Panasonic DMC-LC1 5.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

So here's the scenario that led me to purchase this camera. After years of photography with a Contax RTS II system, I dropped photography almost completely for 10+ years. The problem? Enjoying the medium without the expense, overly complex process and lugging around 18 lbs of equipment. So I recently started to look at digital photography to completely replace my film equipment. I didn't want an SLR because a)while $1200 buy's a 20oz. technological marvel, it's still made like a disposable $100 EOS Rebel and b)I would be back in the trap of buying lenses and overcomplicating the process. I wanted to get back to simple pure photography withough relying on fancy equipment.

Here was the problem though. There are virtually no non-slr digicams that offer full manual controls in a user friendly, old style manor. Even the SLR's all rely on LCD displays, cheesey dials and buttons.

There was only one (two including the Leica branded version) camera made that offers a rugged classic rangefinder design, an APERATURE RING!, a SHUTTER DIAL!, and manual FOCUS! and ZOOM! rings. While some of these are only emulate mechanical linkages, the end result is a camera that feels exactly like a Leica "m" or other traditional camera would. Oh and by the way did I mention it comes with a fantastic bright Leica f 2.0 lens?

In all honesty, I am not embarrassed to say that it boiled down to style and build quality. Sure there are histograms, program shifts, multiple spot and zone metering/focusing options, a bounce flash (neat feature), 30fps video mode, RAW image format, etc. etc. etc. blah blah blah. All $1000+ digicams have lot's of features, and franklly they are all capable of fantastic images. In the end if you want a camera that is SIMPLY designed the way cameras were made 20-50 years ago with all the bells and whistles if you want them, this is the ONLY choice.

Are there problems? Sure... The low light focusing capabilities leave something to be desired as with most EVF cameras. There is no RAW buffer so RAW images take a few seconds to store. But my initial feeling for this camera is that it is a joy to use.

This is not a cheap camera! With a list of $1599 and a street of $1099-$1399, it will be hard for some to justify not getting a Nikon D70 and 2 lenses in order to get this instead. It will be a certain type of buyer (you know who you are) that will buy this camera regardless of what I write. If you are a poser, buy the Leica Digilux 2 for $1850 street price and throw away $750. It is identical but the body on the Panasonic has a beautiful rubberized surface with just enough of a grip at the right to be effective. The black finish is very nice as well. It does however come with a few extras that would easily add $100+ to most DSLR's like an electronic cable release, a lense shade and filter.

So in the end I got exactly what I wanted and if you are like me, you will not be dissapointed.

A friend had one of these at a camera event in Amsterdam. He took my SD card and put it in his camera and took a few pictures, then gave the SD card for me to put back in my Optio S4. I then took the same pictures with my camera. The difference in the quality of the photographs was absolutely astounding! The Leitz Summicron lens gives stunning quality. The camera also had a fold up shade for the large LCD on the back (don't know if this is an accessory or standard) like the old Speed Graphic cameras had for their ground glass--so you can see it in bright light. I have never seen a digital camera that produced such a high quality image, and the fit and finish is worthy of the Leitz lens.

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The Panasonic DMC-LC1 reminds me of an overgrown Contax G2 autofocus 35mm film rangefinder camera and handles nearly as well as its more expensive sibling, the Leica Digilux 2. Panasonic and Leica have joined forces to create a line of digital cameras, of which this camera and the Leica Digilux 2 comprise a second generation. The Panasonic DMC-LC1 is very easy to use and the picture quality is superb, thanks to its new Vario-Summicron lens. This is not a camera meant for the casual user, but instead, one who is either a serious amateur or professional photographer interested in a high grade non-interchangeable lens digital camera. It will attract those interested in a much less expensive version of the Leica Digilux 2; at its lower cost, it lacks some of the software features present in the more expensive Leica digital camera.

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I've had this camera for about two years. Having cut my photographic teeth on an old SLR, I am familiar with manually manipulating lenses, dials, and so forth. I've owned several digital cameras from various manufacturers, and I usually end up shooting in "program" mode because digging through all the menu choices to set up a shot often means that I've lost the shot.

What a difference it is to work with this camera--a simple manual adjustment, made in a couple of seconds, is all it takes to do a set-up. The lens is larger and brighter than on most digital cameras, although the zoom range is a bit limited (a trade-off). And 5 megapixels on this camera definitely gives you more picture than 5 megapixels on a pocketable camera -the sensor is better, and I think the individual pixels are larger. (Get a big memory chip as soon as you can--this camera's files seem to be about double the size of those on an ordinary camera.) Images are beautiful, and worthy of the Leica lens.

One big minus I've found on this camera is the coarse, grainy viewfinder image--but on a digital camera you'll usually be composing on the screen. (I like the view that's nicely gridded into thirds.) There's also considerable "noise" when shooting at 200 ISO. But with the larger lens aperture, I don't use that setting much.

This is a classic--simple to use, great images. I'll be keeping it a long time.

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