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Leica V-LUX 20 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD
Not quite a Leica. I am inclined to agree with reviewer RT about the V-Lux 20. I too own the D-Lux 4, and also a Nikon D3S. I was looking for something of Leica quality, ...

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1. Combines the best Leica image quality with the convenience of an intelligent all-in-one solution
2. 12x zoom and 10-megapixel image resolution in an ultra-compact, convenient design
3. 2.0-inch high-resolution LCD can be swiveled horizontally and vertically through 180 degrees
4. Stores images on SD memory card (also SDHC cards) and multimedia card
5. Powered by lithium rechargeable battery; PC and Mac compatible

Editorial Review :

The V-Lux line makes photography in the compact class more professional than ever before. The all-purpose digital camera for universal use combines the best Leica image quality with the convenience of an intelligent all-in-one solution. Equipped with the 12x optical zoom and the optical image stabilization, there is hardly any photographic situation you won't be able to master with your V-Lux 1.

Customer Review :

Great Pictures, Indoors & Out

I wanted a camera with a huge, non-telescoping optical zoom, excellent macro range, and the ability to take photos in low light. I work in dusty, sandy environments a lot, so I decided against an SLR--the Nikon I was replacing broke down because of excessive grit in the zoom mechanism despite daily cleaning, so I hate to think what would happen to a mirror-flipping mechanism. I read the reviews for this camera, here and elsewhere, and debated the Panasonic equivalent, but decided on the Leica both on sentimental grounds (I learned photographyon my mom's 1940s Leica) and the fact that Leica tweaked the settings, and they know more about photography than Panasonic. I've now had the camera for about seven months and I've taken thousands and thousands of photographs. (A lot of reviews seem to me to be based on the first 24 hours.) I am very, very happy with it.

Outdoor photographs are wonderful, and the 16:9 ratio is great for landscapes. But that's the easy part. The indoor photographs are great. (Most of these have been taken in museums and churches.) At first I noticed a lot of noise in low light situations, but after playing around with the settings for a while, I don't seem to get it any more. Most important: Be sure to use Mode 2 Stabilization. Mode 1 only stabilizes a little, all the time; Mode 2 stabilizes only when the shutter is pressed. Using the self-timer also helps. In a pinch, you can use exposure compensation to take an underexposed photograph and then push it using Photoshop.

I like many things about this camera. The exposure compensation works beautifully, once you get the hang of it. It's also fairly easy to switch formats (16:9, 3:2, 4:3). I've set up my own preferred profiles for various conditions, which makes it easy to switch a lot of settings at once (a church/museum setting without beeps, so people don't glare at me). The viewfinder grid has saved me hours of straightening shots with Photoshop. And the manual is compact, well organized, indexed, and clear; it fits in my camera case. And the pictures I take with this camera just seem to glow.

The disadvantages are quite managable. I thought I'd lose the lens cap, but I haven't; sticking it in my pocket means it doesn't accidentally get in my shots. It's sometimes hard to get the auto-focus to work at a high zoom, particularly in dim light, which can be quite frustrating. But with resolution like this, you can afford to back off a little. And it is big and heavy, but that will make me strong.

One always has a vested interest in liking a camera that one has paid a lot of money for, but I find I don't even window shop for the newest cameras any more. I expect to use this one for another three or four years, at least.

Rating :

