Small. Quality shots. Fast to use.

Controls are quirky watch the focus dial very easy to shift to manual focus without knowing.

Red eye reduction and slow sync didn't work at all for me. All shots had red eye.

Great camera but not thought out as well as could have been. Needs to be a focus lock on it so you can't nudge the camera into manual focus mode by mistake.

Customer Service

Not needed yet

Similar Products Used:

Contax.

Heard about the lense and build quality...

The first one came in "used" with scratches, battery open, interior of the box damaged, etc... Called B&H and bought another one as replacement with free shipping because I needed the camera for a friend's party. The second one came in "used" with same problem but worst of all, the lense cover not opened when turned on with an "E01" error message in the LCD. It ruined my promise to my friend since I could not use this one for that occasion before returning it...Don't know if it's B&H problem or Leica problem (but B&H said they sent every returned cameras to Leica...)

If B&H is right, I think Leica got many returns after the holiday and they sent them back as new without checking if the cameras are ok. WIth this problem, I'm going to buy one at a local store (have to pay tax but I'll have a chance to inspect the camera before buying it...). Really bad experiences....But to tell the truth, I'm still buying this camera due to its superior optics as said...

Similar Products Used:

Prego 90, Contact T2, Minilux Zoom

durable, easy to use. any one could use it. versitile.

lens scratche, light exposure sensir scratched.

Well, orded this beauty from Lens & Shutter, opened it up and there was a scratch/abrasion on the lens and on the exposure meter window. Very dissapointed. It's not Lens & Shutter's fault: it's Leica's. This camera should be flawless.
Sent it back today and they are very apologetic. They are sending another one. Haven't even had time to run any film through it...

Customer Service

sent back: see summary

Similar Products Used:

too many to mention

Incredible lens - sharpest of any point and shoot I've tried
Manual override providing opportunities for creative photography
Luxury feel

Expensive
Small viewfinder

This is the ultimate point-and-shoot camera. The feel is luxurious, and it weighs sufficiently to prevent unwanted camera shake so common in other plasticky point and shoot cameras. The fast f2.4 lens gives magnificent results in available light photography, especially with slower fine-grained film. I've gotten some absolutely superb results using various black and white films. Needless to say, the Leica optics are first-rate. The contrasty yet subtle pictures are razor-sharp, and the detailing is nothing short of phenomenal. If you get only one camera (whether it be SLR, P&S of whatever), this should be the one.

Customer Service

Haven't yet needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Yashica T5
Olympus Mju
Olympus Mju Zoom
Ricoh GR1

Lense, build...

Like everyone else's comment, the small viewfinder...

Ordered Minilux from B&H early last month. received a used one with scratches. Exchanged it and then received a used one again with scratches. Exchanged it with refund on return shipping and then received a used one with scratches again...Every single time, B&H said it was Leica problem since they sent all returns back to Leica. Don't know whose fault it was but tired of getting this camera from B&H...Then I ordered one from Amazon.com. Received a brand new one, serial 2501xxx with a 30-days trial rather than 14-days like most of camera shops in NY. Very happy with the camera and Amazon.com's service!

Similar Products Used:

Minilux Zoom

Solid titanium case
Huge lens
Lens quality
Manual control of exposure

Easy to produce a dark picture
Cost (is it this expensive because of the titanium case?)
Tiny viewfinder
Easy to cover flash with finger

This is a very fine camera with good build. The lens is huge (F/2.4) and very good optics. I will say this though, the picture quality by this camera is not any better than my Yashica T4 Super.

I ran a test using three types of film, of different speeds and the Yashica with it's Carl Zeiss lens produced an equally good picture.

One other thing with this camera, because the lens is huge, it picks up more light and is sometimes determined not to fire off the flash when you really need it.

To me, the Yashica T4 Super cost me $185, this Leica cost me $629. At the end of the day, it's the pictures that count. In this case, the cheaper camera (Yashica) was just as good.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Yashica T4 Super

Build like a tank.
Fast Lens.
Leica Quality

Too Expensive.$$$
Small Viewfinder.
Shutter speed not fast enough.

The pictures I took with this camera were as sharp as those I took with my Olympus Epic. I also made the mistake of loading ISO 400 into the camera, the shutter speed was not fast enough and the pictures were overexposed. Use slower film in this camera. I wish all point and shoots had the body of this camera, it feels very substantial. The price of the camera doesn't make it a smart buy. I traded mine in after a while. I f you are in the market for a P/S look at the Olympus Epic and save a buck.

