Targeted at photography enthusiasts who aren’t afraid of the dark, Leica’s new V-Lux 4 superzoom camera features a 24X, 25-600mm (35mm equivalent) lens with an impressive maximum aperture of f2.8 across its entire zoom range.
It has an ISO sensitivity that tops out at 6400, new 12-megapixel CMOS sensor, 3-inch LCD display on the back packing 460,000 pixels, and a new electronic viewfinder that provides 100 per cent coverage and an incredibly sharp image with a resolution of 1.4 megapixels. The viewfinder even has its own zoom capabilities for magnifying the subject and fine-tuning the focus. At full resolution, the camera is capable of snapping frames at a rate of 12 per second, but it’s also got a full HD video mode capturing 1920×1080 clips at up to 60 frames per second.
And for those looking for something a bit more compact to battle low-light conditions, the new Leica D-Lux 6 packs a smaller 24-90mm equivalent lens into a pocketable body. But what it lacks in zoom capabilities — at least when compared to the V-Lux 4 — it makes up for with a super-fast f1.4-2.3 range, which can be set using an aperture wheel on the lens barrel. The camera is essentially a reworked version of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 with a new image processor and an ISO range that can be boosted to 12,800.
Out-of-the-box photographers will have to rely on a 3-inch LCD display with a resolution of 920,000 pixels, but an optional electronic viewfinder accessory — which will be available with the camera in November — can be attached to the V-Lux 4’s hotshoe, providing the same 1.4-megapixel image as the one on the D-Lux 6. It also shares that camera’s video capabilities, with AVCHD clips being captured at a full 1920×1080 HD resolution, maxing out at 60 frames per second. Pricing for both cameras is still to be announced, but given the Leica badge, you can assume both will come at a premium. [Leica D-Lux 6, Leica V-Lux 4]