I really like this camera, but I’m dropping my evaluation to only 3-stars. It is lightweight and fits easily in a pocket or purse. The menus are intuitive, and the quality of the pictures taken is much better than anything I’ve seen from point-’n'-shoot cameras in the past. I even plugged it into my 42″ television and projected the pictures I took in that format. I was amazed the even when blowing the image up to that size I still did not get any distoration or pixel loss.
The one problem I have had is that for some reason it quit working about a month after I got it. And that is why it only got 4-stars. The lens all of a sudden refused to retract when I turned the camera off. And when I turned it on, the message I got was to turn it off and turn it back on again. That process cycled over and over. The camera is in the shop now.
[EDIT - Jan 2, 2009] Well, I got it baack from the shop and took it on vacation with me in early November 2008. The camera functioned properly, and produced some exceptional pictures, mostly from a moving vehicle, since I was using my SLR when out of the car. Then, after returning home, it failed again in mid-December, for no particular reason. It hasn’t been dropped or abused in any way. It just quit, so now I’m looking at another repair.
Warrantee or not,the postage costs me money, not to mention the time it takes for repair, during which I don’t have a small camera at my side. Eval dropped to 3-stars!!! Opps, I mean ***
The rampaging popularity of digital has gutted the secondary market for used 35mm cameras, and something like the Canon 7 once had value as a usable as well as collectible item. It seems the market is still holding steady for these, however, so you have a surprisingly valuable piece. The Canon 7 is a classic 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, basically a competitive "clone" of the Leica cameras from Germany ,they both use lenses with the exact same form of screw mount, made by Canon of Japan from 1961 to 1964.
The Canon 50mm f.95 lens was a monster, a pat-on-the-back accomplishment for the Canon engineers because of its extraordinary maximum aperture yet a truly awful optic in practice, that has far more collectible than usable appeal. A truly excellent Canon 7 with that huge lens should sell in the $500-$600 range these days. Oh, and to be complete, there's an accessory viewfinder that goes with the lens...the lens was so darn big that the normal viewfinder in the camera couldn't quite see around it! Anyway, this can be a bugger of a camera to sell because the market is rather small. If you'd like some recommendations on how best to sell it.
You have a Leica IIIa, a typical 35mm coupled ramgefinder camera, made Leica C-LUX 2 7.2MP Digital Camera by Leitz of Germany in 1936. It was the first 35mm camera to offer a super fast 1/1000 second shutter speed. This is a very common model, and Leitz sold over 90,000 of them from 1935 to 1939. A truly excellent example today, complete with an appropriate 5cm lens. In truly excellent condition, you would expect to get around $250 today.
The Super Baldina is a compact folding bellows camera for 35mm film, with coupled rangefinder, made by Balda of Germany from 1937 to 1940. Not a lot of collectible interest. A really fine one might get $75.
The Nikon FE, introduced by Nikon of Japan in 1978, is one of those 35mm single-lens-reflex cameras ,really one of thousands and thousands, whose current value has been gutted by the rampaging popularity of digital. Just a couple years ago, this used to have good resale value, in the $250 range, but today is a hard sell at $75.
The original Nikon F is a classic 35mm single-lens-reflex camera that maintains some value despite the rise of digital. Yours dates from about 1965. With the meter viewfinder in place, this is a Photomic prism, so you can actually call the camera a Nikon F Photomic, if everything is in excellent condition, you can probably still get about $150. That simple viewfinder, sell it seperately because they're much harder to find and the collectors want them. In excellent shape, you'll get $75 for that alone.
It's a Ernst Leitz Wetzlar 9 cm, 1:4 lens, No. 455160. With protective caps. This is a pretty common lens. Over 120,000 were made from 1933 to 1963, and yours dates to 1938. The Elmar 9cm f4 was the least expensive telephoto lens Leitz offered. A truly excellent example today only sells for about $75.
A Leica IIIf, a classic coupled rangefinder 35mm camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1953. The Leica IIIf was important as the first completely new camera introduced by Leitz after recovering from the carnage of World War II. This is a fairly common model, with over 180,000 sold from 1950 to 1956, but it still retains some value in the collectible camera market. An excellent examples, with appropriate Elmar or Summitar 5cm lens, can sell for $300-$350.
