LEICA C-LUX 1

A review and Photo example of the LEICA C-LUX1.

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Review

Overview
Usability
Add info

1．Overview

The C-LUX 1 is a compact digital camera released by Leica in 2006 under the OEM contract with Panasonic.

The original camera was the LUMIX DMC-FX01.

The detailed specifications of the camera are listed in the table below, but the main specifications are summarized below.

The image sensor has 6.37 million pixels.
The lens is a Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens.
6 groups, 7 elements (4 aspherical lenses).
Built-in optical image stabilization mechanism (Mega-OIS).
Focal length f=4.6-16.8mm / F2.8 (wide end) – F5.6 (telephoto end).
35mm equivalent: 28mm-102mm.
Supports SD cards up to 2GB.
Battery is BP-DC4.
Body colors are black and silver.

2．Usability

The C-LUX 1 has an image sensor with 6 million pixels, and its performance is sufficient for an old compact digital camera, known as an old compact digital camera. The display on the rear LCD screen is slightly overexposed, making the highlights look blown out, but when viewed on a PC, the display is displayed correctly, so the quality of the rear LCD screen feels old. The LCD screen is particularly difficult to see from an angle, and it becomes difficult to see when the LCD screen is tilted at a low or high angle.

ISO100 is difficult in dark places, and the effect of the image stabilization function MEGA OIS is rarely clearly felt, perhaps because it was a time when cameras were first equipped with it.

The lens is a Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens, 6 groups, 7 elements (4 aspherical lenses), with built-in optical image stabilization (Mega-OIS), f=4.6-16.8mm / F2.8 (wide end) to F5.6 (telephoto end).

In 35mm equivalent, it is a 3x zoom lens from 28mm to 102mm. 28mm on the wide-angle side was the standard focal length in 2006, but a little before that, it started from 35mm, so compact digital cameras from around 2006 are easy to use for outdoor snapshots. 102mm on the telephoto side and 10x, 20x, and 30x zooms compete for telephoto zoom ratios in later years, but this 3x zoom range is good for compromise.

At the wide-angle end (4.6mm / 28mm equivalent), barrel distortion is noticeable when shooting a grid-like object when the subject is close.

The memory card supports up to 2GB SD cards, but note that it does not support larger capacity SDHC or SDXC cards.

A compact digital camera OEMed by Panasonic released by Leica. The original camera was the LUMIX DMC-FX01. The camera is a little thick to begin with, but it has been skillfully converted from a Panasonic compact camera’s appearance to a Leica-style exterior design.

I purchased this camera second-hand and it was delivered in a fairly worn-out original Leica box, but it appears to have been handled quite carefully and is in excellent condition with no noticeable scratches.

3．Add Info.

The C-LUX1 is released in black and silver, the black is a glossy black, and the silver is a matte silver, giving it a calm look. The matte silver is used in the C-LUX1 and C-LUX2, and the glossy black is used in the C-LUX3.

The battery is the BP-DC4, which has the same model number as the D-LUX 1, D-LUX 2, D-LUX 3, and D-LUX 4, but it is different from the C-LUX2 and C-LUX3, so please be careful.

Compatible batteries such as the Panasonic DMW-BCC12, Ricoh DB-60, DB-65, and Fujifilm NP-70 also seem to be compatible in terms of shape and voltage. There are also reports that the Sigma BP-41 is compatible, but there is information that some of the claws are in different positions, so caution is required. In addition, we do not recommend the use of compatible batteries, and if you do use them, please do so at your own risk.

Specification

Items	C-LUX1	C-LUX2	C-LUX3
Effective pixels(Megapixels)	637	720	1010
Sensor size	1/2.5	1/2.5	1/2.33
35mm equivalent focal length	28-102	28-102	25-125
Real focal length	4.6~16.8	4.6~16.4	4.4~22
Maximum aperture	2.8~5.6	2.8~5.6	2.8~5.9
Lens name	LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT	LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT	LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT
Lens construction	7 elements in 6 groups (4 aspherical lenses)	7 elements in 6 groups (4 aspherical lenses)	7 elements in 6 groups (4 aspherical lenses)
Zoom ratio	3.6x optical zoom	3.6x optical zoom	5x optical zoom
View finder	なし	なし	なし
Rear LCD	2.5	2.5	2.5
Battery	BP-DC4	BP-DC6	BP-DC6
Recorded Media	SD	SDHC	SDHC
Size(mm) W x H x D	95 × 52 × 26	95 × 52 × 22	96 x 52 x 22
Weight (g) (body only)	132	132	126
Release date	2006	2007	2008
Body color	Silver Black	Silver Black	White Black
Original camera	DMC-FX01	DMC-FX30	DMC-FX37