Just as good, if not better, than an entry level SLR

This is the best sub-SLR (bridge) camera there is out there.
Enough has been written about this camera by others so I am not going to go over the same things again.
Here are just a few points that I think are important, or have not been covered before.
1. I saw that some people wrote that if you want to spend this money, you might as well buy a SLR camera kit. That is a misleading idea.
Leica V-Lux 1 comes with a 35 to 430 mm original, best quality lens. There is no SLR kit on the market that covers that range at the same lens quality under $1000.00, let alone the fact that you don't have to carry two lenses to cover the same zoom range (focal distance).
2. This is the only bridge camera that offers exactly the same controls like true SLR cameras, including dial controls for aperture and speed, placed just like the controls in the Nikon SLR series. Without taking the camera from your eyes you can adjust with your index and thumb, the aperture and the exposure speed (or the Program Shift as the case may be). In the same time, with your left hand you can adjust the zoom and the manual focus rings.
3. Leica V-Lux 1, has some features encountered only in SLR-s much more expensive. In example, on the left side of the lens there is a "forced" Focus button. Even with the focus set to MANUAL mode, one can still touch with the left thumb this button and the lens focuses automatic. Then it remains further in manual mode, so you can continue to adjust it further by turning the focus ring.
3. Here is one example of how great the image stabilization works. Last week I was at my son's convocation ceremony that took place indoors in a sports arena, but it was not lit enough. My son was sitting in the middle of the stadium. I was standing all the way up. With the camera held in my hand and with the maximum zoom, I took about three pictures. One out of three came out perfectly clear. Now consider this: the exposure was 1/16sec which would absolutely require a tripod.
Further I just leaned my right elbow on a railing and then took some more pictures, and they all came out very clear at 1/8 and 1/16 sec!
4. One word of caution: If you are used to other cameras that in Auto mode allow choices on metering, focus area, etc, this camera in Auto mode offers very little options. If you want access to all the settings, you have to set it to "P" (Program Mode) which is also an "automatic" mode that allows all the settings to be changed.
5. If money is tight, but you would really like to get the Leica as opposed to the equivalent Panasonic, if you shop around you find this camera at around $750 - $800. Also, look on the Leica web site as they are offering a $150 mail in rebate (March-Apr 2008, and again July-Aug 2008, and I am sure they will offer it again), so you end up paying $600 - $650, which all of a sudden looks a lot more as a very good value.
A great, high quality camera.

Rating :

LEICA V lux 1- Above my expectations

I bought this camera at the same time I purchased a Canon xti (digital SLR). I had owned Canon before and was very pleased with the company.

I was VERY sure that I would keep the xti and sell the V lux 1. In fact I purchased several Canon lenses. Now that I have used both cameras for about year now, I have come to the conclusion that the V lux 1 takes better photographs.

First to all, the Leica has a very versatile lens that takes clear pictures with great color reproduction. The camera has IN BODY image stabilization that works very well. It has a zoom that is mechanical 35- 420 and incorporates an additional optical choice of 2x or 4x. This is a tremendous choice of range that works well.

The f-stops open up enough to get great photos indoors. The WB seems very accurate as well. It also has a quality lens.

If you are the kind of photographer who wants an all-in-one lens-camera choice that is light, easy to use and takes VERY good 10MP pics this one may be for you.

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Rating :

Leica V-lux

The camera came without the lens hood and the patch cables. These items cost over $100. I am dissatisfied with the vendor. I paid the market price for the camera.

Rating :

Poor reliability and poor service

I was excited when I first saw this camera and had to have it. When I got I found it was easy to use and took great pictures. But then after a few months it stopped working. I contacted service in NJ and sent it into then. They said I would have an answer back in "2-3" days. That turned into two weeks. My emails to then asking for status were deleted and not read (I asked for a read receipt). I finally got a letter from them to authorize the service (under warranty). Time estimate for the repair was 4-5 weeks. Nearly eight weeks later I am still waiting for it. I always considered Leica to be the Rolls Royce on cameras but unfortunately, in retrospect I wish I had bought a Canon or a Nikon.

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More reviews...

1. 12.1-megapixel sensor
2. 12x Leica DC Vario-Elmar 1:3.3 4.9 / 4.1 49.2mm ASPH (25-300 mm) zoom lens; focal lengths from super-wide to extreme telephoto
3. GPS module for registration of geographical data of every shot
4. 720p HD movie capture with 12x zoom range
5. Compatible with SD/SDHC/SXDC cards (not included)

Editorial Review :

The Leica V-Lux 20, with a high-performance super-zoom lens with focal lengths ranging from 25-300mm, makes it ideal for almost any photographic situation.

Customer Review :

Legendary Leica Quality

This is just a wonderful little camera.

High quality, superb build, legendary Leica quality.

Nice photos, feature rich.

The GPS is so handy.

Highly recommended.

Rating :

Own Both the Leica V-Lux 20 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7, And............

......I do notice several things the V-Lux 20 does better than the DMC-ZS7.......

