Like many filmmakers, I own several cameras, each with its own specific purpose. Some are better suited to narrative work, while others are better suited to running and shooting. Some can be shot in low light, while others may perform better in daylight. There’s never going to be one perfect camera that does it all, which is why for professional work, most of us need to own or rent different types of cameras depending on the work we’re making.
The lineup of cameras I currently own or acquire through partners covers most of my professional work—from narrative projects to commercials. That said, I still often find myself in situations where I simply don’t have the best camera for the job…most often for smaller scale or guerrilla projects.
Projects and films that require fast, guerrilla-style shooting or that are limited in time and budget are often the most complex, at least from a gear perspective. Larger productions typically have larger crews, more money, and better resources, which means you can shoot with Alexa, RED, and other full-size cinema cameras with relative ease.
Over the past few months, I’ve realized that the more professional cameras I have in my arsenal, the less I’m able to actually go out and shoot. While it used to be easy to pick up a camera and shoot a project on the go, now every shoot I have—even a weekend project—can easily spiral out of control and become more of a hassle for one simple reason: choosing a camera system that goes overboard.
Ultimately for this reason I started doing some research on compact cameras with great video capabilities. My goal is not to replace any cinema cameras, but to find a new tool that will better serve smaller productions, especially those where I work as a one-man band.
While there were many options to suit my needs, to my own surprise, I ultimately decided on a Leica point-and-shoot.
Leica D-LUX (Type 109)
When looking for a low-cost 4K camera, the first thing that struck me was the options on the market today. Between the DSLR, mirrorless and point-and-shoot camera options on the market, there are now countless affordable cameras with 4K internal recording capabilities, as well as some very impressive video specs.
In order to narrow it down, I really had to determine exactly what I was looking for in a camera and what the purpose of the camera was. There were several important criteria on my list, including 4K video capture, 60p recording, and perhaps most surprisingly, a fixed zoom lens.
You might be thinking – Fixed zoom, really? I don’t blame you…after all, I’ve spent almost my entire working life moving away from fixed lens cameras in search of affordable interchangeable lens camera solutions that provide a more realistic cinematic experience. But as I said above, every camera has its place, and as I searched for a compact camera that could do it all, it started to make sense to specialize in a camera that was completely self-sufficient.
When I need to do a proper narrative shoot, I have a cinema camera with a lot of interchangeable lenses at my disposal to do that. But when I’m working on something small, whether it’s a personal project or professional work, I need to keep a small footprint and be able to work on a camera that limits my lens choices and opens up the ability to strictly focus on story, composition, and direction. on, rather than on the technical details of the camera, which is optimal in many ways.
After a lot of searching I discovered the Leica D-LUX (Typ 109) and purchased it last week.
Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)—$1,095 at B & H
Here are some specs of the camera to help you understand why I chose this camera:
- 12.8MP 4/3″ MOS sensor
- 3.1x zoom, f/1.7-2.8 Leica lens
- 24-75mm (equivalent to 35mm)
- 2,764k dot electronic viewing window
- 3.0-inch 920,000-dot LCD monitor
- Ultra HD 4K video 30p/24p, Full HD 60p
- Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity with NFC
- ISO 25600 and shooting up to 40 fps
- Optical image stabilization
- focus peaking
- CF D Flash and Adobe Lightroom Download
Some of the video features, like internal 4K recording, focus peaking, HD 60p, etc., really piqued my interest initially… But what really attracted me to this camera was the lens.
Of course, Leica makes some of the best lenses in the world, which is why the 24-75mm (equivalent) on the D-LUX is so impressive. The lens is incredibly clear, detailed, and has a beautiful three-dimensional quality that only the best lenses seem to deliver. Few, if any, other cameras offer such high quality glass at this price point, and in the end, it was really the lens that sealed the deal for me.
What’s even more impressive is that this little camera uses the same sensor as the Lumix GH4. I used to own a GH4 and, as many of you know, I shot with it quite a bit over the past few years. While I’ve always been impressed with the quality of the GH4, I’ve never been a fan of its color science. Much like the Sony A7S II, the GH4’s colors can never match the quality of its imaging sensor, at least in my opinion.
For Leica, though, it’s the best of both worlds. The D-LUX offers the same sensor as the GH4, but with (what appears to be) better color science and of course a great Leica lens built in.
But that’s not to say that a camera like the GH4 is any better value than the Leica D-LUX in other ways. The GH4 has more video capabilities, different image profiles, better audio capabilities (the D-LUX doesn’t have a headphone jack), and other advantages. Then again, the purpose of D-LUX is not to be GH4. It allows photographers like me (and probably you too) to capture truly amazing images with minimal gear and effort.
Interestingly, in the long struggle to find some high quality D-LUX material, I saw this interview on the Leica Blogfeaturing New York filmmaker Ruslan Pelykh. In the interview, Ruslan talks about his decision to use the D-LUX as his primary camera on many fashion/music video shoots, and his reasons are pretty much the same as mine. After reading this article it really helped crystallize the fact that there is a market for this camera and it has a very unique purpose for a shooter like Ruslan or me.
Here is one of Ruslan’s most recent films, shot exclusively in HD on D-LUX without additional crew or support:
Going forward, when I need to shoot a big commercial or narrative film involving synchronized sound – and we have a full crew, with all the usual bells and whistles – I’ll be shooting with one of my movie cameras. But if I want to shoot impromptu music videos, short films, featurettes, or just to keep a low profile, this camera will be my lifesaver.
I’ve shot quite a bit of footage with the camera (video samples will be provided in a future post) and I’m really impressed with the results so far. Although the camera lacks a log image profile, the 4K files are very flexible in post-production and the clarity of the images is truly outstanding.
If any of you are interested in this camera, it’s worth noting that Panasonic actually makes the exact same camera for $300 cheaper. Sharing all the same internal components (including the same sensor and lens) as the D-LUX, the Panasonic LX100 is one of the best buck cameras out there.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 – B & H $797
Although I was tempted to buy the LX100 instead of the D-LUX, I ultimately decided on the Leica for a few reasons. First, I looked at a lot of photos/videos taken with both cameras, and subjectively the Leica seems to have better color. I need to do some testing to see how accurate it is, but to me the Leica seems to render more organic colors, which is a big selling point for me.
Also, from a more superficial perspective, I prefer the Leica’s design. It looks cleaner and the feel of the camera makes me really want to go out and shoot. There are some cameras that inspire you to use them, and for me the Leica falls into that category.
For many shooters (myself included), the actual experience of shooting on any given camera is as important as the image quality itself. Whether you realize it or not, the way your camera feels in your hand, how it handles, its overall aesthetic, and other elements affect your enjoyment when shooting.
So finally, for all the above reasons, I am now a Leica D-LUX owner. It’s the least flashy camera I own, the smallest, and probably the cheapest – but it’s also quickly become one of my new favorites.
I’ll post some test footage and sample clips once I’ve had a chance to try out more cameras. I may even do a video review on D-LUX, so be sure to check back soon for more updates!
