Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black) USA

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

C Lux 3 is not the cheapest P&S camera but if you want portability and excellent image quality without getting lost in the way, this is the way to go and worth every penny. This camera really shows its Leica heritage. Perfect for quick shots and traveling.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

- Always with me, next to my cell. Always ready!
- MENU/setting did not take me long to learn! I liked it a lot!
- I just bought my new Canon 5D Mark II plus I have Canon Rebel and 3 point-and-shoot cameras at home. Because each company FORCE their own MENUs, so I have to keep all manuals close to me. Unfortunately it is inevitable.
Should I blame ONLY Leica? Rather NOT!

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

Having used a friend's C-Lux 2, I am pleased to see some of the changes Leica made for this model. It is now far easier to find functions and switch modes (review/shoot and film/still).

I am no expert photographer (although old enough to have used many 35mm SLR cameras), but appreciate the ability the C-Lux 3 offers to tinker with all kinds of settings. On the flip side, it can also be used as a no-brainer point and shoot, which also comes in handy when one just wants a shot.

It boots quickly, shuts down quickly, and the processing time between shots is, compared to my previous camera, snappy.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

This camera is elegant, small, and has a very impressive LCD. Color management is good, and the long lag time reported by other reviewers turned out to not be a problem. In fact, the camera has only one flaw: generally unsharp optics. Photographing a distant mountain range from a tripod at ISO 100 in the middle of the day, it produced a soft image. I tried the same shot with image stabilization on and off, with spot focus, center focus, and 11-point focus; I tried it in program mode and snapshot mode; I tried it at various ISO's; but always with the same result. In fact, the only sharp picture I took was a wide-angle shot on a beach. That tells me that sharpness may vary with zoom. I had also read that it doesn't perform well in low light. That is absolutely true. Shooting from a tripod in a forest, I found that everything was soft, even the point of focus. It was so bad that it made me wonder whether it was a function of the camera's own image-processing software, which may be having trouble resolving details in low light. The bottom line is any camera that costs this much and bears the Leica name absolutely has to be razor sharp. If it isn't, nothing else matter. In the end, I exchanged mine for another brand.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I use this to document my child's life, a great camera to have on hand for quick and easy, and high quality, shots.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

Simple and easy to use and compact were the things I was looking for and this camera has delivered. Easily fits in my pocket and low weight allow me to easily tote it along and have continuous access for those unexpected shots.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I have had this camera for about a month now, and I really enjoy taking everyday-life pictures with this camera -a significant change of lifestyle considering that I had never been so enthusiastic about taking pictures in the past.
I like how the camera automatically adjusts picture-taking settings and the pictures look fabulous, at least to my untrained eyes and causal uses. It is compact enough for me to carry it in my pants pocket or in the belt-clip carrying case. (However, I am not an experienced camera user and I did not do much research before purchasing the Leica camera, so I probably cannot specifically comment on the features and specifications, etc. in comparison to other products. I just went ahead with this one because I know Leica makes good products in other areas and also wanted something unique.)
I know there is a camera that can wireless transmit the pictures to PC (or something like that) and it would have been a good additional function. With included battery charger, you have to take out the battery to charge it unless you buy the separate AC adapter. I thought it was a little unreasonable for the price of this camera. The ability to set folder/file names (instead of some three digit numbers) would have been a huge plus, too. The startup time is indeed a bit long (0.5-1 sec. maybe?) but once you get used to it, I think the other advantages compensate for it easily. The 'long lag time' review was actually a major worry for me, too, since I wanted to simply take out the camera and take a picture fast and easy, but I now find it less significant.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I love the wide-angle lens. Pictures are clear and vivid. I am slightly disappointed in the video but I knew that it didn't have video auto-focus when I bought it. Otherwise video quality is very high. Camera feels well built. Very portable. I love the screen and the shake-reduction.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

very compact, easy to carry
difficult to read lcd screen in daylight
would like to have more manual settings

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I use this product to document what I find interesting in this world (think George Nelsons Ways to See). I also use it to take pictures of industrial components to draw later.

Great things: compact, nice colors & tones, very good anti-shake & widish angle lens.

