I had this impression when I looked at the photos taken by this camera. It's monochrome that becomes Leica. So, I chose this monochrome shot as the first sample. This new compact camera from Leica is called the "LEICA C." It's small but reliable thanks to the 1/1.7 inch sensor and the 28-200mm F2.0-F5.9 zoom lens (in 35mm equiv.). The partnership between Leica and Panasonic is a well-known fact in the compact digital camera industry, but interestingly, these two brands tune the same camera differently. The Leica-tuning is already obvious in appearance and it's also feelable on your hand. If you're looking for a stylish compact camera for your pocket, the LEICA C is definitely a solid choice.
( Photo:A.Inden / Text:FourtyEight )
I don't need to repeat the elegant appearance. The two-story top cover and the smart placement of buttons and dials remind us of the M Leica cameras. It's so refined that you want to get it in your hand. The color choices are also stylish: it's not between the common white and black, but between dark red and light gold. Now, what should I do?
What about the pictures? The number of pixels is approximately 12M and it's good enough. Even though we take the good lighting condition into consideration, depiction is very clear. The back LCD is beautiful and the pictures look nice than I expected.
It resolved each letters on the fortunes. The wide to telephoto zoom lens lets you crop at the size you need. For M Leica users, the fact that a Leica zooms should be a marvel.
This is another example showing the resolving power and the color reproduction. The JPEG images are not very garish and they rather look quiet. This tuning is very Leica. Can you see the evening sunlight?
This camera sophisticatedly captures light in this kind of situation. I'm sure you can feel the hard texture of the wall and the reflecting light.
The sensor isn't large, so there's a limit to tonality. I cropped the dramatic graduation of the evening sky. I think the pictures come out more realistic when they are shot under.
We can't expect good bokeh from this kind of camera, but you can get natural bokeh when you shoot something very close. The way the subject is isolated from the background isn't bad.
I adjusted exposure in order to realize how they came into my eyes. The metal texture is realized very nicely.
The tele-end of the zoom lens is 200mm and it's very useful. It's great that we can look into the EVF in this bright situation. Note that the resolution of the EVF isn't very high. I'd use it when it's hard to look at the LCD.
Nowadays, people take pictures of delicious food and share them via WiFi. Taking table photos is an easy task for this camera.
From wide to telephoto including close-up, this versatile compact camera will come in handy in a variety of situations.
This is a camera shows what a compact digital camera would be like if Leica arranges it. The beauty is not just for the appearance, but a result of their pursuit of operationability. The simple interface doesn't confuse shooters and only lets them focus on shooting. It's hard to describe in terms of specifications, but I felt very comfortable shooting with this camera and couldn't stop shooting. Of course, the sensor isn't large and there's a limit to picture quality. But, this specification and size will realize shooting in situations where you cannot bring large cameras. For example, you can use it in parties. Or, you can bring it with you when you dress up. Or, you can use it as a sub camera to complement a single-focal dominant lens system. Finally, we have a product that attracts adults. And, don't forget their collection of high quality accessories and have fun in choosing them.