Leica V-Lux 20 announced

Leica V-Lux 20 is now listed on Leica’s website.

More sample shots are available here and here.

Brochure download link (pdf).

Amazon is taking pre-orders @ $699.

Detailed specs and full press release after the break:

Lens: Leica DC-Vario-Elmar 4.1–49.2 mm f/3.3–4.9 ASPH. (corresponds to 25–300mm in 35 mm format) 

10 elements in 8 groups (3 aspherical surfaces)

Zoom 

Optical:

12x
Digital: 4x/23.4x with “extra optical zoom”
Focusing 

Modes:

Normal/Macro, Macro Zoom, Pre-focusing (On/Off), Continuous focusing (On/Off), AF-tracking
Metering modes: Face detection/AF tracking/11 field/1 field high speed/1 field/Spot
Focusing range 

P/A/S/M:

50 cm/1’ 7 11/16” (Wide-angle)/2 m/6’ 6 3/4” (Tele) – ∞
Macro/Intelligent 

Auto/Movie:

3 cm/1 3/16” (Wide-angle)/1 m/3’ 3 3/8” (Tele) – ∞ (5×–8× corresponds to 2m/6’ 6 3/4” – ∞)
Scene modes: May differ from the ranges above
Sensor: 1/2.33 ” CCD with 14.5 MP (effective: 12.1 MP)
Resolution 

Still pictures:

4:3 format (max. 12 MP) 4000 x 3000 pixels (12 MP)/3264 x 2448 pixels (8 MP)/2560 x 1920 pixels (5 MP)/2048 x 1536 pixels (3 MP)/640 x 480 pixels (0.3 MP) 

3:2 format (max. 11.5 MP) 4176 x 2784 pixels (11.5 MP)/3392 x 2264 pixels (7.5 MP)/2656 x 1768 pixels (4.5 MP)/2048 x 1360 pixels (2.5 MP)/640 x 424 pixels (0.3 MP)

16:9 format (max. 10.5 MP) 4320 x 2432 pixels (10.5 MP)/3552 x 2000 pixels (7 MP)/2784 x 1568 pixels (4.5 MP)/1920 x 1080 pixels (2 MP)/640 x 360 pixels (0.2 MP)

Movies: 4:3 format VGA: 640 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG); QVGA: 320 x 240 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG) 

16:9 format WVGA: 848 x 480 pixels, 30 fps (Motion JPEG); HD-Aufnahme: 1280 x 720 pixels 60 fps (QuickTime Motion JPEG)

Recording file format 

Still pictures:

JPEG (based on Exif 2.21 standard)/DPOF-compatible
Still pictures with sound: 

JPEG (based on Exif 2.21 standard) + QuickTime
Movies: QuickTime Motion JPEG
Exposure control 

Exposure modes:

Program mode (P), Aperture priority (A), Speed priority (S), Manual setting (M)/Snapshot/Custom/Scene/Movie/Clipboard 

Exposure Compensation: 

Increments: 1/3 EV steps, setting range: ±2 EV
Scene modes: 

Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self Portrait, Scenery, Panorama Assist, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Food, Party, Candlelight, Baby 1, Baby 2, Pet, Sunset, High Sens., High-Speed Burst, Flash Burst, Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial Photo, Pin Hole, Film Grain, High Dynamic (Standard, Artistic, B/W), Photo Frame
Metering Modes: Multi-field/Center-weighted/Spot
White Balance: 

Auto/Daylight/Cloudy/Shadow/Tungsten/ 

Manual setting

Sensitivity: Auto/80/100/200/400/800/1600
Shutter speeds: 60 s–1/2000 s, (Starry Sky mode: 15 s/30 s/60 

s)

Continuous shooting mode 

Series frequency:

Slow: Frequency 2.3fps; Fast: approx. 10/6fps (Release-/Shutter Priority)
Number of recordable pictures: Slow: max. 5/3 (Standard/Fine); Fast: approx. 15 using the internal memory, immediately after formatting/max. 100 using a memory card (differs depending on card used and settings; 4:3: 3 MP, 3:2: 2.5 MP, 16:9: 2 MP)
Flash 

Modes:

Auto, Auto with pre-flash (to reduce red eye effect), Auto with slower shutter speeds and pre-fl ash, On, Off
Range (with ISO AUTO and 

Maximum wide-angle setting):

approx. 60 cm/1’ 11 5/8”–5,3 m/17’ 4”
Self Timer: 2/10 s delay
Monitor: 

3.0” TFT-LCD, approx. 460.800 pixels, Field of view: approx. 100 %, automatic brightness adjustment
GPS: Registration of geographical data: Latitude and longitude of the taken pictures, Display of Country/Region, State/Province/County, City/Town, Landmark, Reception frequency: 1575.42 MHz (C/A code), Geographical coordinate system: WGS84
Microphone/Speaker: Stereo/mono
Recording media 