If you would like you can always go on the internet and look up some of the auction houses, ask them questions on what ever camera you would like to try and sell and they should be able to come up with a price for you. Or you can always do the reasearch yourself and learn about cameras.
Help answer the question about Leica C-LUX 2 7.2MP Digital Camera
Are Leica digital cameras really that much better than other brands?
I have to say I am rather shocked at the Leica C-LUX 2 7.2MP Digital Camera prices of Leica digital cameras compared to other cameras of similar power and function from other brands. Are these camera prices really justified? $500 for a 7.2 MP Leica C-Lux? How good are these digital cameras?
Watch the video related to Leica C-LUX 2 7.2MP Digital Camera
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Leica C-Lux 2 7.2 MP Digital Camera - Black US $250.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday May-21-2012 13:59:16 PDT |
 | SD SDHC MEMORY CARD 4GB for Leica C-LUX 2 / DIGILUX 3 / V-LUX 1 Digital Camera USD $4.46 Order Now |
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Panasonic FX30 7.2MP This is same as Leica C-Lux2. US $139.95 End Date: Wednesday Jun-06-2012 15:06:06 PDT |
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Leica C-Lux 2 7.2 MP Digital Camera - Black US $250.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday May-21-2012 13:59:16 PDT |
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Leica C-Lux 2 7.2 MP Digital Camera - Black US $51.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Tuesday May-22-2012 0:21:20 PDT |
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I purchased this camera because it is very small and easy to carry on. As all Leica products, this camera produces very great images, the color contrast is amazing, and every color appears to be real when you get the image printed.
I am *extremely* impressed by this little Leica.
This will be a rather short review since this camera model is already, like, 300 years old in dog years.
I was able to pick a new one up for less than [...] on the internets from someone who clearly didn’t know what they were parting with. When I inquired into why the party was selling she only told me that her husband needed something newer.
I have owned and used dozens of cameras (Leica, Nikon, Canon, Rollie, Mamiya) in my career.
The C-LUX 2 is an amazing unit in terms of color authenticity, image quality, zoom quality, sensitivity, precision, workmanship, and most of all: usability and convenience.
I cannot stress how perfect the menu system is on this camera. It’s perfect and the controls are precise, accurate, and delightful to use.
Convenience means that having this camera in your pocket you will never miss a great shot no matter where you are. Yes it really is that good. With controls from scene mode to nearly manual you have precise control of your pictures. There is no reason you cannot achieve a National Geo picture with this camera.
When the C-LUX 2 debuted at [.........] it was really a Euro-jet-setting no-show. Now that you can find this gem below [....] it is a must have.
5 stars based on current market conditions and availability in late 2008. Good luck finding a mint unit. If you are indefatigable you will find no better camera in the same class at any price.
I really like this camera, but I’m dropping my evaluation to only 3-stars. It is lightweight and fits easily in a pocket or purse. The menus are intuitive, and the quality of the pictures taken is much better than anything I’ve seen from point-’n'-shoot cameras in the past. I even plugged it into my 42″ television and projected the pictures I took in that format. I was amazed the even when blowing the image up to that size I still did not get any distoration or pixel loss.
The one problem I have had is that for some reason it quit working about a month after I got it. And that is why it only got 4-stars. The lens all of a sudden refused to retract when I turned the camera off. And when I turned it on, the message I got was to turn it off and turn it back on again. That process cycled over and over. The camera is in the shop now.
[EDIT - Jan 2, 2009] Well, I got it baack from the shop and took it on vacation with me in early November 2008. The camera functioned properly, and produced some exceptional pictures, mostly from a moving vehicle, since I was using my SLR when out of the car. Then, after returning home, it failed again in mid-December, for no particular reason. It hasn’t been dropped or abused in any way. It just quit, so now I’m looking at another repair.
Warrantee or not,the postage costs me money, not to mention the time it takes for repair, during which I don’t have a small camera at my side. Eval dropped to 3-stars!!! Opps, I mean ***
I got this camera new and within the first day of use an issue came up. The mechanism to cover/uncover the lens was faulty. When I turn the camera the lens come out but remains covered. Sometimes it just opens halfway. I don’t know if other owners have experienced the same problems, but considering how delicate is this mechanism, I imagine is a problem with the model in general. The area around the lens scratches easily, so consider it a warning if you’re going to put this camera in your pocket. I wouldn’t blame you because it’s the perfect pocket size, but it’s also a pricey camera. I’m not crazy about picture quality but could be because I have a far superior digital SLR. There’s some (barely noticeable) distortion in the images which I attribute to lens size.