The color rendering seems to be more true on the V-Lux 20 (the ZS7 has a slight "cyan" cast), fewer blown highlights (maybe the biggest drawback of the ZS7), and most-importantly- superior noise reduction. The Leica's internal NR is in my opinion comparable to the very best post-process noise-reduction products out there, including Topaz DeNoise 4. (Most point-and-shoot cameras I prefer the minimum NR setting, the Leica I prefer the default setting. I actually get better results from the camera's own NR, with either no or minimal post-processing. On the other hand, the ZS7's NR is more typical for in-camera NR, where I use the minimum settings, and then fixed with more-intense post-processing.) The video also seems to have more resolution and less highlight clipping. (Although the vertical streaks from bright lights is exactly the same as the ZS7.) The question will come down to whether these advantages justify the price difference. I say it's a close call. But if I were to sell one of the cameras, I'd sell the ZS7, only because I do think the V-Lux 20 does yield noticeably better performance, and I think it's the best mega-zoom point-and-shoot available as of right now.

PROS:

- Best image quality of the currently-available mega-zoom compacts I've tried.
- Superb color rendering- Superior to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7.
- Good low-light performance (although can be improved with post processing).
- Very good resolution with videos. (Comparable to the Sony DSC-HX5V in spite of 720p specs.)
- Superb autofocus during videos. Rarely loses focus during zoom. Minimal "motor noise" during zoom.
- Fewer blown highlights relative to the Panasonic ZS7.
- Camera's internal noise reduction comparable to the very best post-process products out there.

CONS:

- The long zoom range and small sensor still cause noise and low-light problems.
- Requires settings adjustments for best IQ. ("Sharpness" set to "-1" reduces "edge artifacts" without sacrificing resolution; "ISO" set to "ISOMAX1600" and "I.EXPOSURE" set to "Standard" improves low-light performance.)
- Image quality still not at a level of the Leica X1 or D-Lux 4.
- Video has exact same vertical streaking from bright lights as the Panasonic ZS7. (The Sony HX5V does not have this flaw.)
- Sample variation/quality control: Had to exchange camera due to a misaligned lens.
- Somewhat excessive "distortion correction" at widest zoom angle. Image slightly "stretched" radially toward the edges. (Although most recent compact cameras have this flaw.)
- High price a judgment call for the stated advantages. If zoom or video isn't a requisite, better IQ can be had elsewhere for the price.

Rating :

Over Kill

First let me start by saying I have never bought a digital camera that did not come with a memory card.(this is my 3rd). This $699 camera did not. I called Willoubhy's and they said I would have to buy one. So I bought an 8GB card for $42. It works fine for still pictiues but not for video. I called again and they said someone should have told me that I needed a HIGH SPEED memory card. I am waiting for Willoughby's to send me one. No where in the instructions that came with the Leica was that stated. You must first put in a disc that comes with the Leica in you computer for instructions on how to use the camera. What if you don't have a computer. It is well over 100 pages if you deside to print it all. Still, I could not find anything on the memory card for taking video's. If not for the name "LEICA" I think a Japanese camera, that has a Leica lens, would do just as well for one quarter of the price. There is just too much on the camera that you will never use. The pictures are good but so is my Cannon Sure Shot. I had to end up buying a $200 case for the Leica because no other case would fit. I do have to say that the 25MM to 300MM zoom is the best part of the camera.

Rating :

Not quite a Leica.

I am inclined to agree with reviewer RT about the V-Lux 20. I too own the D-Lux 4, and also a Nikon D3S. I was looking for something of Leica quality, but with the added reach of the extra zoom lens. I bought my D-Lux 4 a year ago with a then-in-place rebate from Leica, so I paid exactly the same for my D-Lux 4 as I just paid for the V-Lux 20, so they are worth comparing.

What I have found upon trying the camera out for a few days:

1) GPS: Tags all your photos with place, date and time. Handy if you travel A LOT. Otherwise, a novelty and major battery suck. The GPS draws power even when the camera is off, unless you put it into airplane mode. Presumably this is to have current coordinates on hand when you power it up. The GPS can be slow to 'latch on' when taken out of airplane mode. It took 10 minutes to triangulate the signal with an unobstructed 360-view of the sky in the San Francisco area. If this were a car navigation system, you'd have arrived at your destination by then.

2) Lens: amazing range with significant extra reach over the D-Lux 4. However, the picture quality suffers. Noticeable softness when compared to the D-Lux 4. Not significantly better than Canon Powershots, which run half the price. (I own two Powershots as well.) However, color rendition and contrast are superior to Canon point-and-shoots. See the focal length sample photo I uploaded to to the V-Lux 20 product description here on Amazon. [UPDATE: I ran some side by side comparisons with my Powershots, and the Leica lens is not as soft as I first perceived. It is noticeably sharper than the Canons, and does not suffer from much edge softness at very wide angles. Also, the optical zoom in this camera is very impressive for a point-and-shoot. However, you have to be in the right mode otherwise you invoke a little extra (digital) zooming, which is not great.]

