Leica Add D-Lux 6, V-Lux4, M type 240 and M-E Type 220 to their Portfolio.

Following yesterdays Leica announcement from Photokina, we have no less than 4 new camera from the masters of high quality lenses, no flim flam, straight to the action.

First up there is the Leica D-lux 6, Leica have continued the association, and habits, which have brought them so much success with Panasonic these years past, and essentially put the latest and greatest Panasonic model in an attractive new Red Dot adorned skin.  The model in question here is the Panasonic LX7 released just months ago, like its cheaper less attractive cousin, the D-Lux 6 has a 10.1 megapixel sensor, up to 6400 iso, up to 12800 with boosters, up to 90mm focal length, 4.5 digital zoom, 3" screen, full HD video recording, and accepts SD cards for image capture, additionally paying the premium asked provides the consumer with the addition of Lightroom.  It will be priced at £600, double that of the Panasonic model.

Next the new digital-bridge SLR, V-Lux 4, this baby provides 12.1 megapixel ccd, 3" rear screen, up to 600mm focal length, 24x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, 30cm focux range, the rear screen is fully articulated and free angle, useful for using the full HD video recording capability onboard this unit, which can be recorded in both MPEG-4 and AVCHD, SD storage again is the order of the day.  This will cost £1500 when released.

Following these compacts, we have a new take on the classic M series, the Leica M-E type 220.  The purpose of this baby is to be a stripped down to the bone M series camera, for those who just want to be able to take great pictures, easily, so to some extent, an M series for the consumer or prosumer market, rather than a professional camera.  in line with this it keeps the standard that we are used to with the M( series, including an ISO range of 160-2500, an 0.68 magnification viewfinder, and a 230k dot 2.5" screen, all alongside a basic, paired back, minimalist design, and photoshop lightroom chucked in for good measure.  In line with the basic features, is a lower price, just £3900 when it hits the shops.

Finally the Leica M-type 240 continues the trend of attempting to release more accesible, user friendly, and reasonable cameras, to some extent it seems Leica have sensed the general malaise in the market place, and the sluggish pace at which stock is moving off floors, and used the 2012 Photokina to produce products that are both practical and affordable.  the 240 is no slouch in the features stakes, with a 24 megapixel CCD, you wont go hungry if quality images are your fodder, but the trick in the 240 is making everything easy, focusing, always a tricky job with an M series, with the Live view is a breeze, composition, again with the live view this, alogne with macros, focus check, and explosion options make the whole experience user friendly rather than the excruciating hell it used to be for non pro users with good eyesight.

Add to this telephoto lens, and video, and all for a far more reasonable price of only £4800, less than a standard M series, and you have to a greater or lesser extent a game changer, not for being revolutionary, but for being the standard Leica have come to be renowned for, and at the same time, both useable and accessible.