Reading mode: Light Dark

Too All: Regarding the Leica digilux and Panasonic LC5

Go to last post
Jon L

Jon L

Senior Member
Messages
1,734
Reaction score
6
Location
Seattle, US
I'm sad to say that I will not buy the Leica or Panasonic; there are just to many

questions not answered. After re-reading Steves review of the Panasonic LC5 short
comings, I feel these things are not likely to be overcome.

The focus problem, the posterization; even thow the Leica shows more promise here.

Panasonic is fooling with the software version. I've checked Images at version 1.0 threw
version 1.3 and version 1.0 is the best. I guess Leica knows this.

Also the lagtime between each frame is a concern-6 seconds? This with the storage, at

a limited quantity, even thow I've heard they have a 128mb mc card in the works. And will
eventually have an 512mb.

I have looked at dozens of images and feel the Leicas are best, but also the Panasonic's
look the same when using version 1.0 of the software.
I guess you just can't find the perfect camera!!!!!!!!

I know a lot of you like the G2; but it's not for me. I will be buying the Fuji s602 when it's

availiable. It doesn't have everything I want, but I like the idea of the threw the lens metering;

something I've grown accustomed to. This way when they update it again, I'll be able to work
right into the next model, without so much as a missed beat.
So I say goodbye and wish everyone luck, Jon
 
Jon

Help me out with this software version thing. Every LC5 picture I've looked at shows software version 1.0 in the EXIF data. Where are you finding 1.2 or 1.3? The 602 I'm sure is a neat camera, I tried a 6900 out once and liked it, the 6900 had (has?) a very loyal following. I'm in absolutely no hurry to get another digital camera, the images out of my pro70 continue to impress me even though I want more resolution at times. When the LC5/Leica gets back to it's original quality (or better) then I'll probably give it a serious look. Until then the cameras are unacceptable. By the way, as far as the autofocus, I was a bit confused about that until I realized most problems would be solved if you switched to spot focus. Most pictures on the web don't appear to be out of focus so I suspect it's not that big of a problem. And I thought the 2 cameras had some sort of burst mode on them, I'll need to go back and read that part of the review again, all I concentrated on was the quality

Rich
 
Jon008 said:
I'm sad to say that I will not buy the Leica or Panasonic; there
are just to many
questions not answered. After re-reading Steves review of the
Panasonic LC5 short
comings, I feel these things are not likely to be overcome.
The focus problem, the posterization; even thow the Leica shows
more promise here.
Panasonic is fooling with the software version. I've checked Images
at version 1.0 threw
version 1.3 and version 1.0 is the best. I guess Leica knows this.
Also the lagtime between each frame is a concern-6 seconds? This
with the storage, at
a limited quantity, even thow I've heard they have a 128mb mc card
in the works. And will
eventually have an 512mb.
I have looked at dozens of images and feel the Leicas are best, but
also the Panasonic's
look the same when using version 1.0 of the software.
I guess you just can't find the perfect camera!!!!!!!!
I know a lot of you like the G2; but it's not for me. I will be
buying the Fuji s602 when it's
availiable. It doesn't have everything I want, but I like the idea
of the threw the lens metering;
something I've grown accustomed to. This way when they update it
again, I'll be able to work
right into the next model, without so much as a missed beat.
So I say goodbye and wish everyone luck, Jon
Click to expand...
I've come to a similar conclusion and am planning to purchase
a Coolpix 995 today.. WOOHOO !!
 
Rich,I'm using a software program called iview. I'm not sure if they have it
for windows. I use Macintosh. In this software it tells me what version the
Exif data is and I get version 2.1 and 2.2.
Then for the software version it says version 1.0 and 1.2 and 1.3 under the
label device. On the Exif It's under the label photo and then theres the
flashpix version and thats under the label photo also.
The iveiw software gives me great detail on everything; but only if it hasn't
been compressed less than the what was the original image in the camera.
Iview should have a demo for inspection. You can find it at versiontracker.com
Yes I agree that quality is the most important aspect; but I'm wondering, if
this colaboration with Panasonic was such a smart idea.
As I don't have a digital camera yet; I need one I can count on and the Fuji

looks pretty good; just wish the image quality was better. Like I stated before; just can't get everything you want in one camera. Jon
 
Sid, I know you will be very happy with the Coolpix 995... I bought my 950 right when it came out, and I am still very pleased with it; the optics, ergonomics and color representation of Nikon's digitals are still second to none, in my humble opinion!

