather than wait and see. Someone in this forum has surmised that the "5" will appear "sometime in 2010" with the next firmware update for the "4" next month (i.e August).

If the D-Lux5 has an optical viewfinder that zooms along with the lens, then I may be tempted to buy one :-)

[john_newell]

So does that mean that you gentlemen think they will revise this camera? I have always wanted a leica branded camera and even though I know Pannie makes the dlux4 is it worth the extra money instead of buying the Pannie it mirrors. I don't want to buy the Dlux 4 if they update it soon.

Thanks

 

My opinions:

 

1. You can always wait for the next model. You can only take pictures now.

 

2. I will take my life in my hands and blaspheme by saying that I do *not* think the DL4 is worth the premium compared to the LX3. I bought an LX3 recently and in spite of my misgivings find myself liking both the camera and its images very much, by the way, and if you are willing to shell out the premium for the DL4 I assume you might have the same reaction after you got over the the extra expense.