Not So Great: ? nothing yet.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

Leica starting to get digital "right" and starts with the C-Lux, even the petite size of this camera most perfect.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

After my wife bugged me for years to get rid of my big, cumbersome camera that makes my tourist status stick out like a sore thumb I decided to get a compact. This Leica is even smaller than I expected! How handy it is and with its wide angle lens I can still shoot landscapes and architecture the way I like. The many scene modes have taken a bit of getting used to but I'm learning fast and the bright, large screen make it easy to make fast adjustments. So far I am completely satisfied with the photo quality in all sorts of light and outdoor variations.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I bought the Leica C-LUX 3 to keep in my pocket for those times I failed to have my SLR hanging on my shoulder. I knew the Leica lens would be superior in both sharpness and color--and, it is. Over the years I have only used a camera with a view finder, but I quickly adapted to the LCD. I feared I would have trouble using the LCD in bright sunlight, but I had none. I did have trouble getting use to the on/off switch and opening the battery case as the previous pocket digitals I had used a button and not a switch action. But, this was a minor problem.

I guess what disappointed me the most was the feel of the camera--it felt and looked as if it should have sold for 1/2 the price. I suspect the reason for the extraordinarily high price was the Leica lens and name that offers quality. I guess those of us who have faith in Leica's quality and reputation are willing to lay out the extra money--but, don't tell my wife. :0)

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I purchased this as a gift for my sister. She used it while I used my Nikon D80 and 18-200mm lens on a trip from Sedona AZ to Yellowstone. Her photos were as good or better than mine. The 25mm wide-angle lens was perfect for the breathtaking terrain in the national parks we visited. The images were clear, crisp, with bright and realistic colors. It's small size is a convenience as well. I would strongly recommend this camera.
The only inconvenience is the unique Leica USB cable; you can't substitute a generic cable for downloading images.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I use this as a take-everywhere camera, especially in the few cases when I don't take along my DSLR. It is very small and fits in any pocket easily. The still photo capabilities are fine at ISO up to ISO 800. The controls are very intuitive and easy to use. I LOVE the HD video, which looks great on my big-screen TV. The sound isn't so great, but that's to be expected without a good wind-shielded microphone (but the sound is ok). I also was disappointed that the zoom is disabled when recording video, but apparently that's common on most point-and-shoot cameras in video mode. I love the flexibility and convenience this camera provides.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

wanting a camera to keep in my bag for snapshots, the C-LUX 3 has definitely fulfilled my expectations. The quality is much better than most point and shoot cameras and the color saturation is beautiful. A bit more expensive, but worth it in my mind.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

This camera is solid and well built--compare it with any non-Leica point and shoot and you might conclude it is the best built. The controls are simple and easy to use. The menus are easy to access. The displays are clear and clean. The lens is the star here. It produces sharper, brighter images than my high grade Zuiko lenses. Crystal clear, razor sharp, vivd colors.

I shoot landscapes, objects, and people but I don't need to take photos in rapid succession,so the shutter lag time doesn't bother me. I bought the dedicated Leica leather case, and my camera slides in and out without turning the camera on.

Why buy it? It produces brilliant images, it is built to last, it will increase your love of photography one thousand fold.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

I've always wanted to own a Leica. Okay, okay, this is not the same quality as their rangefinder, but, hey, the price was right, especially with the $75 rebate so I thought I'd take the chance. I always wanted a quality walking around camera -- there have been so many shots that I have missed simply because I did not have a camera with me -- and now I've finally found one. I can take it anywhere and it gives surprisingly sharp images. My only quibble is that you can't dial directly into the Program mode -- I use this for my B&W shots -- but instead you have to go into the menu every time you want to access it. Not really a problem once you get used to it, but it seems like it would have been so simple to add it to the dial.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

My wife and I are both semi-pro photographers. That means we sell a lot of stock, and I work as an art director.

The C-Lux creates stunning images. Pure Leica. But the shutter lag is really distressing. REALLY DISTRESSING.

The way to beat it seems to be to use the burst mode... speeds it up considerably and you have some chance of capturing candid shots.

Except for the lag, the images from this camera are OUTSTANDING! Better than my Nikon with prime lenses.

I called back to B&H to see if the D-Lux would be better. I guess it's a Leica tradition. I'll keep my C-Lux.

Comments about Leica C-LUX 3 Digital Camera (Black):

This camera is always in my pocket. It takes excellent photos and the video exceeded my expectations, especially for a camera that is this small. Extremely easy to use. I spend a lot of time taking photos on the ski slopes and I can easily shoot quuickly even with my gloves on. I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a small point and shoot.
I have not encountered anything that I dislike about this camera.