I was hoping to find something different. Something better than the rest. Sometimes you just don’t feel like the usual selection is good enough. I already had a Canon, everyone and their brother had a Nikon.
I was thinking about the slim line Casio, but who wants to buy a Casio?
So one late night / early morning I found this Leica. It looked different than the Canon/Nikon/Casio/Olympus and plus it had that little red badge on the front. I had to have it.
I found a local dealer on the Leica website and the next day I bought it for the same price as Amazon.
BTW, I knew there was a Panasonic version for half the price. I bought into the cosmetic of the Leica, the story, and that little red badge.
Supposedly this model has different firmware than the Panasonic which gives your JPEG files a color palette similar to classic Leica cameras.
It does not shoot in RAW.
Design
The look of this camera is gorgeous. It is very understated but an instant classic design. The build quality is also very good. It doesn’t attract unwanted attention but once you put your hands on it you know it is a well built product.
Ease Of Use
The button layout is nice. It is simple and clean with access to shortcuts for flash, exposure, self timer, and review.
Choosing auto settings or manual mode is easy and the icons make sense.
I wish there were shortcuts for shutter speed and ISO settings. To access those you have to get into the menu which is time consuming and cumbersome. PS most cameras are like that though.
Ergonomics
It is so small and thin that it is kind of hard to hold steadily. Definitely use the wrist strap because it has slipped out of my hands a few times.
Picture Quality
This is very subjective. With good lighting I love the way my pictures turn out. Colors are very natural and not over saturated at all. It is very hard to get “tac sharp” shots with it but I don’t think that is the point of a point and shoot.
With average or difficult lighting this point and shoot really struggles. I hate using high ISO settings because anything over 400 has a lot of noise of this camera. The flash blows out the picture if you are less then 6 feet away. It isn’t powerful enough in a dim room if you are more then 8 feet away. There are no controls to dial down the flash. To get a good picture with or without flash you spend a lot of time changing exposure, ISO, and shutter speed. There is a +/- 2 exposure control but the shutter speed can only be set to a maximum of 1 second in manual mode. ISO can be set from 100-1250 but again anything over 400 has a lot of noise. Using “simple mode” usually jacks up the ISO settings in dark rooms or uses the flash which is useless most of the time. You can get a good shot in a dark room or outdoors but it will take some time to set it up.
Extra
Includes a copy of Photoshop Elements which is a fun program to add effects to your photos.
Overall
If you are thinking about this for outdoor day trips to the beach or mountains then this might be a good choice for you. If you want something to take to parties and nights out with your friends then you need to find something with better low light performance and a smarter auto mode. I don’t regret buying it but it is not all that I hoped for considering Leica’s reputation and premium price.
I was hoping to find something different. Something better than the rest. Sometimes you just don’t feel like the usual selection is good enough. I already had a Canon, everyone and their brother had a Nikon.
I was thinking about the slim line Casio, but who wants to buy a Casio?
So one late night / early morning I found this Leica. It looked different than the Canon/Nikon/Casio/Olympus and plus it had that little red badge on the front. I had to have it.
I found a local dealer on the Leica website and the next day I bought it for the same price as Amazon.
BTW, I knew there was a Panasonic version for half the price. I bought into the cosmetic of the Leica, the story, and that little red badge.
Supposedly this model has different firmware than the Panasonic which gives your JPEG files a color palette similar to classic Leica cameras.
It does not shoot in RAW.
Design
The look of this camera is gorgeous. It is very understated but an instant classic design. The build quality is also very good. It doesn’t attract unwanted attention but once you put your hands on it you know it is a well built product.
Ease Of Use
The button layout is nice. It is simple and clean with access to shortcuts for flash, exposure, self timer, and review.
Choosing auto settings or manual mode is easy and the icons make sense.
I wish there were shortcuts for shutter speed and ISO settings. To access those you have to get into the menu which is time consuming and cumbersome. PS most cameras are like that though.
Ergonomics
It is so small and thin that it is kind of hard to hold steadily. Definitely use the wrist strap because it has slipped out of my hands a few times.
Picture Quality
This is very subjective. With good lighting I love the way my pictures turn out. Colors are very natural and not over saturated at all. It is very hard to get “tac sharp” shots with it but I don’t think that is the point of a point and shoot.
