Leica D-Lux 5 Compact Camera

Leica Camera AG has announced the LEICA D-LUX 5 – a high-performance compact digital camera with full creative control.

Successor to the acclaimed D-LUX 4, the LEICA D-LUX 5 offers a faster LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON 5.1 – 19.2mm f/2 – 3.3 ASPH. lens with an extended range of focal lengths equivalent to 24 to 90 mm in 35mm format. Together with its comprehensive range of features and manual settings, the versatile LEICA D-LUX 5 offers a broader spectrum of photographic options – from macro and wide-angle architecture and landscape photography to reportage and portrait photography. The camera’s 1,280 x 720 pixel HD video function in memory-saving AVCHD-Lite format, and a full range of optional accessories, open up a world of photographic opportunities for the discerning photographer.

Leica X1

Peter Kruschewski, product manager for Digital Compact Cameras at Leica Camera AG, said, “Thanks to its ultra-fast image processing, simple handling and compact form, the LEICA D-LUX 5 is a truly unique compact camera with system character. It offers users endless opportunities for creative photography and allows photographers to capture the most spontaneous, fleeting moments as unforgettable pictures.”

The LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON 5.1 – 19.2mm f/2 – 3.3 ASPH. zoom lens offers an extremely practical range of focal lengths. In addition, its exceptionally fast maximum aperture makes it an ideal camera for ‘available light’ photography. Whether in difficult lighting conditions, or for conscious manipulation of depth of field, the LEICA D-LUX 5 is the perfect camera for capturing truly distinctive images.

Featuring a particularly large CCD for a compact camera, the D-Lux 5’s 1/1.63″ sensor is finely tuned to produce the highest quality images from the LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON 5.1 – 19.2 mm f/2 – 3.3 ASPH. lens. Combined with the camera’s electronics and firmware, it guarantees brilliant high-contrast images with natural colour rendition and superb sharpness. Also contributing to its exceptional image quality, the D-LUX 5’s pixels are considerably larger than that of other compacts.

The D-LUX 5 delivers images in 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 formats as well as 1:1, a particularly interesting format for creative composition, in both capture and review mode. The camera’s 3″ LCD monitor has a wide viewing angle and a resolution of 460,000 pixels, displaying images in superb detail, and allowing photographers to assess images precisely both during composition and after capture.
The LEICA D-LUX 5 is characterised by clear lines and a stylish, uncomplicated design in an elegant black matt finish. Its formal simplicity, clear and intuitive controls, and a focus on essential features, are typical of all Leica cameras.

Users can enter manual settings quickly and easily using the D-LUX 5’s innovative ‘clickwheel’ located at the back of the camera. It also offers numerous automatic functions for effortless photography that guarantee the user perfectly exposed and sharp images by simply pressing the shutter release. The camera’s automatic functions control the O.I.S. image stabiliser, automatic ISO selection, face recognition, automatic contrast compensation and automatic scene mode. The 1280 x 720 pixel HD video function is started simply by pressing a button on the top of the camera.

Software and accessories
The LEICA D-LUX 5 is supplied with the Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3, professional image processing software that allows photographers to ‘develop’ RAW image files from the CCD, to obtain the highest image quality and maintain complete control over the development process applied to their images.

A full range of optional accessories is available for the D-LUX 5, including a LEICA EVF1 electronic viewfinder, which is particularly useful when shooting under extreme lighting conditions. Mounted on the accessory shoe, it enables ‘Live-View’, allowing the photographer to view the subject through the lens and assess the precise composition of an image. The LEICA CF 22 flash unit provides photographers with additional options for flash exposure and fill-in flash, while a handgrip helps to ensure steady and safe handling of the camera. A choice of optional bags and cases is also available, ranging from an elegant leather case with shoulder strap, a stylish, soft leather pouch, and an ever-ready camera case with a grip and a viewfinder case attached to the carrying strap.

Pricing and availability
The LEICA D-LUX 5 is scheduled to be available in the UK from October 2010 from authorised Leica dealers including the Leica Store Mayfair: www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk, tel: 020 7629 1351.
A full list of authorised UK Leica dealers is available at www.leica-camera.co.uk.
The suggested retail price of the LEICA D-LUX 5 is £630 including VAT.
Accessories are priced as follows (SRP including VAT):
Leica D-Lux 5 EVF1 electronic viewfinder – £270
Leica D-Lux 5 ever-ready case – £135
Leica D-Lux 5 brown leather case – £90
Leica D-Lux 5 soft leather pouch – £62
Leica D-Lux 5 handgrip – £62
Leica CF 22 flash unit – £225

