Any Love For The D-Lux?

[chuckroast]

I have a lovely Nikon DSLR, 4 Nikon film bodies, and 4 Leica film bodies (so far, but the GAS is always there).

What I did not have was a small, high end point-and-shoot for active situations like skiing, hiking, or wandering about where I wouldn't want to carry the DLSR, but wanted a camera with me to shoot color (I pretty much never shoot color film, only monochrome).

I lusted after the D-Lux 8 after it was announced but it had two problems; A) It's way too expensive for what it does and B) You have to wait months to get one.

I though about a D-Lux 7 but they were not generally all that much cheaper.

By chance, I came across an absolutely cherry D-Lux Typ 109, in the box with all accessories, an automatic lens cover, and extra batteries for less than half the price of the 8. Yeah, yeah, it's only 12 mpix, but in this context it's fine. I'm not making wall hangings.

Just started fiddling around with it today and - so far - it's exactly what I wanted. The sharpness and color rendering are well above what I'd expect in this class of camera and it's monochrome behavior is right in my happy place. I've got work to do to see how to manage larger SBRs with the camera so the highlights don't block, but it's been a hoot so far.

Does anyone know whether there is firmware newer than 1.0 for this camera and/or if there is a way to get into the secret menus find things like shutter count?

One of my first test shots in monochrome - minimal post adjustments:

 

[robert blu]

Hi Chuckroast, congrats on your D-Lux 109, great small camera!

I bought one for my wife a few years ago. What actracted me (us) was the small size, the 12 (enough for us) MP and the aperture and sutter control in an analog style.

The quality of the photo is excellent for such a camera but I do not like the complexity of the menus. I explain better: my wife who loves photography butis not very experienced was able to photograph with a manual analog camera like the FM2T. She could select appropriate iso film, aperture and shutter speed and of course she could focus.

But if I'm not with her she has difficulties with the D-109 because if by mistake she press one of the many small buttons around the body of the camera some setting can be c hanged and for a not experienced photographer is difficult to understand and go back toi thge original selection.

Having said this (rant mode off!) I guess from your cameras collection you are experienced enough and should not have this kind of problem!
Only one thing to be careful: when you retract the lens if there is dust on it is possible to bring it inside the camera, probably on the sensor. In this case the only option is to send the camera to Leica or anothger technician to open and clean the sensor, It happenes us after a couple of year of use and it was necessary to send the camera back to Leica, which by the way made a good job.

I'm sure you will enjoy this little camera, please post some pictures in future!

This is a photo my wife took with the D-109

 

[Richard G]

Many years ago I was at friend’s family event and dared to interrupt the photographer, a professional and my friend’s brother in law. I saw he had along with his other gear a little black Leica of some sort. We were up in the organ loft and he was using the optical zoom of his D Lux 4. Off-handedly he reckoned he could shoot a whole wedding with that camera. Presumably the 8 is even better, and as Robert confirms the 7 too.

 

[Darthfeeble]

Heresy statement: Just us the thing on full auto, you have mentioned that the MP is "good enough" so the criticality of all the other controls should be as well. I do it on both my Lumix and my X-E4. To quote Bobby McFerrin, "Don't Worry, Be Happy".

 

[chuckroast]

Hi Chuckroast, congrats on your D-Lux 109, great small camera!

I bought one for my wife a few years ago. What actracted me (us) was the small size, the 12 (enough for us) MP and the aperture and sutter control in an analog style.

The quality of the photo is excellent for such a camera but I do not like the complexity of the menus. I explain better: my wife who loves photography butis not very experienced was able to photograph with a manual analog camera like the FM2T. She could select appropriate iso film, aperture and shutter speed and of course she could focus.

But if I'm not with her she has difficulties with the D-109 because if by mistake she press one of the many small buttons around the body of the camera some setting can be c hanged and for a not experienced photographer is difficult to understand and go back toi thge original selection.

Yes, in the two days I've had this camera, I've noticed this as well - how easy it is to accidentally engage a control you didn't mean to.

Having said this (rant mode off!) I guess from your cameras collection you are experienced enough and should not have this kind of problem!

I probably will mostly use this camera in Program mode, adjusting only ISO and EV override. It seems generally to otherwise make decisions well. The manual aperture and shutter speed option is nice to have though, should I want the ultimate in control. The problem is, that when I am working that critically, it's always with a film camera, not digital.

Only one thing to be careful: when you retract the lens if there is dust on it is possible to bring it inside the camera, probably on the sensor. In this case the only option is to send the camera to Leica or anothger technician to open and clean the sensor, It happenes us after a couple of year of use and it was necessary to send the camera back to Leica, which by the way made a good job.

Great tip. I shall keep it in mind.

I'm sure you will enjoy this little camera, please post some pictures in future!

This is a photo my wife took with the D-109

That's a great picture!

 

[chuckroast]

Many years ago I was at friend’s family event and dared to interrupt the photographer, a professional and my friend’s brother in law. I saw he had along with his other gear a little black Leica of some sort. We were up in the organ loft and he was using the optical zoom of his D Lux 4. Off-handedly he reckoned he could shoot a whole wedding with that camera. Presumably the 8 is even better, and as Robert confirms the 7 too.

The 7 the 8 are essentially the same camera with the 8 having some newer software features and a Q-style menu organization.

The 109 is a very similar/almost identical hardware platform, but it limited to 12 mpix compared to the 18mpix of the newer cameras. Frankly, if I could have bought an 8, even new, I'd probably have made an impulse buy. But now that I have the 109 in my hand, I'm glad I saved all that money. 12 Mpix is plenty for the kind of wandering around application I have for this camera. I find nothing else about this camera to be a particular deficit. (Well, other than I have yet to find a way to lock out all the adjustment controls as @robert blu notes above.)

 

[chuckroast]

Heresy statement: Just us the thing on full auto, you have mentioned that the MP is "good enough" so the criticality of all the other controls should be as well. I do it on both my Lumix and my X-E4. To quote Bobby McFerrin, "Don't Worry, Be Happy".

I've only had this a couple days, but I am definitely gravitating more to using Program mode and only tweaking ASA and EV compensation.

 

[girdwoodINC]

got a 7 when a couple of years back and I never really use it - I’d rather use a small film point and shoot which was my minilux until recently but now it’s a xa2