http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/lumix_lc5_pg5.ht ml

Hi all,

I find this from the "lug", and I found this curious, since all the reviews (French magazine, again :-)) I read was great, except that one.. They all say "it's one of the very best 4M".. Unfortunately, I haven't any links..

Regards,

-- Simon (s_alibert@mac.com), May 12, 2002

Answers

Can anyone verify that Leica actually has anything to do with this series of cameras other than charging Panasonic a fee to put the Summicron name on a lens they apparantly have nothing to do with?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 12, 2002.

hi

just wanted to say that the end of the link is incorrect. ...html not ht ml just erase that space.. oliver

-- oliver kurzemann (moengi@zip6020.com), May 12, 2002.

Andrew, the cameras are made by Panasonic with the lens supposedly being a Leica design, but built by a third party (I've heard Canon, Sigma and others - who knows?). The lens does test out to be quite up to Leica standards. The big difference between the two cameras (other than cosmetic) is in the software and the internal operating systems (the basic programing of the cameras if you will). I have just been informed this week by our Panasonic rep that the 4meg Lumix will probably be recalled as there have been numerous reports of heavy banding and excessive noise at the 400 ISO setting. The first thing I did upon hearing this was to check with Leica who said that they have tested the Digilux for this and it appears to be a problem only with the Panasonic. As we won't be getting any Digilux's for another week or so for sale or test it will be interesting to see what transpires.

-- Bob Todrick (Bob Todrick@yahoo.com), May 12, 2002.

Bob, seems stetching it to say the least for Leica to be putting their name on that camera. Since that same lens has been used on other cameras even before Leica got together with Panasonic, I'm not convinced they even had anything to do with the design of it except to maybe check one out and say "that will do".

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 12, 2002.

Don't get me wrong Andrew. I've always wondered at the success (if any) Leica is having with their digital point and shoots. I personally feel that if Leica can't afford to do it on their own, than the limited money they obviously have should go to the M and R liness.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), May 12, 2002.

My quess is that it can't be justified economically for a real Leica designed and manufactured lens to be made for a point and shoot digital camera. Panasonic must have offered them a decent sum of money for the right to use there name on a product that basically has no Leica in it-and for some reason that bothers me. I'd be pissed if I bought one thinking it was half Leica/half Panasonic and found out later all that was Leica was their name script.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 12, 2002.

Sorry to hear about the banding problem...apart from the Argus- styling and badge-engineering, at least the Paneica has the shortest lag within the prosumer class.

-- Andrew (mazurka@rocketmail.com), May 12, 2002.