Leica D-Lux 8 Evaluate: Deja Vu All Over Once more

With the worldwide craze for analog pictures in full swing, now we have seen one other blast from the previous rise once more. Everyone needs compact digital point-and-shoot cameras once more, to the purpose the place some fashions are going for costs just like after they had been launched.

Increased-end fashions with guide management and greater sensors are extremely in style, and cameras just like the Sony R1 collection and Panasonic LX100 cameras command prime greenback.

So it makes good sense for firms comparable to Leica to primarily re-release older fashions to fill the demand out there. Thus, the $1,595 D-Lux 8 has hit the cabinets and I acquired to see if it has a spot in 2024. The expertise was enjoyable for all the best causes however got here with a significant case of deja vu.

Leica D-Lux 8 Evaluate: Acquainted Dealing with

To provide a little bit of context, the predecessor to the D-Lux 8 was the Leica D-Lux 7, itself an nearly carbon copy of the Panasonic LX100 II. Leica and Panasonic share many platforms and expertise with one another and the D-Lux 7 was an excessive instance of rebranding to the purpose the place the menus and even RAW file format had been borrowed straight from Panasonic. The controls had been additionally largely equivalent.

This time, although, the D-Lux 8 does make a major departure within the dealing with division to set itself aside. Its menus at the moment are similar to the Leica Q3 with an exquisite fast menu popping up with the primary menu button press and the identical easy Leica interface for the deeper menus with a second press. All the pieces is simple to navigate and this is among the nicer upgrades to the D-Lux 8 digital camera.

The controls have additionally been improved with a brand new command dial changing the previous, mounted, publicity compensation dial from the D-Lux 7. The brand new dial is less complicated to entry and will be personalized absolutely, too. Past that, there may be a further button on the highest of stated dial which can be personalized.

In basic Leica styling, the D-Lux 8 feels prestigious and premium with a flat grip and small dimensions that make it a pocketable trend accent as a lot as a digital camera. It solely weighs 14 ounces (397 grams) and is ideal for a time out in a day pack or purse. Though the remainder of the lens controls and buttons are primarily the identical, I do recognize the extra controls and modifications that preserve this digital camera from merely being a re-boxed Panasonic digital camera once more.

I like that the D-Lux 8 has sufficient house to suit a 2.36-million dot OLED EVF which doesn’t have the yucky rainbow coloration tearing that the older field-sequential EVF had. The again panel LCD is okay however it lacks the brightness wanted for sunny day use and doesn’t tilt in any approach.

Sadly, the Leica D-Lux 8 isn’t any quicker to shoot than its predecessor and might solely shoot two frames per second whereas autofocusing. The digital camera is fast sufficient to focus to a single level and keep there for traditional focus and recompose fashion taking pictures however the steady autofocus is gradual and jittery. The D-Lux 8 is clearly supposed to be a extra informal taking pictures expertise slightly than a quick and succesful road shooter.

Leica D-Lux 8 Evaluate: Equivalent Picture High quality

So whereas the management scheme is likely to be an enchancment, the picture high quality is a nostalgic return to type. The unique LX100 digital camera tackled image-making with a singular strategy: it positioned a pointy 24-75mm full-frame equal zoom with a comparatively quick f/1.7-2.8 aperture in entrance of a Micro 4 Thirds sensor. Slightly than make the most of the entire sensor floor, nevertheless, the lens casts a circle of sunshine that makes use of solely the extra central portion of the chip. This prices some megapixels of decision however does permit for a number of side ratios to be shortly chosen whereas permitting the lens meeting — and the digital camera — to be a lot smaller bodily.

The identical lens setup and sensor from the D-Lux 7 is getting used within the D-Lux 8, giving a most of 17 megapixels when utilizing the 4/3 side ratio. It’s a singular strategy that feels as novel at this time because it was ten years in the past. I discovered myself switching backwards and forwards between sq. footage and three:2 photographs in addition to the occasional 16:9 ratio for one thing extra panoramic-looking. Picture high quality is suitable because the intention is maybe extra for enjoyable memory-making than critical pictures. Make no mistake although, there may be loads of potential to take inventive pictures with some management over depth-of-field and shutter speeds. Taking pictures the D-Lux 8 feels nearer to the expertise of the Ricoh GR cameras or Fujifilm X100 collection than it does a fundamental point-and-shoot.

I’m additionally glad to see that Leica is utilizing the RAW DNG format as a substitute of Panasonic’s proprietary file. DNG information are usually not solely common to open in any model of Adobe software program but in addition a format that Leica prefers in its different cameras. Fundamental enhancing and importing will be completed by way of the Leica Fotos app, and coloration profiles will be downloaded again to the digital camera to have extra enjoyable with out-of-camera JPEGS.

The video capabilities of the D-Lux 8 haven’t modified from the older mannequin. Video high quality nonetheless appears to be like considerably over-sharpened and though the digital camera can shoot 4K as much as 30 frames per second there’s a heavy crop to take action. There isn’t any choice to shoot 4k at 60p and no larger dynamic vary log mode. Total, the D-Lux 8 is okay for the occasional fast video clip to seize a reminiscence however will not be helpful for any sort of critical video work. It nearly goes with out saying that you’ll not discover a headphone enter or mic jack anyplace on this digital camera both.

Leica D-Lux 8 is Price a Journey Down Reminiscence Lane

You might cynically have a look at the D-Lux 8 as a comparatively minor improve to an previous digital camera that simply seeks to money in on the stylish resurgence that something older is routinely cool once more.

And you’d be completely proper. However I did have a critical case of Deja Vu utilizing the D-Lux 8 and the reminiscence that it introduced again was a enjoyable one. I just like the novel strategy to the smaller lens and Micro 4 Thirds sensor and it offers an enormous enhance in picture high quality over a extra fundamental point-and-shoot sensor. It additionally offers sufficient inventive management to please extra superior photographers however it’s not a digital camera on par with GRs and X100s.

I might actually deal with it as an oddly entertaining gadget that bridges the hole between critical and foolish. It may very well be the proper pocket digital camera for somebody who needs to have enjoyable, be inventive, and are available residence with high-quality photographs, with out the majority and issues of a extra critical instrument. Sadly, the worth of admission is steep. It is a Leica digital camera in spite of everything.

Are There Options?

The one actual choices that compete are the older Leica D-Lux 7 and Panasonic LX-100 II. Each of those older cameras will give primarily the identical expertise however the D-Lux 8 will do it a little bit higher and with the peace of thoughts {that a} new digital camera brings. The D-Lux 8 is likely to be a little bit extra money however frankly, the D-Lux 7 and LX100 II are over-inflated in pricing and never as a lot of a discount as you may assume.

You might contemplate the Ricoh GR III and Fujifilm X100VI as alternate options too, however I discover the taking pictures expertise to be completely different sufficient that the D-Lux 8 isn’t a straight-across competitor.

Ought to You Purchase It?

Sure. Pocket cameras are enjoyable to make use of and the demand is obvious. Kudos to Leica for leaping on the bandwagon and hopefully inspiring different firms to do the identical.