Skip to main content

Deluxe D-Lux: New Leica compact camera adds quality and luxury

Essentially a rehoused Panasonic Lumix LX100 II, the D-Lux 7 adds Leica styling — and price — to Panasonic tech. The camera retains much from its predecessor, but brings some needed updates and refinements, like a 17-megapixel Four Thirds sensor, a welcome increase from the 12.8 megapixels of its predecessor. Somewhat confusingly, the D-Lux 7 is a direct update over the D-Lux Typ 109, not the D-Lux 6, which was an older model based on the Panasonic LX7.

The D-Lux series has always been about putting big camera quality in a go-anywhere package, and the D-Lux 7 adds features that make it even more versatile for travel photography. In addition to Wi-Fi, it now uses Bluetooth 4.2 for always-on connectivity with the Leica Fotos app (Android, iOS). It can also charge over USB-C, so if the battery drains while you’re out on a mountain trail, all you need is a portable USB charger to top it up again.

Related Videos

The D-Lux 7 offers the same streamlined body as the Typ 109, with a shape that mimics the look of Leica M series rangefinders, albeit much smaller and without interchangeable lenses. The 2.76-million-dot electronic viewfinder is also unchanged, but is still quite good for a camera of this class. The LCD screen, however, has seen a modest bump in resolution from 921,000 to 1.2 million pixels.

Several variants of Panasonic’s Post Focus technology also make it into the camera, including focus stacking. This is based on the 4K Photo mode which can record a fast burst of 4K-resolution photos while adjusting the focus between frames. Video specifications remain the same, offering 4K at 30 frames per second or 1080p up to 60 fps.

A key element of the D-Lux 7 remains the Leica DC Vario-Summilux 24-75mm (full-frame equivalent) f/1.7-2.8 lens, the same lens found on the Typ 109. It offers a 3.1x zoom that balances versatility with size constraints while offering a bright aperture that pairs nicely with the large sensor. For a compact camera, you won’t find light gathering capability better than this, which helps the D-Lux 7 perform well in low light situations without needing a flash.

The D-Lux 7 is available now for a price of $1,195, just about $200 more than the Panasonic LX100 II.

Editors' Recommendations

DJI’s 2022 drone contest offers record prize pool
A photo taken from a drone.

Leading drone maker DJI has teamed up with the SkyPixel online community for its eighth annual photo and video contest.

Whether you’re an experienced drone pilot or an absolute beginner still finding your way, the contest is the perfect opportunity to send your machine skyward in a test of your creative skills.

Read more
How $80 of photo processing software magically saved me thousands
photo editing topaz labs denoise ai phil camera

It's a good time to be a photographer, whether you're just starting out and really don't have any idea what you're doing, or if you're a seasoned pro looking to try something new.

The gear is better than ever, making even entry-level bodies better than what the previous generation started out with. Software options make cataloging and processing your photos faster and less destructive, so you can revisit things for years and give old pics new life.

Read more
Sony A7 III mirorless camera is $300 off for Black Friday
Sony Alpha a7 III Mirrorless front view.

There are a lot of great Best Buy Black Friday deals going on right now, and whether you're looking for TVs, laptops, or even headphones, there's a little something for everybody. Of course, many folks may not realize that Best Buy has some fantastic deals on high-end photography gear, such as this Sony Alpha a7 III mirrorless camera. While it usually goes for a whopping $2,200, Best Buy had brought it down to $1,900, and while that relatively doesn't seem like much, you could always spend the $300 savings on a new lens.

Why you should buy the Sony Alpha a7 III
The Sony Alpha a7 III is a camera with so much tech that it might as well be three different cameras. It has excellent dynamic range, low-light performance, and high-speed performance, and the full-frame sensors make the images look absolutely stunning. Interestingly, the a7 III manages to do an excellent job at both low and high ISOs, the latter of which can go as high as 51,200 non-boosted, which, granted, adds a lot of noise, but noise reduction helps with that. As for the video, well, sadly, it's not as impressive, at least in terms of advancements in image quality, and while it can do 8-bit 4K at 30 frames per second, it's no longer ahead of the pack in that regard, like the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is with its 400Mbps 10-bit codec and 60-fps 4K.

Read more