Mirrorless Camera Reviews

Leica just introduced the D-Lux 8, a 17-megapixel Micro 4/3rds format, advanced compact mirrorless camera with a 3.1X (24-75mm equivalent) zoom and an abundant helping of DNA from the Panasonic LX100 II which was introduced a full 6 years ago and subsequently discontinued. Shutterbug had the opportunity to exercise the D-Lux 8 for a few days before its official introduction. Here is our hands-on appraisal.

Leica just introduced the heavily rumored new Leica SL (Typ 601) mirrorless camera system, which includes a brand new “Leica L” lens and more dedicated full-frame glass to come in the near future. Leica has designed the SL to take on not just rival mirrorless cameras but to, potentially, lure pro DSLR users to switch to this high-end system, which combines what the company claims to be the fastest autofocus on the market with a speedy 11fps burst rate and 4K video capture.

The big news about the Leica M-D (Typ 262) is what it doesn’t have. It does not have autofocus. It does not provide through-the-lens viewing. And it’s not compatible with any zoom lens. 

In this day and age of cross-type AF sensors and AF tracking in high-speed shooting modes, a rangefinder-focusing camera might well seem an anomaly, if not a downright anachronism. Indeed, manual focusing has in large part become vestigial among photographers and their ability to focus without AF has atrophied.

For more than 100 years, Leica cameras have been heralded as the most covert, inconspicuous image capturing instruments known to the world of photojournalism. Now Leica has introduced the Leica M10-P digital rangefinder, an ultra-stealth version of the M10 that ratchets up the very definition of candid photography.

Is This the Best Leica Digital Yet?

Having owned a (used) Leica M3 since the late 1970’s I can attest to the charms of working with a Leica camera. There is a certain heft and solidity of construction that speaks to its obvious longevity, which is juxtaposed with a deftness of operation, characteristics on display in the M3 in the stroke of the film advance lever and the sound and feel of the shutter release. For those who have experienced a Leica, that “aha that’s why” moment is quite unmatched by other cameras and it spoils you, in a way. Yet, working with a Leica for me has always had a certain awkwardness—witness the film loading in the M3, at least when compared with a sleek Nikon or Canon of the day, and the rangefinder focusing system, almost arcane in the world of autofocusing speed and accuracy. Yet, that awkwardness is not a true impediment and almost becomes part of the charm.

The Leica SL (Typ 601) mirrorless camera system is designed to take on not just rival mirrorless cameras but to, potentially, lure pro DSLR users to switch to this high-end system, which combines what the company claims to be the fastest autofocus on the market with a speedy 11 fps burst rate and 4K video capture.