With average or difficult lighting this point and shoot really struggles. I hate using high ISO settings because anything over 400 has a lot of noise of this camera. The flash blows out the picture if you are less then 6 feet away. It isn’t powerful enough in a dim room if you are more then 8 feet away. There are no controls to dial down the flash. To get a good picture with or without flash you spend a lot of time changing exposure, ISO, and shutter speed. There is a +/- 2 exposure control but the shutter speed can only be set to a maximum of 1 second in manual mode. ISO can be set from 100-1250 but again anything over 400 has a lot of noise. Using “simple mode” usually jacks up the ISO settings in dark rooms or uses the flash which is useless most of the time. You can get a good shot in a dark room or outdoors but it will take some time to set it up.
Extra
Includes a copy of Photoshop Elements which is a fun program to add effects to your photos.
Overall
If you are thinking about this for outdoor day trips to the beach or mountains then this might be a good choice for you. If you want something to take to parties and nights out with your friends then you need to find something with better low light performance and a smarter auto mode. I don’t regret buying it but it is not all that I hoped for considering Leica’s reputation and premium price.
I purchased this camera because it is very small and easy to carry on. As all Leica products, this camera produces very great images, the color contrast is amazing, and every color appears to be real when you get the image printed.
I am *extremely* impressed by this little Leica.
This will be a rather short review since this camera model is already, like, 300 years old in dog years.
I was able to pick a new one up for less than [...] on the internets from someone who clearly didn’t know what they were parting with. When I inquired into why the party was selling she only told me that her husband needed something newer.
I have owned and used dozens of cameras (Leica, Nikon, Canon, Rollie, Mamiya) in my career.
The C-LUX 2 is an amazing unit in terms of color authenticity, image quality, zoom quality, sensitivity, precision, workmanship, and most of all: usability and convenience.
I cannot stress how perfect the menu system is on this camera. It’s perfect and the controls are precise, accurate, and delightful to use.
Convenience means that having this camera in your pocket you will never miss a great shot no matter where you are. Yes it really is that good. With controls from scene mode to nearly manual you have precise control of your pictures. There is no reason you cannot achieve a National Geo picture with this camera.
When the C-LUX 2 debuted at [.........] it was really a Euro-jet-setting no-show. Now that you can find this gem below [....] it is a must have.
5 stars based on current market conditions and availability in late 2008. Good luck finding a mint unit. If you are indefatigable you will find no better camera in the same class at any price.
I really like this camera, but I’m dropping my evaluation to only 3-stars. It is lightweight and fits easily in a pocket or purse. The menus are intuitive, and the quality of the pictures taken is much better than anything I’ve seen from point-’n'-shoot cameras in the past. I even plugged it into my 42″ television and projected the pictures I took in that format. I was amazed the even when blowing the image up to that size I still did not get any distoration or pixel loss.
The one problem I have had is that for some reason it quit working about a month after I got it. And that is why it only got 4-stars. The lens all of a sudden refused to retract when I turned the camera off. And when I turned it on, the message I got was to turn it off and turn it back on again. That process cycled over and over. The camera is in the shop now.
[EDIT - Jan 2, 2009] Well, I got it baack from the shop and took it on vacation with me in early November 2008. The camera functioned properly, and produced some exceptional pictures, mostly from a moving vehicle, since I was using my SLR when out of the car. Then, after returning home, it failed again in mid-December, for no particular reason. It hasn’t been dropped or abused in any way. It just quit, so now I’m looking at another repair.
Warrantee or not,the postage costs me money, not to mention the time it takes for repair, during which I don’t have a small camera at my side. Eval dropped to 3-stars!!! Opps, I mean ***
I got this camera new and within the first day of use an issue came up. The mechanism to cover/uncover the lens was faulty. When I turn the camera the lens come out but remains covered. Sometimes it just opens halfway. I don’t know if other owners have experienced the same problems, but considering how delicate is this mechanism, I imagine is a problem with the model in general. The area around the lens scratches easily, so consider it a warning if you’re going to put this camera in your pocket. I wouldn’t blame you because it’s the perfect pocket size, but it’s also a pricey camera. I’m not crazy about picture quality but could be because I have a far superior digital SLR. There’s some (barely noticeable) distortion in the images which I attribute to lens size.
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