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Video: Hands-on Panasonic's DMC-FX500 with 3-inch touchscreen and 720p video
No doubt, we liked Samsung's 10 megapixel NV24HD camera with 720p video. But we loves us some Panasonic DMC-FX500. It shoots 720p video and 10 megapixel stills just like its Korean competitor only with a 5x, 25-mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens instead of the 24-mm 3.6x zoomer found on the Sammy. Oh, and it brings a bigger 3.0-inch touchscreen too. With the unit already making its way out the door in the US for about $400, we're just waiting to hear about the image quality before grabbing one for ourselves. Reviews please, somebody... Bueller? Video hands-on after the break.
Leica's CEO removed from power
Without any definitive rhyme nor reason, it appears that Leica's CEO, Steven K. Lee, has been "removed from power by the company's supervisory board." Reportedly, Mr. Lee has been replaced by the firm's owner and board chairman Andreas Kaufman, who will run the company jointly with board financial controller and treasurer, Andreas Lobejäger, until later this month. Interestingly, we're not told who will pick up the reins permanently after that -- nor exactly why the decision was made -- but we suppose it's only a matter of hours before we find out.[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]
Leica rolls out M8 hardware upgrade program -- for a price
Over a year after Leica rolled out its action plan to address those buggy M8s fresh off the factory floor, the digicam company is announcing yet another upgrade path, but this time it's not on the house. Apparently, M8 owners that fall deeply in love with their shooter can get their name on a "waiting list," and once their number is called, they get the privilege of shipping their device to Germany where a number of tweaks can be made. Reportedly, each M8 is suitable for upgrading, and aside from getting sent back with a fresh two-year warranty, it can also be fitted with a scratch-resistant LCD monitor cover (um, riveting?) and a new "electronically-controlled metal-blade slotted shutter that offers less noise and vibration." Unfortunately, these changes will supposedly set one back €1,200 ($1,775), but alas, Leica suggests that said payment will make the M8 a "lifetime investment." Right, just like that $9,000 desktop you procured in 1996.
Panasonic's wide-angle Lumix DMC-FX30 gets reviewed
Panasonic's 7.2-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX30 doesn't hold any world records in terms of size or amenities, but the point-and-shoot does manage to offer up some fairly decent innards for a relatively modest price -- none of which matter if performance suffers. To find out just how worthy Panny's wide-angle, OIS-equipped snapper is of your cash, DigicamReview took it for a spin and threw in its two cents (er, pence). Interestingly, the device was generally hailed as an excellent choice for those in the market for a pocketable camera, as the highly-regarded Leica 3.6x optical zoom lens, effective image stabilization, versatile 2.5-inch LCD, logical menu structure, and respectable image quality all took home praises. The only real digs on the shooter came from high amounts of noise when shooting with a cranked ISO (and even some at ISO 100) and the inclusion of red-eye in some snapshots, but both negatives aren't strangers to the handheld camera realm. Overall, reviewers seemed overly giddy about the FX30, and while we'd certainly give Canon's SD800 IS a glance before plunking down on this wide-angled digicam, the low price of the Panasonic just might help make up your mind.
Leica announces C-LUX 2 compact camera
While companies like Canon and FujiFilm prefer to fly in the face of PMA and announce their cameras well ahead of the trade show, others, like Leica, have decided to hold their cards 'till the last minute and show off 'em at the show itself. Leica's latest offering, however, shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone familiar with the company, with the camera maker once again sharing the spotlight with Panasonic, unveiling its take on the Lumix DMC-FX30 in the form of the C-LUX 2. Apart from the spiffy new design, however, the two cameras are otherwise identical, with the same wide-angle lens with a 3.6x optical zoom, 7.2 megapixel CCD, 2.5-inch LCD, and 848x480, 30fps movie capturing capabilities. Leica has also seen fit to throw in an oh so generous 64MB SD card, as well as a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements. You'll also, of course, have to pay quite a premium for those Leica bragging rights, with the C-LUX 2 set to demand $499 when it rolls out in May, available in your choice of black or silver.[Via Crave]
Leica announces update plan for buggy M8 digicams
For Leica enthusiasts and digicam freaks alike, we're sure the day that uber-expensive M8 landed on your doorstep was one of pure elation -- or maybe not so much, depending on your luck. Turns out the nearly $6,000 piece of kit wasn't as refined and ready to shoot as the lofty pricetag may lead you to believe, but Lieca is apparently aiming to please those deep pocketed customers by offering up some quick fixes and a few bonus filters to boot. Folks suffering from "banding issues, mirror / ghosting effects, and IR sensitivity quirks" can register on the company's website by December 6th in order to have Leica contact you to set up a return. Unfortunately, this means your finicky M8 will be out of your palms for a few days (or weeks), but at least it'll come back with a "firmware upgrade" to eliminate the banding / ghosting problems, as well as "a basic kit of two UV / IR filters with diameters of your choice" to counteract the "faulty color rendering." While we aren't sure how long the gurus in Solms will hold your precious M8 captive, we do know the additional filters won't ship until February of next year, and if you're worried about picking up a buggy M8 as of now, Leica has assured us that all units shipping after November 27th will sport the internal upgrades right out of the box. [Thanks, Derek M.]
