LeicaD-LUX5 10.1 MP Compact Digital Camera with Super-Fast f/2.0 Lens, 3.8x Zoom Lens, 3" LCD Display, O.I.S. Image Stabilization (Black)

I bought this camera about 2 months ago... and i'm just lovin it more with time. Great Leica lens with unmatched picture quality from any of it's close competitors (even to quite similar one's like the Panny LX5). The D-Lux 5 comes packed with Manual controls and plenty of pre-configured shooting modes (portraits, babies, landscapes day/night...). I read it somewhere in the reviews that the menu configuration is some how cheap and not up to the level- which I certainly don't agree with for two reasons: 1- it's simple and intuitive and you get used to it in few days of operation. 2- I see it more as a German type oriented software with no complication in design; after all the Leica appears vintage and the menu style should complement the looks. Size and weight are important features of the D-lux 5 to consider, if you're willing to carry it with you on travels.I am not a professional photographer, but I did compare it with my friend's Panny LX5 and to Canon's 550D dSLR. I tried shooting starry sky mode (moon and stars) which I consider challenging because of "low light" situation and the picture exposure and saturation was superior to the shots taken by the other 2 cams. Now, I am quite positive that the Leica lens with the internal processor are far superior together than most, if not any other similar product. And yes it's a bit more pricey but if you can afford it you should get it!On another note,the major downside (in my personal opinion)is that Leica didn't release much gears and accessories for the product although its Panasonic sibling has (i.e. wide angle/macro lenses). These lenses can only maximize the utility and enjoyment of the D-Lux 5. However, you can use the Panny lenses as they fit both cams.I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a high-end product characterized with superior picture quality and portability!

I've been using this camera for almost 5 months now and have taken more than 2000 snaps - This simply keeps surprising me with the quality of images. I was looking for a point and shoot which would be a back-up for a D-SLR and this perfectly fits the role. When I started using this camera initially, I had problems with the auto focus - I was just not able to get specific items focused in my frame. But trust me, once you start trying out different settings you would automatically fall into the rhythm and even before taking a snap you'd know what settings would produce great pictures with this thing. The auto-focus is fast (the fastest I have ever seen in a point and shoot) and the lens is extremely good.This camera produces excellent life-like high detailed reproduction of images. It does not have a great zoom, and might not produce sharp images with landscapes. This is an excellent camera for portraits and near-distance photography1. Very sharp and bright pictures could be produced even in dim light because of bigger aperture (a tripod is recommended in case of dim light situations).2. Auto focus is very fast, settings are easy, lens zoom/retract are smooth and silent.3. Not an ordinary point and shoot - produces D-SLR quality images.4. Large aperture coupled with a tripod produces excellent image in low light conditions.5. Battery is very good, a fully charged battery fires about 400 shots.6. Lacks a bigger zoom (but this is not a super zoom camera anyway) and does not produce sharp images of landscapes.

I have now done as thorough review of the image quality as I can. Using a tripod, with the subject about 8 ft away, a poster of Chinese characters, I took three shots on a timer at 4:3 aspect ratio, about 20-24mm focal length, using the D-LUX 5, an older Lumix DMC-FX33, and a Canon 550D with an EF-S 18-200mm lens. Then I looked at the images zooming in to the max. The Canon was by far the best, followed by the little FX-33, with the Leica trailing behind, not very crisp at all.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19 July 2011: Final update. I think there is nothing wrong with the camera. Like other things, you just have to know its limitations. It is unreasonable to expect it to perform as well as a Canon DSLR. In retrospect I had unrealistic and amateurish expectations. With the various test shots in the previous update, I have now looked at them with both Lightroom 3 and Paintshop X3, both RAW and JPEG (FX33 JPG only). When I zoom in on each of the pictures, I get basically the same results as I did when looking at them via the on-camera LCD. But when I print A4 or even A3 size copies of shots I took along the Singapore River, the results are very satisfying. I'll keep it and would recommend it to others. A bit pricey, but you get Lightroom. I am still surprised that the Lumix DMC-FX33 compared so well to the D-LUX 5.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20 August 2011: After using it now for two trips to the USA and back here in Singapore, I must say that this camera is great and exactly what I was hoping for. The color rendition seems very good to my eye, the clarity of the image is very pleasing, it does a great job of sorting out that difficult balance of the sky and the earthly objects. I am a bit embarrassed for my earlier weak assessment.

We have had this type of camera before and got excellent photos. This particular camera did not give clear, sharp photos, seemed to be defective, so was returned to the seller.

I bought this camera two months ago as a replacement of the Nikon P300. With more than doubled price and its well-known brand, I had bigger expectation for its performance in low light situation than Nikon P300. It turned out to be a big disappointment for at least two reasons:1. Lots of noise in low light condition with high ISO. Comparing with Cannon and Nikon, it is far from the standard in the digital world.2. Very slow operation and low quality LCD display.My conclusion is that I would not recommend this camera to my friends and will look for another camera to replace this one.