That said, the design of the Digilux is just too intriguing for me to pass up, and I love the "film camera" ergonomics. Despite the sparse review info on it (and the frighteningly bad reviews of its Panasonic sister model), having waited this long I am going to go ahead and order one, give it a chance and see what the final production model yields. I'll buy it from a retailer that will take it back, and if it doesn't work out I will exchange it for a Coolpix 5000! I'll let you all know how it is (if they ever release it!)

Best,

Christina
 
Christina said:
Sid, I know you will be very happy with the Coolpix 995... I bought
my 950 right when it came out, and I am still very pleased with it;
the optics, ergonomics and color representation of Nikon's digitals
are still second to none, in my humble opinion!

That said, the design of the Digilux is just too intriguing for me
to pass up, and I love the "film camera" ergonomics. Despite the
sparse review info on it (and the frighteningly bad reviews of its
Panasonic sister model), having waited this long I am going to go
ahead and order one, give it a chance and see what the final
production model yields. I'll buy it from a retailer that will take
it back, and if it doesn't work out I will exchange it for a
Coolpix 5000! I'll let you all know how it is (if they ever release
it!)

Best,

Christina
Click to expand...
 
Sid Daley said:
Christina said:
Sid, I know you will be very happy with the Coolpix 995... I bought
my 950 right when it came out, and I am still very pleased with it;
the optics, ergonomics and color representation of Nikon's digitals
are still second to none, in my humble opinion!

That said, the design of the Digilux is just too intriguing for me
to pass up, and I love the "film camera" ergonomics. Despite the
sparse review info on it (and the frighteningly bad reviews of its
Panasonic sister model), having waited this long I am going to go
ahead and order one, give it a chance and see what the final
production model yields. I'll buy it from a retailer that will take
it back, and if it doesn't work out I will exchange it for a
Coolpix 5000! I'll let you all know how it is (if they ever release
it!)

Best,

Christina
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I've got my 995 in my sweaty little hand as I type this (Ok not quite)..
I can't believe they ship these with no charge in the batteries.
I feel like I'm waiting on the Heinz ketchup ANTICIPATION !!

Looks like I'll be able to whittle away my impatience with the
long manual..

Sid - Like a kid at Xmas
 
Jon

I finally downloaded that program and started looking through all the pictures. Yes there are a few differences, the April pictures of the LC5 at impress showed a software version 1.2 I think whereas all the other versions I have pictures of use 1.0.

Still, the sample pics from Steve Sander's website have the same identical everything (as far as I can tell) as those from some of the earlier cameras: software version 1.0 exif 2.1, flashpix 1.0 etc. These are the same settings I see out of the "good" cameras such as Jeff Knapp's. Even things like compression, iso and shutter speed are similar. So who knows? Can't wait til the Digilux comes up to bat.

Rich
 
And so one of Leica's strongest defenders leaves her for the buzzards to find.

If Fate is Kind, some engineer from Leica AG and/or Panasonic will read this and slowly shake their head.

This is the sound your audience makes as it leaves you, Leica: footsteps, slowly retreating, heading down the pre-worn paths.
Best of luck, Jon.

-Plavacek
 
sorry about my poor english below.

my LC5 was baught in Taipei,
22000 NTD,about 630 USD.

the retailer baught "in Japan" and sold it to me.
we call these things "WATER GOODS" in Taiwan.

I'm very glad to see a DC that can takes 4 pics in 1 second,
good.

but the most important thing:quality,
sucks.

here is my album,
http://tw.photo.yahoo.com/lj17.tw/ab2/

I put 5 pics in it,
pic 1 to pic 3 are a group.
pic 4 and pic 5 are another group.

first one is at am3:53
second is at am3:59
third is at am4:06

4th is at am3:56
5th is at am4:01.