3) No RAW. May be a non-issue to some, but I always shoot RAW with my D-Lux 4 and there have been a few amazing shots that I was glad I was able to post-process and get the most out of them. The V-Lux 20 has two JPEG modes: compressed, and less compressed, and you can also choose the aspect ratio and image file size. The lowest appears to be a 'notepad' image size of about 2 mpx.

4) Slower lens: more image noise and less options for shooting in low light than the D-Lux 4, which sports an f2 lens.

5) Build quality. As RT said, definitely not up to the quality of usual Leicas, including the D-Lux 4. It feels flimsy and lightweight. The controls do not feel as smooth and precise as the D-Lux.

6) No hotshoe or viewfinder. Probably not an issue for most people, like me. I never used the external Leica flash and I don't know anyone that ever used the external viewfinder on the D-Lux 4, especially as a fixed viewfinder is fairly useless with a zoom lens. But these might be important for you.

7) Integrated hand grip. Unless you've used the D-Lux 4 without a hand grip, you won't know how important this is. On the D-Lux 4, it's an expensive option; here, it's designed into the body.

8) Integrated lens cover. Very useful.

9) Movie mode. Seemingly the same as the D-Lux 4: 720 HD. One nice touch is there is now a single dedicated button on the back of the V-Lux to start recording a movie. Handy for candid moments. Also, the full focal length of the zoom works during movie mode, which is great. The D-Lux 4 cannot zoom while shooting movies. And the zoom on the V-Lux is dampened, meaning you cannot jump from widest angle to maximum telephoto quickly -- this is a good thing in my opinion as it paces the zoom to be more pleasing to the viewer. Lastly, it seems like the maximum continuous length of movie you can shoot in HD is about 8 min 30 sec. At this point recording will stop and whatever's left in the buffer will be written to disk. Once this is done, you can start another 8 min 30 sec of movie taking. In theory this is fine, but when I was shooting my kids in a 20 minute play, I lost some in the middle. I expect the V-Lux is not being positioned as a replacement for a dedicated movie camera. Also, if you are a Mac user, the movies created with the V-Lux can be imported into iMovie and Final Cut Pro without conversion as they are Picture-JPEG format. (My Nikon D3S, on the other hand shoots 720 HD as .AVI files which cannot be used in Mac editing software without conversion.)

10) Hard-to-find case. People who spring this kind of money for a point and shoot don't want to protect their investment with a ten dollar case from China off eBay. They want the absurdly overpriced but beautifully made Leica case. However, I got an email from Leica today saying that the first shipment of cases won't be in for several weeks, and those are already pre-sold. It could be months before the case actually becomes available. [Update, 06/03/10: the V-Lux case is trickling into the channel. I managed to order one on from an authorized Leica dealer on eBay who had three in stock.]

11) Aesthetics. OK, looks matter. It's a Leica. It has a red dot. As Einstein said, "Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler." The V-Lux 20 has just enough controls, and they are laid out very well. The on-screen menu system leaves a bit to be desired, but then again I've never seen an on-screen menu on any digital camera that didn't look like it came off a DOS computer. The form factor of the body is excellent.

12) No LCD cover. The D-Lux 4 didn't have one either, but most of the back is taken up by the LCD and it WILL get scratched. Do what I did and get the excellent DuraSec adhesive screen protectors. They're made in Germany, and for a few bucks you can buy a pack of 5 that will fit both the D-Lux and V-Lux.

13) Battery life: disappointing. Leica rates it for 300 pictures. I got about 270, only five of which used flash. I suspect that the power-hungry GPS is the culprit here. Annoyingly, the V-Lux battery is very slightly different in size to the D-Lux Battery, so I cannot use my spare D-Lux battery. And the killer is that a spare V-Lux battery is a hundred dollars! Wow. My Nikon D3S uses batteries that cost about that much. But I get over 4,000 shots off one of those batteries, and it's a considerably more complex camera, powering autofocus lenses, viewfinders and 3 displays. I don't know if the V-Lux is 'chipped' -- meaning it will ONLY take the Leica batteries. The Panasonic (see below) is chipped, which has annoyed many owners.

