Went looking for a new digital camera. Wanted something with a great lens and easily understood functions, and compact - as I wanted to have it in my pocket. I find that mobile phones don't have enough resolution and that the lenses fitted on most is sub-par, at best.

Went looking for the Leica D-Lux 3 (don't quite like that name - deluxe ... ?). A friend has one, and is very happy. It speaks Mac and has up to 10MB image resolution as well as sophisticated image controls. I'm going to have to do this in two posts, as I don't know how to add more than one image to a post.

 

 

As I'm standing there, holding the Leica in my hand, I notice another camera on the wall. Hmmm -- that looks a lot like the Leica?

Yes, there's a finger rest on the other camera which I can't find on the Leica, but otherwise ... I check the operating menu on both, and it turns out they're identical also. A few cosmetic details are different.

Some of you will know that I'm speaking of the Lumix LX2 camera from Panasonic. And it turns out that Leica and Panasonic have pooled resources, much as do B&O and Samsung - which is my point here. I asked the dealer whether the two cameras were identical? He said yes, absolutely, apart from the cosmetics and the price. The Lumix cost € 250 less than the Leica.

Which left me wondering, how much is that badge worth, when the functions are the same? I bought the Lumix. And feel that this goes somewhat to the crux of a few discussions here, concerning Serene/Serenata; screen collaborations/use by B&O of components from other manufacturers, etc.

At which point do we feel that a brand is no longer worth the branding? I have owned Leica M6 cameras and went looking for a Leica compact in order to have the brand satisfaction. But when I saw that the Lumix was the exact same camera, I opted for that. Got me thinking.
Both Leica and B&O dominated their categories in the analog age, and have had to look for partners in order to transition to the digital age -- but at what cost eventually? It appears I've just left the Leica camp ...
 

 

soundproof:

Went looking for a new digital camera. Wanted something with a great lens and easily understood functions, and compact - as I wanted to have it in my pocket. I find that mobile phones don't have enough resolution and that the lenses fitted on most is sub-par, at best.

Went looking for the Leica D-Lux 3 (don't quite like that name - deluxe ... ?). A friend has one, and is very happy. It speaks Mac and has up to 10MB image resolution as well as sophisticated image controls. I'm going to have to do this in two posts, as I don't know how to add more than one image to a post.

 

 

 

I have that one 

The Leica?

It's a great camera, no matter what brand it carries, but I find the topic interesting. If there had only been the Leica version, then I would have bought that. And the reason there's a Panasonic version must be related to economies of scale: there aren't enough Leica customers to justify developing the camera, but there are enough Leica and Panasonic customers. (And some of the technology has trickled down to other cameras in the Panasonic range). 

I have the D-lux 2 and to be honest have always struggled with it, I find it difficult to use as the settings are not the best and can be frustrating at times but the photos have been good.

I actually preffered the Digilux 1 but "upgraded" to the DL2...

Mr10Percent:

I think you have to look at it in terms of value and what that value means to you.

Some people think buying B&O is a rip-off. It is afterall only a Samsung or Philips under the expensive skin.

Leica with Lumix / Panasonic (excellent cameras btw - I have one and very simple)

Rolex, Breitling, Omega versus a cheapo LCD quartz watch (more accurate)

A Lada versus an Aston or Bentley - all get you from A to B

A TopMan suit versus a Zenga - (its just cloth!)

Getting Tescos valuepac food and cooking at home versus a night out at Raymond Blancs where the produce is exquisitly selected from

small organic producers of in-season food (at the end of the day it is sustianance!)

There are lots of items that can be compared this way. Usually high value items versus a budget item. Some of us are fortunate as to be able to make a choice as to what we want. some of us are not and have Hobsons choice.

At the end of the day it does not really matter as long as you are happy with your choice.

10%

A Lada (RIP) versus an Aston wouldn't be much of a choice, I think!

And I was merrily buying B&O televisions when I knew it had Philips inside - because I saw that the B&O image was better. I just found it curious that the Leica and Lumix were absolutely identical, with the exception of the finger rest on the Pana and the Logo on the Leica. And that's different from Lada/Aston.

I'm pleased as punch with the Lumix version of the technology, but curious as to what this does to the Leica brand ... 

I have the Panasonic and love it. Takes very good pictures ;) . But I think that the difference with the Pana is that the Leica comes with Photoshop Elements for PC and Mac! That make the price difference.

I've just bought a Pansonic Lumix TZ3 and it's fantastic. So easy to use even for a numpty like me.

Interesting thread. And of course the Panasonic does have Leica written on it as well! I must confess, I would have bought the Panasonic too. But if I were buying a rangefinder film camera, it would be a Leica!