Internal memory:

approx. 15 MB
Memory cards: SD/SDHC/SDXC
Interfaces 

HDMI:

mini HDMI cable (typ C)
AV OUT/DIGITAL 

Dedicated jacke (14-pin):

Digital: USB 2.0 (High-Speed) 

Analog Video/Audio: NTSC/PAL FBAS (switchable in menu), Audio line output (Stereo)

Printer compatibility: PictBridge
Operating temperature 

/humidity:

0–40 °C/32–104 °F/10–80 %
Battery (Lithium-Ion) 

Voltage/capacity:

3.6 V/895 mAh (300 pictures according to CIPA standards)
Dimensions (WxHxD): 

approx. 103 x 62 x 33 mm/4 1/16 x 2 7/16 x 1 9/32”
Weight: 

approx. 218 g  / 7 3/5 oz (with Memory card and battery)
Scope of delivery: Camera, Battery charger (Leica BC-DC 7, Battery (Leica BP-DC 7), Battery case, Wrist strap, AV cable, USB cable, Software-DVD, CD with long instr. (PDF)

The universal compact camera for outstanding pictures – from wide to telephoto

Solms, Germany (April 20, 2010) – Leica Camera AG presents a new, 12.1 megapixel digital compact camera: the LEICA V-LUX 20. Equipped with a high performance DC-VARIO ELMAR lens, innovative GPS tagging, optional HD movie recording and various automated functions, the V-LUX 20 is a truly universal camera, capable of capturing all moments of life.

The V-LUX 20’s LEICA DC-VARIO-ELMAR 4.1–49.2 mm f/3.3–4.9 ASPH. zoom lens offers a range of focal lengths of 25–300 mm in 35-mm format, making it the ideal camera for almost any photographic environment. Whether shooting expansive landscapes, finely detailed macro studies at short distances or shots of distant objects with a super-telephoto setting, its 12x zoom captures them all in images of breathtaking quality. Integrated image stabilization helps photographers in every shooting situation and also prevents fuzzy pictures caused by camera shake or difficult lighting conditions.

“High-performance optics, compact size and simple, intuitive handling: these are the trademarks of the V-LUX 20. It is the ideal tool for effortless photography and can be utilized by the whole family – for everyday shooting, special occasions or when traveling,” says Peter Kruschewski, Product Manager Digital Compact Cameras at Leica Camera AG. “At the same time, the manual setting options of the V-LUX 20 offer more ambitious photographers absolute creative control over their pictures.”

The LEICA V-LUX 20 is characterized by clear lines, ergonomic design and evidently positioned controls. Its straightforward handling is further enhanced by a whole range of automatic functions. For the more knowledgeable photographer, manual setting options for shutter speed and aperture provide all the creative freedom necessary for image control. A selector dial on the top deck of the camera allows fast and simple selection of a wide range of settings.

The generously dimensioned, three-inch monitor of the V-LUX 20 has a large 3 inch TFT display with a resolution of 460,000 pixels, offering an extremely bright and sharp view. It is a reliable and precise tool for the assessment of image composition and framing before shooting, as well as for quality control of captured shots.

As the first Leica digital camera to feature GPS tagging, the Leica V-LUX 20 allows photographers to record not only the geographical coordinates of the location in the Exif data of the image files, but also the local time for every shot. An extremely useful aid for archiving pictures, the GPS tagging function prevents all travelers from ever forgetting where their pictures were taken. All images posted on social networks, image portals and map sites such as Google Maps or Google Earth reveal exactly when and where they were shot.* When abroad, the V-LUX 20 can also display local sights and interesting places. This feature offers a total of 500,000 so-called ‘points of interest’ in 73 different countries.

In addition to featuring GPS tagging, the V-LUX 20 is equipped with a movie function that enables the recording of moving pictures in HD quality. Together with the camera’s zoom function, smart automatic features such as face recognition, automatic scene modes and smart exposure are all available in movie mode, making the V-LUX 20 a superior movie-maker in a compact format.

The LEICA V-LUX 20 will be available at specialized Leica dealers from the end of April 2010. Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 is one of the standard features provided with V-LUX 20. A matching brown calfskin case for the camera is available as an optional accessory.

For additional information, please visit us.leica-camera.com. For media inquiries, high resolution images and loan out requests, please contact Evins Communications.

* It is possible that GPS tagging may not function in the People’s Republic of China and neighbouring regions. Satellite signal reception may be impossible, depending on the location. In such cases, the positioning data may be recorded inaccurately or not at all.

About Leica Camera:

Leica represents a union of craftsmanship, technology and experience. It is at once an extension of art, knowledge and philosophy, providing a state-of-the-art optical experience in a precision, hand-made photographic instrument. Leica Camera has a simple mission: to provide users with an incomparable experience, an instrument that defines an unsurpassed heritage and sets a standard of excellence for the industry to meet.

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