14) Documentation: pretty much none in printed form. The manual (which you WILL need) is a PDF on a CD. I understand discount point-and-shoot makers adopting this strategy to shave a nickel off the retail price, but Leica? My D-Lux came with several printed manuals. And don't think it's Leica's effort to be more environmentally conscious... the burden of using electricity, resources and consumables is just being shifted from it to you! At this price, I expect a manual I can throw in my pocket or camera bag.

15) Camera strap: hand strap only. Leica supplies a hand strap with the camera, and that's all that will fit on the V-Lux 20. Unlike the D-Lux 4, the V-Lux only has one anchor point, so you can only fit a hand strap and not a neck strap. Unfortunately, the official Leica case for this model (Leica #18 700) also does not have a strap of any kind, and you can't add one either. It has a belt loop, so apart from (awkwardly) carrying it in your hands, you can only attach it to your belt. Personally, I like to keep a camera around my neck when I am out and about, so this decision with the V-Lux 20 is unfortunate, especially given it's aforementioned size. It won't easily -- if at all -- slip into a pocket either. Strange, for a camera aimed at the frequent traveler.

The V-Lux 20 is a curious beast indeed. It is pitched as a 'travel' camera, but it is quite big. It's about 70% larger than my Canon Powershot SD780. It's pitched as a 'family camera' judging by the 'notepad' mode and the 3 dedicated pre-defined 'scene' modes, but it's priced way beyond a family camera. It's also positioned as a 'semi-pro camera' with aperture, shutter priority and manual modes, but I doubt any pro would shoot with it due to the shortcomings mentioned above. For comparison, I have achieved results from my D-Lux 4 that are (sometimes) as good as my Nikon DSLR. Not a chance with the V-Lux.

An interesting side note: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 is essentially the same camera. It was co-developed by Panasonic and Leica, and sports a Leica lens. The offspring of this marriage yielded two cameras: the DMC-ZS7 and the V-Lux 20. My understanding is that there are three main differences: the aesthetic styling of the camera, the JPEG processor (some say the Leica is better), and the price. The Lumix is half the price of the V-Lux 20.

I was initially unsure about keeping this camera or not, but I have decided to keep it as a backup to my D-Lux 4, and as something my whole family can use. Despite its quirks, it will make a decent family camera (with occassional one-button HD video shooting), and the reach of the (optical) telephoto is quite astonishing for a point and shoot.

My advice is: if extra lens reach and geo-tagging of images is really important to you, then the V-Lux 20 is a reasonable investment. Secondhand Leicas still sell for about 90 cents on the dollar (sometimes more.) Compare that to Canon or Panasonic.

However, if picture quality and shooting in low-light are more important, I would spring the modest extra money and get the D-Lux 4. Know that you will still need to buy the hand grip and dedicated case for it, so whichever route you choose, it really is an investment.

I be interested to hear from anyone with hands-on experience of the Lumix sister camera to the V-Lux 20.

Rating :

Too much money for an average camera

I bought this camera with the idea of having a compact multi-purpose camera that I could take everywhere. I was specially excited about the 12x zoom. However, this little camera is far, far from getting anywhere close to any existing Leica camera. I own the D-Lux-4, which is an amazing little camera. Its fast wide angle lens are superb, the construction of the camera is very strong and the camera has a very nice look. The only problem is that I can't take pictures of subjects that are far away. As I read somewhere, in this case my legs are my zoom. And that doesn't always work.
D4's shortcomings made me think of the V20 -with its 12x zoom- as the camera that I could take to every trip or event, without having to pack my DSLR with all its bulky lenses. I knew the lens aperture was not as good as the one you find on the D4, but I was ready to give that up. To my disappointment, the V20 was not up for the task. First of all, it seems like it is going to break if it falls off my hands. Its construction feels extremely weak, i.e. the V20 doesn't qualify for long trips or any harsh conditions. I wasn't impressed by the quality of the pictures I took either. For any practical matters, I couldn't find any significant differences between the pictures I took with the V20 and the ones that you can get with any point and shoot camera available at lower prices, i.e. Sony or Panasonic. Why should anybody pay USD 700 for a regular point and shoot? Maybe this little camera is just for the ones who want to add another red dot to their collection.
I am sorry Leica. The V20 went back to the seller today.



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More reviews...

1. Protects Camera from Scratches and Dust
2. Fits Perfectly to your Camera

Editorial Review :

Leather

Customer Review :

High Quality Case

This is such a nice case for my Leica V-Lux 20 Camera.

Very high quality, perfect fit.

I love it.

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