The last of a class is the completion of it.
Before smartphones and mirrorless interchangeable systems became mainstream, there was a period of digital photography where gear choices were limited to two categories: big fat DSLRs and compact point-and-shoots. Somewhere in the middle, however, was a market segment called premium compacts, characterised by products that were famed for manual controls and DSLR-like performance even with their tiny sensors.
The Panasonic Lumix LX5, the Canon PowerShot S95, and the Samsung EX2F were such pocketable beasts I once had in my gear bag. I was also curious about the Olympus XZ-1 and the Pentax MX-1 but never got to own one. In any case, to me, this was the fun era of digital photography. I enjoyed the convenience of digital with neither the heft of hardware nor the ransom of software subscriptions burdening me down.
Fast-forward a few years to 2015, a used Leica D-Lux 6 came into my possession, which remains one of the two cameras I am still holding onto in 2024, alongside my Fujifilm X100 Original that I wrote a review of. Although similarly named, the D-Lux 6 of 2012 is quite different from the new D-Lux 8 of 2024 that features a micro-four-thirds sensor and a built-in electronic viewfinder. Leica, however, seems to place both of them along the same lineage of gear, which makes sense given their position in the broader landscape then and now.
My first and only Leica, with a big fat asterisk, is of course the twin model of the Panasonic Lumix LX7, both manufactured in Japan. However, adding the red Leica logo and removing the grip entirely doubled its retail price compared to the Panasonic counterpart.
Aside from the nostalgia factor, there are a few highlights in the hardware specs of the D-Lux 6 / LX7: f/1.4 at the wide end, an aperture ring on the lens, a built-in ND filter, a built-in flash, and optical image stabilisation. I also like that Leica and Panasonic chose to keep the 1/1.7" sensor at 10 megapixels, not higher.
But the true killer feature of this camera is the combination of step zoom and the last-used focal length saved to memory and restored at power-on. This means I can treat the D-Lux 6 as an ultra-portable prime lens system of my favourite focal length, be it 24, 28, 35, 50, 70, or 90mm. Simply power on and take a shot without fiddling with zoom every single time. To borrow AI cheerleaders’ favourite line — yes, this changes everything.
I shoot in RAW, and thanks to the sensible megapixel count on the D-Lux 6, a 128GB SD card holds about 10,000 RAW files. These RAW images can be imported directly into Apple Photos without conversion or compatibility issues. There is no USB charging, but the first-party Leica battery it came with is still fully capable. I have two spare batteries standing by, one of which came from my previous Panasonic LX5. A single spare battery would have been enough.
Even with optical image stabilisation, however, the D-Lux 6 often struggles in low light when handheld, as expected with any camera of this class. To me, the D-Lux 6 is a daytime kit, although I am certain it would be more than capable of capturing the northern lights, a feat I accomplished with my previous LX5 mounted on a tripod.
I initially had three gripes with the hardware of the D-Lux 6: the lack of a viewfinder, the lack of a grip, and an extremely fragile plastic battery door on the bottom whose lock kept getting knocked out of position. I subsequently managed to address all three by attaching two first-party accessories to it: a Lumix optical viewfinder (yes, first-party) with 24mm frame lines, and a Leica D-Lux 6 hand grip that doubles as a solid bottom plate. The final outfit does add some bulk, making it less than truly pocketable, but the camera still excels on the portability front.
When it comes to accessories, I prefer an optical viewfinder to a mediocre electronic one that presents hassles of connectivity and delicate moving parts. I keep my optical viewfinder permanently attached to the body of the D-Lux 6 and never worry about casual bumps.
Speaking of viewfinders, optical or electronic, I don’t believe photographers who say they take still shots exclusively through the rear LCD screen — I am talking about cameras, not phones. I use the rear screen when I am able to make out what my D-Lux 6 is looking at. Other times, I need a viewfinder. Yet, this is not something most photographers readily acknowledge. So, it was refreshing to watch YouTuber Samuel Streetlife’s 10-plus-minute spiel on the need for a viewfinder accessory — for the Ricoh GR series, in his case.
Timing-wise, the D-Lux 6 / LX7, together with the Pentax MX-1, marked the end of traditional premium compacts. By 2013, mirrorless interchangeable systems from Olympus, Panasonic, and Sony were gaining popularity, joined by initial false starts from Nikon and Canon. From there, things only moved in one direction towards the inevitable demise of both DSLRs and traditional compact point-and-shoots.
Regardless of how I look at it, the D-Lux 6 represents the completion of the sub-1-inch premium compact class. I find myself reaching for my D-Lux 6 more often than my X100, partly because of its profile and form factor — it’s smaller, lighter, more spontaneous, more versatile, and more fun to use. This contrasts sharply with the X100 where I feel I need a cool head and a deep breath with every shot I take.