LEICA D-LUX 5: Technical specifications
Lens LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON 5.1 – 19.2 mm f/2 – 3.3 ASPH. (wide-angle f2 – f8 / telephoto f3.3 – f8 ) / corresponds to 24 – 90mm, 35mm equivalent focal length
Zoom
optical 3.8x
digital 4x
Focusing
Modes Normal/Macro, continuous focusing (On/Off)
metering modes Face detection/AF tracking/23 field/1 field (flexible / scalable)
Focusing range
P / A / S / M 50cm – ∞
Macro/ Intelligent Auto/ Movie 1cm (wide-angle) / 30cm (tele) – ∞
Sensor 1/1.63″ CCD with 11.3MP (effective 10.1MP)
Resolution
Still pictures 4:3 format: 3648 x 2736 pixels (10MP)/3072 x 2304 pixels (7MP)/2560 x 1920 pixels (5MP)/2048 x 1536 pixels (3MP)/1600 x 1200 pixels (2MP)/640 x 480 pixels (0.3MP)
3:2 format: 3776 x 2520 pixels (9.5MP)/3168×2112 pixels (6.5MP)/2656×1768 pixels (4.5MP)/2112×1408 pixels (3MP)/2048 x 1360 pixels (2.5MP)/640 x 424 pixels (0.3MP)
16:9 format: 3968 x 2232 pixels (9MP)/3328×1872 pixels (6MP)/2784×1568 pixels (4.5MP)/2208×1248 pixels (2.5MP)/1920 x 1080 pixels (2MP)/640×360 pixels (0.2MP)
1:1 format: 2736 x 2736 pixels (7.5MP)/2304 x 2304 pixels (5.5MP)/1920 x 1920 pixels (3.5MP)/1536×1536 pixels (2.5MP)/480×480 pixels (0.2MP)
Movies 4:3 format VGA: 640 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
QVGA: 320 x 240 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
16:9 format WVGA: 848 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG)
HD Video 1280 x 720, 60p (AVCHD-Lite, CCD output is 30p)
1280 x 720 30 fps (Quick Time Motion JPEG)
Maximum video recording time 29 minutes
Recording file format
Still pictures RAW/JPEG (based on Exif 2.3 standard)/ DPOF-compatible
Still pictures with sound RAW/JPEG (based on Exif 2.3 standard) + QuickTime
Exposure control
Exposure modes Program mode (P), Aperture priority (A), Speed priority (S), Manual setting (M)
Exposure compensation Increments: 1/3 EV steps, setting range: ±3EV
Scene modes Portrait, Soft Skin, Self Portrait , Scenery, Panorama Assist, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Food, Party, Candlelight, Baby 1, Baby 2, Pet, Sunset, High Sens., High-Speed Burst, Flash Burst, Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial Photo, Colour modes
Metering modes Multi-field/Centre-weighted/Spot
White balance Auto/Daylight/Cloudy/Shadow/Tungsten/Manual setting/Manual measurement
Sensitivity Auto/i.ISO/80/100/200/400/800/1600/3200/6400*/12800*(* by pixel mixed readout)
Shutter speeds 60s – 1/4000s (Starry Sky mode: 15s/30s/60s)
Continuous shooting mode 2.5 fps
Mechanical shutter 2.5 fps: 5 (Standard mode) / 3 (Fine Mode) /10 MP
High-speed Burst Mode: approx. 6 frames /sec (image priority)
approx. 10 frames /sec (speed priority)
(recorded in 3M for 4:3, 2.5M for 3:2, 2M for 16:9)
Flash
Modes Auto, Auto with pre-flash (to reduce red-eye effect), Auto with slower shutter speeds and pre-flash, On, Off
Range (with ISO AUTO and maximum wide-angle setting) Approx. 80cm – 7.2m
Self-Timer 2/10s delay
LCD screen 3.0″ TFT LCD, approx. 460,000 pixels
Field of view: approx. 100%, automatic brightness adjustment
Microphone/Speaker Mono
Recording media
Internal memory Approx. 40MB
Memory cards SD/SDHC/SDXC
Interface Digital: USB 2.0 (High Speed)
Mini HDMI cable (type C)
Analogue Video/Audio: NTSC/PAL FBAS (switchable in menu), Audio-line-out (mono), Dedicated jack (8-pin)
Printer compatibility PictBridge
Operating temperature/humidity 0-40°C / 10-80%
Battery
Voltage/capacity 3.6V/1250mAh (400 pictures according to CIPA standards)
Dimensions (WxHxD) 110 x 66 x 43mm
Weight 270g (including memory card and battery)
Included in the box Camera with lens cap, battery charger (Leica BC-DC 10), battery (Leica BP-DC 10), carrying strap, AV cable, USB cable, CD with full instructions (PDF)
Software Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3