All of them are on f8, 8Sec, ISO 100.
and you must have seen the horrible noise!!

by the time pass,
the noise problem getting even more terrible!

I'm pretty sure it is the problem of noise,
not the problem of CCD's spot.

because I've test a picture in the store : f5.6, 1/90 sec, ISO 400 and has no noise.
is the proof strong enough that I can dsicard the problem of CCD?

I was shock that LC5 has almost no noise reduction!!!

Please give me some advice...
and would you please tell me if the problem can be solve by update
the new firmware un the future???

thank you!

(all exif data are in the pics, you can download it if you want to zoom it)
 
youjia

I'm downloading these now to see what they look like. Do you have any pictures taken during the daytime? I'd like to see how good those look. Thanks

Rich
 
Rich:

the pics are all 2240*1680
remember to zoom it to the real size
and you'll see the STARS.
please give me you comment and advice.
actaully the camera makes me mad now : (

I'm uploading some daytime pics to the same website
you will see it in about 10 minutes later.

youjia
 
Rich said:
youjia

I'm downloading these now to see what they look like. Do you have
any pictures taken during the daytime? I'd like to see how good
those look. Thanks

Rich
Click to expand...
Rich:

here you are,
daytime pics of LC5.

http://tw.photo.yahoo.com/lj17.tw/ab2/
http://tw.photo.yahoo.com/panalc5/ab4
http://tw.photo.yahoo.com/panalc6/ab3
http://tw.photo.yahoo.com/case_555/ab1

exif data is included in each file.

you can read the exif by your ACDSEE(win) or iView(Mac) or GraphicConverter(Mac).
each file is about 1.5 MB.

the setting of the photo quality is "fine" and "2240*1680",

but the settings of contrast, sharpness and saturation are all "STANDARD", not "HIGH".

btw,
see the "NIGHNT"mare yet?
what's your opinion?

youjia
 
youjia

Actually your day pictures look much better than the cameras that have shown up recently in the States, the images are pretty clean much like the old LC5s, though still a little bit "painted" looking at 100%. They're downloading now so I hope to get a better look in a while.

The night pictures look like they need some noise reduction. I don't take many night pictures but have you tried different ISO settings? If there's no subtraction routine built into the camera then it will give you those dots, I think the only way to get rid of them would be to do a manual dark frame subtraction (take a picture with the same exposure with the lens cover on and then subtract the results in Photoshop, it's a pain in the rear, and the LC5 should have something like that built-in at that price).

Other than that, though, the day pictures look better than any camera we've seen in the States. Do you know how old the camera is? Does it have a manufacturing date on it somewhere? All the better LC5s seem to be coming out of Japan.

Rich
 
youjia

After looking at some of your night pictures I think the problem is that you're using too small of an aperture. I see better LC5 pictures on the web when the aperture is set as open as possible (2.0-2.4), you might try that along with a higher ISO setting.

Thanks again for the daylight pictures, they're better than the pictures we're getting out of the LC5s in the US. Have you tried any pictures where the sharpening is set to low?

Richard
 
Rich

I think that the LC5 youjia have might be different from you guys have in US

He said that his LC5 is "WATER GOOD" it mean the Camera is only sell in Japan, if his LC5 come with Japanese menu.

KP
Rich said:
youjia

After looking at some of your night pictures I think the problem is
that you're using too small of an aperture. I see better LC5
pictures on the web when the aperture is set as open as possible
(2.0-2.4), you might try that along with a higher ISO setting.

Thanks again for the daylight pictures, they're better than the
pictures we're getting out of the LC5s in the US. Have you tried
any pictures where the sharpening is set to low?

Richard
Click to expand...
 
Kuopo

Oh I'm sure of it, at least they USED to be, I was trying to find out if the Japanese version is still different than the one here or if it was just different for a little while before they revised it

Rich
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top