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Panasonic DMC-L1

CHAD SAPIEHA

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 11:11 AM EDT 04/10/06

A complicated, but impressive first for Panasonic ...Read the full article

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  1. JOL REI from Ottawa, Canada writes: Over $2300 for a 7.5 megapixel camera??? This had better have a great sensor and be otherwise fantastic. I have a Nikon D50 (6.1Mp) and make outstanding 11x14 prints with no pixellation - this for under $1300 with lens. Generally speaking, you will see no noticeable improvement between 6.1 and 7.5Mp. Both Nikon and Canon have 12Mp cameras that sell for the same price or slightly less than this Pentax/Lumix, and they're easier to use. Too bad Pentax - this one's way overpriced for what it is, even with the Leica lens.
  2. Paul Aparycki from St. Jean sur Richelieu, Canada writes: Sorry #1, but you seem to be caught up in the 'blind consumer', 'stupid consumer' trap. Megapixels don't always make the difference. There was a previous model to this that was a 5mp and produced far superior results than many of it's competitors with 'bigger' numbers. How the info is processed is critical as is the glass, and do you/every other digi-phile have calibrated gear at home to print with? . . No. But bigger is better, and dumber (and the marketers are making millions off of you and others with this mantra). For over thirty years I have earned my living with photography and cinema . . . quality glass is the FIRST factor in deciding if an image will cut the mustard. Nikon, Minolta (ex . . . now Sony), Pentax, Canon, etc, now make all their consumer gear in low priced bargain basement sweat shops off-shore. In particular, the quality/reliability of Nikon has tumbled in the last ten years (I USE Nikon, but only the pro-level gear . . . read $$$$$$). Quality costs money, in today's profit oriented huckster world, that usually translates into outrageous prices for goods that are still often hand assembled. A GOOD digital '35mm' kit costs in the thousands, a good medium format kit or large format kit costs as much as a small house. But don't let that stop you from throwing your money away. A decent point and shoot 35mm FILM camera will still outperform most of the digital gear on the consumer market . . . but marketing types can't tell you that . . . there is no money there.
  3. john shantz from Canada writes: Congratulations #2, you take the prize from greedy camera makers overpricing their good........ 'offshore production' is done by all camera makers with increasing quality. There's more to cameras than glass and Leica glass hasn't be made in the west for decades. If you still want something made in Midland, Ontario it won't come from Leitz.
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    salty sam from Victoria, Canada writes: Well #2 is closer to the mark. You have to commend this camera design coming from such an unlikely source. Panasonic typically makes med-low level electronics that are the bane of audiophiles and their early digicams are pretty flimsy alternatives to Canon. More recently they've brought in the Leica lens designs for their FZ line bringing fast glass to consumers for pretty cheap - the FZ series is superior to Canon's point and shoots in many ways. Now this new machine is oriented to pros, with the ability to very easily use it as a fully manual dSLR - unlike so many recent Nikons and Canon dSLRs. You have to appreciate how much better the glass is for the base model compared to the crap package lenses that help sell the Rebel and D50. The Lumix also comes std with image stabilization - something I use a lot in my FZ20. Put together a similar D80 or D200 with an equavalent Nikkor 2.8-3.5/14-50 image-stabilized lens and you will easily surpass the price of this unit. Ask your dealer for a price on a Nikkor with 'vibration reduction' and feel your eyes pop.
  5. gordon foster from Daegu, South Korea, Canada writes: What a bunch of shutterbugs you all are, and I mean for that to be taken in only the nicest possible way.

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