Another Panasonic AVCHD 1080i camcorder
CEATEC is pumpin' out the HD goods fast and furious now. Here's the latest AVCHD camcorder prototype from Panasonic. Although clearly different from the first Panny AVCHD recorder we peeped last week, it shares much the same specs including 3CCDs capable of capturing video at 1080i to SD/SDHC cards. This fully functional prototype, however, brings a Leica DICOMAR lens with 12x optical zoom, image processing LSI, and HDMI out. No word on pricing or ship date but hey, flaunt 'em if you gotta 'em Panny. More snaps after the break.
Minox rolls out updated DCC Leica M3
Some things just never change, and Minox apparently sees no need to update the retro styling on its wee DCC Leica M3 that has been consistent for several years now. The latest edition of this Digital Camera Classic sees a good bit of internal refreshing, however, and packs a 3.2 megapixel CMOS sensor (that interpolates up to five megapixels), QVGA movie mode, 1.5-inch TFT display, SD support, 32MB of integrated storage, and a rechargeable LiOn cell into a miniscule 77 x 47 x 44-millimeter package. While there's no details concerning pricing nor availability, it's hard to deny the classic allure (and overwhelming amount of cuteness) this ultracompact delivers, and we're sure those "more developed" role models are mighty proud of this young buck.
Three more sexy-cams from Leica
We know these new Leicas are all about performance, but they sure look sexy doing it. Even though these three new "lower-end" (compared to the M8, at least) cams are all based on Panasonic tech and bodies, they all add a little bit of Leica flare that really brings the drool -- and really jacks the price. For starters, we have the DIGILUX 3 (pictured), which is based on Panasonic's DMC-L1. The 7.5 megapixel "LiveMOS" DSLR has all those lovable specs like an optical image stabilized lens, supersonic dust filter and 2.5-inch LCD, plus some Leica tweaks to get even better pics out of the configuration. Next up is the DSLR-ish V-LUX 1, which hardly departs from its DMC-FZ50 counterpart. However, the 10 megapixel CCD, 12x optically image stabilized zoom lens, and 2-inch LCD aren't anything to scoff at. Finally, Leica's D-LUX 3 does things ultra-compact style, aping the specs from the DMC-LX2, with a 10.2 16:9 CCD, 2.8-inch LCD, and of course that lovable optical image stabilisation. Unfortunately, Leica isn't spilling on pricepoints, but thankfully we don't think they're going to quite match the M8's gargantuan $5,000+ pricetag. Keep reading for pics of the V-LUX and D-LUX.Read - DIGILUX 3Read - V-LUX 1Read - D-LUX 3
Leica M8 combines old-world charm with new-world tech
Camera fans worldwide no doubt appreciate Leica's attention to quality and detail when it comes to making high-end film-based rangefinder cameras. This month, the famous German company will introduce its first digital rangefinder camera at the Photokina trade show in Cologne -- the same location where the first Leica M3 was announced in 1954. The Leica M8 doesn't just have a pretty body, nor is it resting on the laurels of its predecessors: it's got a 10.3 megapixel resolution, with a low-noise CCD image sensor that starts at ISO 160 but that can also kick up to ISO 2500. The Leica M8 can take gorgeous shots with an exposure time that drops down to 1/8000 of a second, and to 1/250 of a second with a flash. The cam also has a focal length extension factor of 1.33, which helps to mitigate the problem of "vignetting," or a fall-off in brightness that would occur without the extension factor. Oh, and there's one more thing: did we mention that the M8 works with "virtually all" Leica M series lenses produced since 1954? We don't have any firm information from Leica about what the availability or price of the M8 will be, but estimates on the internets suggest that it will set you back about €4,500 ($5,708) -- and this totally amazing camera will probably be worth every euro cent.Read - Press releaseRead - DPR's hands-on preview
Panasonic's latest 3CCD DVD camcorder gets 20x optical zoom
How do you improve upon a DVD-based camcorder that's already near the top of its class? If you're Panasonic, you jack up the optical zoom on the Leica lens from 10x to an impressive 20x, but hold on to the 3CCD setup that got your previous offering such rave reviews. Besides the longer zoom, the company's new VDR-D400 is almost exactly the same as its well-received VDR-D300, as both devices feature optical image stabilization, capture 3.1 megapixel stills to SD (and now SDHC) cards, and sport 2.7-inch LCD screens. The new model will initially be released in Japan on September 1st for about the same 120,000 yen ($1,050) that the D300 went for upon its debut.[Via Fareastgizmos]
Leica coding lenses to prep for Digital M
Old school film camera manufacturer Leica has taken yet another step towards the scary new world of filmless shooters by announcing that the majority of its lens lineup will receive 6-bit coding for use with the company's upcoming Digital M model. Save for the 135-millimeter APO-TELYT-M, all current Leica lenses leaving the factory after July 1st will sport marks representing binary numbers on each of the six fields in the bayonet ring, which the Digital M will optically read in order to optimize image quality. Luckily for current Leica lens owners, many models released after 1963 can be retrofitted with the coding for use with the M, although the procedure will set you back $175. Non-coded lenses will still work with the M -- which is scheduled for release by the end of the year -- but they will not be able to take advantage of the image enhancements or EXIF-ready data offered by the new models.
Leica announces C-LUX 1
The Panasonic-Leica cross-branding continues with the C-LUX 1, the venerable camera maker's latest licensed shooter. It's not at all different from Panasonic's 6 megapixel DMC-FX01 (besides the branding, of course), which is probably a good thing, since the FX01's a hot little number. If you didn't catch it the first time around, expect optical image stabilization, the latest Venus image processor, 3.6x optical zoom, and the signature super-simple Panasonic interface.[Via Photography Blog]
