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After a year of use ..., June 10, 2004
Reviewer: Dr. Scott Hunter (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
OK, I admit that I am a sucker for the Leica name, but hey, it has meant quality and incredible optics for a very long time, so I had little difficulty choosing this camera last year when I decided to finally go digital. After one year of use, I have nothing but praise for this camera. Although I pine a bit for the Digilux 2, I am not ready to trade my Digilux 1 in and pay the premium. As a digital rangefinder, with excellent automatic and manual aspects, I have been able to satisfy both sides of my hobby: the snapshot photographer and the advanced hobbiest artist. The pictures I produce using this camera are stunning; the colors dense and true, and their ability to be manipulated in Photoshop a breeze. I highly recommend this camera to anyone considering it ... at this price, you're getting a bargain!
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Love isn't all, April 26, 2004
Reviewer: Bo Pedersen

I love my Leica. It is rock solid and it takes nice pictures. It is true that there are some noise problems in iso 200 and 400, but hey then I just use iso 100 for indoor shots. That requires longer opening times and can give blurry pictures, but usually I just set it to take 4 or 8 pictures at a time and then at least one of them is usually ok. Should I buy again I would probably go for Canon Digital Rebel which is almost in the same pricerange.
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Fantastic Pictures are the reason., February 25, 2004
Reviewer: A customer
The true measure of this camera is the quality of the pictures it produces. Here's my take on the reasons this camera takes such stunning shots (and is worth the cost):
1. Button speed. You will actually capture the moment you are looking for with this camera. Most digital cameras take bland pictures because, well, what they are taking a picture of is not interesting and the moment has passed. With this camera your eye will tell you when the picture is right, and blam! You'll have it captured.

2. Lens quality. The blacks are blacker, the whites are whiter, the colors are richer. Things are sharper. Nobody can deny Leica produces top-quality lenses.

3. Feel good controls. The camera body is Magnesium and feels fantastic. With it in your hands, it has a tendancy to outclass it's wearer, like a suit that's a bit too expensive for the occasion. An interesting thing happens, you will try to take better pictures. Don't underestimate this effect. Due to the excellent simplicity of the controls, when you do try to become an expert, you actualy can because the camera doesn't get in the way or make you squint endlessly at onscreen menus to change settings.

These are three very simple things that combine to make a very unique camera. I don't believe you'll find all of these things combined in any other digital camera.

Some have said there's a strange pattern or pixelation when zoomed WAY in on images on screen. Two responses:

1. You aren't going to spend any time zoomed in on pictures on your computer when looking at them in a normal manner. At display resolutions, these pictures are as clear or clearer than any from Canon, or Sony comparable models.

2. This *may* actually be intentional on Leica's part. If you print out a picture from this camera, it is always stunning, even at full size or larger. Some liken this to a stochastic (look it up) printing process. Whatever the case, find a print sample your self from this camera, there's no denying the overall effect more artistic and is a cut above simiar competitive brands.

I have had zero issues with this camera since ordering it from Amazon 8 months ago. My only complaint is that the Digilux 2 is even better...
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YOU MAY HAVE BETTER OPTIONS FOR LESSER.., December 27, 2003
Reviewer: Shashank Tripathi
..if you aren't obstinately attached to the brand. Aesthetics apart ('big', 'boxy' come to mind) this is NOT the camera you should go for if you want anything beyond an ISO of about a 100 -- and this is not coming from a point-and-click amateur. Yes, the manual controls are charming but if alternative brands offer me a better device (primarily, better pics, i.e.) with a lighter price tag, I begin to question.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THE DIGILUX:
(1) Very, very fast response times in its class. This alone could be a dream criterion for some of you.
(2) A spacious monitor on the cam, bigger than matching Olympus, Canon or Nikon offerings.
(3) The much vaunted manual controls, no need for reflex cams.
(4) The Summicron lens, which leads to good pictures if the only alternative you have owned is a Sony entry-level point and shoot. If you have ever worked with a Nikon D100 or a Canon G3 (or above) then the quality difference is minimally incremental.
WHAT'S NOT:
(1) The price tag. For me, just the name doesn't cut it.
(2) Sub-par battery life.
(3) .mov format for the movies? Why?
(4) Think about where you'll be getting your tech support. It's not very easy.
(5) The reference guide is a pain to comprehend.
(6) A lean 2x optiocal zoom, which is also a bit deceiving - the imaging chip is so small, you can almost NEVER achieve background blur for portraits, or any other form of professional photography.
(7) Where's the noise reduction that is so COMMON with other competitors?
(8) A hood for the lens would've been nice.
(9) WB when using a flash is too bluish green.
(10) Ugly body (ok, this is subjective) -- almost seems tailor made for big German hands.
(11) Where's RAW?
SUMMARY:
I know a Leica when I see one. If you're looking for a digi version of the M6, this isn't it. I wonder why other reviewers would rate a product based on the halo of its overall brand. I'd wait for a revised version of this offering from Leica, their lens is worth the wait. Meanwhile, consider Nikon D100s (or even 5700) or Canon's EOS (or G5 etc) if you are in the market for a digital.

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