There's a Digilux review here. The reviewer is from Ziff Davis - hardly a bastion of photography knowledge - but it's quite a good review. Fairly critical, I'm afraid. They don't like the image quality, the overly-reflective LCD screen or the use of SD memory.

Does anyone have first-hand experience with one of these? I'm probably going to get a Nikon D100 when they're available but a good digital point-and-shoot from Leica would have been tempting.

Fergus

-- Fergus Hammond (fhammond@adobe.com), May 27, 2002

Answers

Brutal & discouraging. If the reviewer is correct, Leica's made a major bungle. At $900 w/ the Leica cachet, the digital marvel should be an impeccable machine. Has anyone here actually carted one of these around outside? Looked carefully at the image quality? The Ziff Davis review makes the Digilux sound dreadful. Other opinions??

-- Patrick (pg@patrickgarner.com), May 27, 2002.

This whole article version of the review is easier to read and has less GUI and advertising clutter.

The reviewer - Les Freed - really hates the SD memory the Digilux 1 uses. Guess he doesn't know Leica's penchant for odd ball design "features"... ;?)

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), May 27, 2002.

I will have one in my hands tomorrow for a photo.net review I'm doing. Remind me in a couple days and I'll post my initial thoughts. I can tell you now that I agree with the ZD guy about the SD memory, stupid.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), May 27, 2002.

Beyond Stupid. Who does Leica think they are...Sony? Fergus, the Nikon is a way better bet. OR, use the money to get a 4000dpi scanner and turn your Leica into a digital camera!

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), May 27, 2002.

Agreed! I already have a Nikon film SLR and a bunch of lenses, so it's an easy choice. You're preaching to the converted regarding the scanner: LS-4000. Great scanner (as long as you replace it's crappy Windows software with VueScan).

-- Fergus Hammond (fhammond@adobe.com), May 27, 2002.

I can tell you as a early user of digital cameras, and an leica M fan I KNOW they blew it!!!! Their choice of storage media won't be touched by a serious digital photographer. Makes you really wonder who's in charge.

-- gary brown (drdad1111@yahoo.com), May 27, 2002.

Yet another card! My new universal card reader now obsolete!SD CARD ASSOCIATION "SD - a Universe of Possibilities"

-- Kelly Flanigan (zorki3c@netscape.net), May 27, 2002.

Having handled the Digilux at two recent Leica Days I can say that the build quality that M users are accustomed to isn't there. Really chincy feel and pretty bulky. I actually preferred the earlier Digilux 4.3 joint effort with Fuji much better.

-- john bosso (jbee193@aol.com), May 28, 2002.

This is a Market that Leica needed to get some good advice on. There is a plethora of outstanding Digital Cameras out there in the $900- 1000 range - Canon G2, Nikon CPix 5000, Minolta, Sony, Olympus, Fuji. The Compact Flash/Smart Media mess will go the way of VHS/Beta I assume. It seems that Leica has the cachet to attract a good partnership in this area without giving away the store. Instead they apparently went for profit and sizzle without much steak. Really too bad JMHO. G

-- Gil Pruitt (wgpinc@yahoo.com), May 28, 2002.

Got the digilux today. It feels like a Argus (brick shaped). But no more so than a Canon g2 I suppose.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), May 28, 2002.

There is a new review on ZDNet here : http://www.zdnet.com/supercenter/stories/review/0,12070,556022,00.html that scored a lot better than that previous review. Still, ZDNet isn't exactly a bastion of photographic knowledge - so I'd still like to hear comments from an actual user.

Also, about the whole SD card thing - they've already released 256MB and 512 MB versions of the cards - something Panasonic/Leica were obviously planning on when the decision was made.

-- Martin Eriksson (bfg@hotmail.com), July 15, 2002.

Bought the Leica 2 weeks ago (www.HaFo.nl (also in English)/The Hague, NL, 1000 Eur, incl. leather bag), and I do not understand the fuss about the SD storage Leica uses. It just works perfectly... It is small, easy to (re)place, fast & not that expensive anymore. The critical view on the monitor is hardly correct. See this review site, to get a more balanced view on the Leica Digi1 and its monitor:

http://www.nemeng.com/leica/001f.shtml

My own experience so far: Before buying it I reviewed various 4 mp cameras among others the Canon G2 (Eur 1100), the Nikon Coolpix4500 (price unknown) and the (sister camera) Panasonic DMC-LC5 (Eur 950), comparing them profoundly on all characteristics.

In short my findings on the Leica digilux: Handling & picture quality of are fine, also in comparison to the Canon G2, which a friend bought recently. We concluded that on the whole no major differences could be found. In fact if you take a look at how these two camera's are built, the lay out of buttons, the lense, the digital menu, the weight. It all looks/is very much of the same. Only the feel is different as the Leica is more rectangular, where the G2 is more 'curved'. As I like the Leica outstanding design combined with its fine picture taking capabilities, I absolutely do not regret having bought it!

-- Marcel Anthony Aling (spartannl@yahoo.com), July 20, 2002.