The red dot Leica logo is one of the most unmistakable and legendary badges in the photographic world and the brand loyalty that is shared by many enthusiasts and pros using their cameras and lenses cannot be denied. Panasonic and Leica have had a fruitful and productive partnership for years and it’s no surprise that Leica is putting some more “luxury clothes” around the Lumix FZ1000 II, which was announced earlier in 2019, to give more premium buyers that much-desired logo.
And this is what in essence the new Leica V-Lux 5 is – a premium re-badging of the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II, with some very slight design improvements that you’d probably never notice anyway. But for those of you out there, who demand a Leica-branded travel zoom that can shoot 4K and give you a decent zoom range and are willing to pay the “Leica tax”, then the V-Lux 5 may very well suit your upscale lifestyle.
The Leica V-Lux 5 comes with a $350 price premium over the Lumix FZ1000 II and largely the same features and functions. You get the same 20-megapixel, 1-inch sensor, and a fixed Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 9.1–146 mm f/2.8–4 ASPH, that is equivalent to 25 to 400 mm in 35mm) that is capable of delivering outstanding images and solid 4K video throughout the entire zoom range, whether shooting with macro, wide-angle, standard or telephoto settings.
The Leica V-Lux 5 offers 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels) video at 24, 25 or 30 frames per second or 1080p at up to 60fps, which for this class camera is standard and nothing really to write home about, but at least you also have Panasonic’s 5-axis Hybrid in-body image stabilization, which can help you get some really smooth shots even when handheld, which is how most enthusiasts will be using this camera.
Leica V-Lux 5 Features
- 20.1 Megapixels 1-inch CMOS Sensor
- Fixed DC Vario-Elmarit 9.1–146 mm f/2.8–4 ASPH
- 25-400mm f/2.8-4.0 (35mm equivalent)
- 4K UHD at 30/25/23.98 fps / 1080p/60fps
- 5-axis IBIS (Hybrid O.I.S.)
- 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
- 3.0-inch Fully Articulating LCD Monitor
- ISO 125-12800, up to 12-fps continuous
- 4K Photo Modes and Sequence Composition
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Connectivity
- Price: $1250 at B&H
The Leica V-Lux 5 also gets a 2.36 megapixels newly developed OLED electronic viewfinder that brings a higher contrast ratio and improved colour depth while simultaneously consuming less power. In addition to the EVF, the back of the camera features a fully-articulated 3-inch touchscreen LCD panel.
The camera also boasts fast AF with around 0.1 seconds reaction to focus sharply on a subject and a burst rate of up to 12 fps ensures that photographers always have sufficient exposures from which to choose the best for their needs. Alongside innovative features like Post Focusing and Focus Stacking, the range of options offered by the Leica V-Lux 5 also includes useful functions such as Face Recognition or 4K Burst Mode.
The Leica V-Lux 5 is the first V-Lux camera that can be used with the Leica FOTOS iOS/Android App, which can be used to quickly transfer images, post to social networks and also to change settings and remotely control the camera.
To learn more about the Leica V-Lux 5 and get full specs head over to Leica.
You can order the camera from authorised dealers such as B&H for $1250.
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