I must have posted six million photo's on the forums. all taken with my trusty........Lada

Andy T.

Leica says, also technically the same they´re having a different (better?) picture processing algorythm. Though I don´t know if this is true, i still would always buy the Leica and not the Pana. Call me a snob, but i think the far better, sleeker, cooler design is worth every cent. The Leica will still stand out when the Pana is long gone down the drain of yesterdays gadgets. BTW: AFAIK "D" stands for "digital" and "LUX" for "light", so there is nothing "deluxe" about the name. beoberlin

beoberlin:

Leica says, also technically the same they´re having a different (better?) picture processing algorythm. Though I don´t know if this is true, i still would always buy the Leica and not the Pana. Call me a snob, but i think the far better, sleeker, cooler design is worth every cent. The Leica will still stand out when the Pana is long gone down the drain of yesterdays gadgets. BTW: AFAIK "D" stands for "digital" and "LUX" for "light", so there is nothing "deluxe" about the name. beoberlin

Oh, I'm sure there's a better rationale for D-lux than deluxe, but it's just cheesy. Like Lexus ... too obvious.

Yes - as a previously keen Leica customer you'd think I would reach for the Leica this time, as well. But I know the guy in the photo shop who sold it to me, and knew he'd put the cards on the table when I asked him. There's really no difference, except for the finger rest on the Pana, which makes perfect sense ergonomically.

If it had been a question of the VW Touareg versus the Porsche Cayenne, I would have gone for the Leica. But this was an anthracite grey against graphite Cayenne, with a choice of round or square exhaust pipes.
And my point is what this does to the Leica brand. With analog film there was the exquisite craftsmanship, brilliant lenses and generally superior simplicity. I loved my M6, and missed it when some fool stole it. And I have the house full of cameras - it's not that. I just didn't see why I should buy the Leica, since it was clear that this was a Panasonic product, and that Leica had been allowed to come along for the digital ride.

Another similarity between Leica and B&O is that the two cannot fund a market which has technology moving forward all the time.  With Panasonic and Samsung, both have a relationship which can be exploited and fill a market that otherwise either brand may not have been able to move into.

My understanding of the Dlux2/3 is that it does have some slight improvement over its panny sibling and this something that has been covered many a time over on the Leica forum. 

Leica everytime for me but I cannot help but think that we are being taken for a ride for a little presitge.

The difference is that Leica chose a rather more upmarket electronics company to get into bed with. In my view, Samsung have always had a rather downmarket Dixons/Curry's image which B&O are finding it difficult to cover up.

I too was very tempted by the lovely LEICA C-LUX 2 but ended up purchasing the pany FX33, same camera ... slightly different price! nlb.

beoberlin:

Leica says, also technically the same they´re having a different (better?) picture processing algorythm. Though I don´t know if this is true, i still would always buy the Leica and not the Pana. Call me a snob, but i think the far better, sleeker, cooler design is worth every cent. The Leica will still stand out when the Pana is long gone down the drain of yesterdays gadgets. BTW: AFAIK "D" stands for "digital" and "LUX" for "light", so there is nothing "deluxe" about the name. beoberlin

I have read a few tests here in the Swedish photo magazines, and the cameras are almost the same..

The Leica D-Lux 3 got a different color algorythm = The colors are a bit richer than the Panasonic.. Panasonic is more correct and have a slight blue touch in the pics vs the Leica.

 Read the hole test here:  (Leica is the winner in PQ)

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/leica-d-lux-3/4505-6501_7-32106926.html?tag=prod.txt.1

 

Regards

 

The Cnet review is over a year old. There are changes to both the firmware and software since then, in both cameras. The person I bought it from owns the pro camera store where I shop for equipment, and he was quite dismissive of Leica's claim that their version was better.

But my point here is what this does to the brand. Though we should all be aware that most consumer electronics products are mash-ups with contributions from many manufacturers. It's no surprise here that I like Apple's products, and that I'm very fond of my latest acquisition, the iPod Touch. Here's a list of the various manufacturers that have contributed parts to the Touch:

Samsung, Toshiba, Hynix Semiconductor, Micron Technology, STMicroelectronics, Broadcom, Texas Instruments, Epson, Sharp, Balda, Wintex, Optrex og Marv.

As mentioned above: are we being taken for a ride on the Prestige train? In the case of the Touch, I would claim that no one else has been able to combine those parts in as effective a package. In the case of the Leica/Pana ... they're identical, the logo isn't (though Pana has a Leica L on its lower right front and the word Leica on the lens mounting.)