Leica Digilux Zoom Camera

Rating:
Summary: Digilux Zoom is a bad decision.
Review: I was deliberating over this camera or the highly rated Olympus D-360L (slightly lower res), which is generally available for about $300. A friend of mine has the Olympus D-340R. It does seems to do a bit better than my Leica with photos in low-light without flash (as the Fuji MX-1700, which is almost the same camera as the made-by-Fuji Leica, is supposed to: see CNET's comparison of the two). However, it came down to design. When will these manufacturers get a clue and start hiring some decent designers? Why produce 1 million Olympus cameras that work great but are externally ugly plastic pieces of junk? It just seems like a waste. Additionally, when considering price, the Olympus takes AAA batteries, so you would want to add the cost of rechargeable lithium batteries (approx. $35?), plus an AC adapter ($50), so you're looking at $385. Also, the Leica comes with Photoshop LE, a nice addition, and it's so easy to recharge by plugging the AC adapter right into the camera. Battery life has seemed okay- using it heavily on a trip I would recharge it every other night. My only real complaint is that sometimes the camera acts 'smart', deciding that conditions aren't good (ie camera shake in low-light) and refuses to take a photo. Annoying. You go digital so you can erase the bad ones, right? Oh, also the flash range is short. In closing, I would compare the Leica to the Fuji MX-1700: with prices comparable, I went for the cache of the Leica (it's a little prettier, in my opinion, and easier to hold on to) but the Fuji's flash might be better. Also, I highly recommend getting the Smartdisk floppy adapter ($60). You don't have to worry about getting to the back of your computer to plugs, or plugging in the camera to save batteries, it's fast, and it's portable.

Rating:
Summary: Better value than you might think
Review: I was deliberating over this camera or the highly rated Olympus D-360L (slightly lower res), which is generally available for about $300. A friend of mine has the Olympus D-340R. It does seems to do a bit better than my Leica with photos in low-light without flash (as the Fuji MX-1700, which is almost the same camera as the made-by-Fuji Leica, is supposed to: see CNET's comparison of the two). However, it came down to design. When will these manufacturers get a clue and start hiring some decent designers? Why produce 1 million Olympus cameras that work great but are externally ugly plastic pieces of junk? It just seems like a waste. Additionally, when considering price, the Olympus takes AAA batteries, so you would want to add the cost of rechargeable lithium batteries (approx. $35?), plus an AC adapter ($50), so you're looking at $385. Also, the Leica comes with Photoshop LE, a nice addition, and it's so easy to recharge by plugging the AC adapter right into the camera. Battery life has seemed okay- using it heavily on a trip I would recharge it every other night. My only real complaint is that sometimes the camera acts 'smart', deciding that conditions aren't good (ie camera shake in low-light) and refuses to take a photo. Annoying. You go digital so you can erase the bad ones, right? Oh, also the flash range is short. In closing, I would compare the Leica to the Fuji MX-1700: with prices comparable, I went for the cache of the Leica (it's a little prettier, in my opinion, and easier to hold on to) but the Fuji's flash might be better. Also, I highly recommend getting the Smartdisk floppy adapter ($60). You don't have to worry about getting to the back of your computer to plugs, or plugging in the camera to save batteries, it's fast, and it's portable.

Rating:
Summary: Ultra-Compact Digital Camera by LEICA
Review: Leica is a very well respected name and has been a favorite among the professionals and collectors. The LEICA Digilux Zoom follows the same traditions. This camera is well made and combines both technical performance and ease of use. It features an ergonomic compact design, high resolution that produces high image quality, a 3X zoom lens, an exceptional 2" LCD display monitor. Your image data can also be stored on the popular SmartMedia cards. I have a Compaq PC but the Lecia is also compatible with Macintosh or even on a TV set.

I gave the LECIA digilux zoom camera a five star rating. It is a unique digital camera that is backed by the reputable name of LECIA and of course available from AMAZON...."shopping is just a click".....

Rating:
Summary: Ultra-Compact Digital Camera by LEICA
Review: Leica is a very well respected name and has been a favorite among the professionals and collectors. The LEICA Digilux Zoom follows the same traditions. This camera is well made and combines both technical performance and ease of use. It features an ergonomic compact design, high resolution that produces high image quality, a 3X zoom lens, an exceptional 2" LCD display monitor. Your image data can also be stored on the popular SmartMedia cards. I have a Compaq PC but the Lecia is also compatible with Macintosh or even on a TV set.

I gave the LECIA digilux zoom camera a five star rating. It is a unique digital camera that is backed by the reputable name of LECIA and of course available from AMAZON...."shopping is just a click".....

Rating:
Summary: Brand Quality & finish
Review: Leica is not popular amongst the American public as being one of the world's best camera manufacturers. If you are looking for mid-level digital camera for family use, i would totally recommend the Leica Digilux Zoom. Easy to use, well designed and excellect results. Definate buy over the Fuji MX-1700 !!

Rating:
Summary: Brand Quality & finish
Review: Leica is not popular amongst the American public as being one of the world's best camera manufacturers. If you are looking for mid-level digital camera for family use, i would totally recommend the Leica Digilux Zoom. Easy to use, well designed and excellect results. Definate buy over the Fuji MX-1700 !!

Rating:
Summary: Digilux Zoom is a bad decision.
Review: Think of buying the Digilux Zoom? Let me help you make a more informed decision. The Digilux was Leica's first-born in the digital world. While the lens stands up to the Leica name, the body and electronics (outsourced to Fuji) do not. My Digilux Zoom broke TWICE, each time exhibiting the same malfunction with the lens motor. While Leica was very helpful in replacing the camera, I strongly urge you against this purchase. Instead, make a long-term decision and consider Leica's second-born - the new 3.9 mega-pixel Leica Digilux. It stands up to the Leica name and also comes with a 2-year warranty... a nice plus in the ever-evolving world of digital photography.