I got the new Leica D-Lux 5 few days ago from the Leica SIS (they still have them in stock) and in the next few weeks I will be posting a series of comparisons between the Leica D-Lux 4 and the D-Lux 5. Here are my first impressions after only few days of using the camera:
- My biggest complain about the D-Lux 4 was the loose mode dial. I was happy to see that the mode dial of the D-Lux 5 is tighter, similar to the dial on the Leica M9.
- The tripod mount on the bottom of the camera is still not centered. The optional Leica grip does have the tripod mount in the center.
- The joystick selector is now replaced with a wheel, which is easier to use.
- The Leica D-Lux 5 uses also a new battery and will not be compatible with DL4 batteries (it should give you 20 more pictures per charge – total of 400, up from 380 on the DL4).
- The RAW files format is still RWL.
- I am not a big fan of the new EFV (especially for that price) – the resolution is low and the frame is tiny. I am sure some of you will find it useful, since it can be tilted vertically. The old DL4 optical viewfinder should work just fine on the D-Lux 5. The EVF shows exactly what you would see on the LCD screen:
Leica D-Lux 5 EFV
- Yes, except the firmware, the Leica D-Lux 5 ($799) is the same camera as the Panasonic LX5 (currently priced around $450), but if you add the price of Adobe Lightroom 3 (around $285) and one extra year of warranty, you will see that that Leica premium over the Panasonic version is not that big. Not to mention that Leica will have a better resale value (Leica DL4 is currently selling between $400-$600 on eBay, while the Panasonic LX3 is selling for about $200-$300).
- The Leica D-Lux 4 had an exclusive 3 year warranty, the new Leica D-Lux 5 offers only 2 years warranty:
3 years warranty for the DL4
- As you can see from the comparison pictures below, the new Leica D-Lux 5 is only 6mm taller than the D-Lux 4 because of the elevated hot shoe mount (the EVF connector is located under the hot shoe mount). Otherwise, the actual body size is identical. Those 6mm were enough to make the D-Lux 5 not compatible with some D-Lux 4 cases (it will be a very tight fit). Weight wise, the DL5 is slightly heavier than the DL4. I am happy to report that my old DL4 accessories from Richard Franiec are working just fine with the DL5:
- Few comparison pictures of the D-Lux 4 and D-Lux 5:
- Leica D-Lux 5 unboxing video:
