Since introducing Oskar Barnack’s revolutionary 35mm rangefinder to the world for sale in 1925, Germany’s Leica Camera has enjoyed a reputation for producing photographic equipment of the finest quality, thanks to its unsurpassed lenses and mechanically flawless bodies. Leica cautiously embraced digital imaging, patiently waiting until technology advanced to the company’s redoubtable standards. The D-LUX 2 enjoys over eight megapixels arrayed in a HDTV-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio, and the resulting files can be saved in RAW, TIFF or JPEG formats on an SD/MMC memory card. QuickTime movies can also be recorded.
Fronted by an image-stabilized high-quality optical glass lens that has a four-times zoom capability starting at a focal length of 6.3mm (the equivalent of 28mm on a 35mm camera), plus a wide light-gathering aperture of f2.8 at the widest setting, the D-LUX 2 is both iconic in design and a tactile delight. The aluminum body is backed by a bright 270,000-pixel LCD screen measuring 2.5-inches diagonally, along with controls to access a wide variety of features.
Most appealing to experienced photographers is the Leica’s ability to function in the operator’s choice of fully manual or automated, plus aperture- and shutter-priority modes. Focusing options include automatic, macro and electronically assisted manual. Image quality is such that you have seen photos from the D-LUX 2 on the pages of this magazine.
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