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus Epic
Nikon P/S

fast, sharp lens, durable body, illuminated LCD, manually set aperture-priority or full-automatic mode

weak ergonomy, no filters, AF sometimes inaccurate, small uninformative viewer, high price

A very durable body with an excellent lens. Actually, I consider it a high-quality Leitz lens with a tough P&S attached to it. Very sharp images, 40 mm is a great focal length as it is almost identical to what your eyes see. The price is too high, though, and it's a shame Leica stopped manufacturing the black body version. A great P&S camera to keep it always with you and it's more than good enough to serve as an emergency/secondary camera. I don't rate it highest because of the ergonomy (the lack of it, that is) and the high price (you can get a good SLR body for that money). If you need a fine fix-focus P&S and got the funds, get it.

Customer Service

not needed yet

Similar Products Used:

Minilux Zoom, Kodak P&S

see below

see below

I have owned my Minilux for almost a year now and am perfectly happy with it. I have photographed many different situations and it has almost never failed me. Right now I make a big album and put enlargements up to 24x35 cm in it, the photos look just fantastic (and are quite expensive, since I order them through a quality store).

Some of the pluses (impossible to mention them all):
- very quiet, I have taken photos in theatre and concerts, nobody was annoyed or even noticed. With portraits it has happened that I had taken already four photos when the model thought I was still adjusting the camera.
- good motor, it's possible to do nice series.
- then of course it's nice to use it either as simple p&s or in manual mode. With aperture priority you can indirectly also set the shutter speed.
- many different flash modes, even though I don't use them that often. I got great results with the slow or night function. At the last carneval I got one photo where in focus/ out of focus went all the way from fore- to background! Unbelievable.
- the lens, as many have noted, is the best in its class (f = 2.4). Again very useful for indoor or lowlight conditions.
- if you understand German, get the book about the camera. Many useful ideas how to expand the already great capabilities of the Minilux, for instance how to make double exposures, the use of infrared film etc.
- the size is just right. When a camera is too small and light, more photos will be out of focus since it's not stable enough. Still you can put the Minilux in a normal jacket pocket, or, together with the leather bag and a belt, put it around your waist, which I do when I go snowboarding or mountaineering.
- together with a table tripod and the cable release you have a complete photo equipment which will do in 90% of the situations. Of course you can't do macro or big tele things, but it's the best size/ quality ratio I can imagine.
- I find the 40mm fixed focal length ideal. You can even take great portraits, of course you have to go a little close. You don't scare the people though with its size and looks. Many compact cameras have wider angles, but again, 40mm gives you great variety and possibilities.
- The Minilux has its own homepage:
http://cgi.linkclub.or.jp/~aciel/minilux/index.cgi
Useful hints, not only about the Minilux, and a large gallery.
- The price is reasonable, I think, especially considering the lable.
- design is a matter of taste, I think the Minilux looks absolutely beautiful!

The few drawbacks:
- no possibility to attach filters (the stick-on filters mentioned in the book are not sold anymore)
- in certain fast moving sport situations the autofocus is overextended.
- the batteries are used up pretty fast.
- the viewer IS small, as others have mentioned, but even for me as an eyeglass wearer it's not that much of a hassle. You can also get a different viewer specificially for eyeglass wearer, it's expensive though (we're talking about a Leica product after all, aren't we?).

All in all, I'm looking forward to many more hours with the Minilux! I will eventually complement it with a Contax G2 or its follower with a light tele since that camera is more similar to the Minilux than the M6.

Customer Service

haven't used it yet

Similar Products Used:

None

nice optics. good construction. aperture priority for point and shoot.
many accessories, such as tripot, panoramic mask .... extra money

command knob is hard to turn, especially from P to f2.4.
plastic lens cover.
it is not really pocket fittable
1/400 shutter speed.

this is a big size point and shoot camera. it only a little smaller than a Contax G1. it is a point and shoot, I don't expect it can
take filters, but 1/400 is not fast enough. for a sunny outdoor, ISO400 file may have
overexposed. the lens is very sharp. pictures come out nice. It is a leica, picture quality are very par to my nikon slr if not better. fortunately I am not very into high
tech with alots functions cameras, otherwise I will get a contax with Zeiss.

Similar Products Used:

None