SOLMS, GERMANY – Leica Camera AG introduced Wednesday the V-Lux 3, a compact digital camera with a 4.5-108mm f/2.8-5.2 ASPH 24-fold super-telephoto lens.
The camera’s wide range of focal lengths is said to be equivalent to a 25–600mm lens on a 35mm format camera. It offers a 12.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor and will record up to 1,920 by 1080/60p HD video.
“The Leica V-Lux 3 combines exceptional performance with the handy size of a compact camera,” said Peter Kruschewski, Leica compact digital product manager. “It offers a vast range of focal lengths and covers almost all photographic situations that usually require the use of a camera system. The V-Lux 3 is therefore an attractive alternative to entry-level DSLR cameras with interchangeable lenses.”
The full focal range of the 24-fold zoom lens is available for video recording, Leica said. The camera is also equipped with an integrated stereo microphone and electronic wind-screen noise filter, for quality soundtrack recording.
For stills, the camera has a burst shooting speed of up to 12 frames per second at full resolution, or 60 fps at a resolution of 3.5 megapixels.
The camera’s 3-inch LCD monitor offers 460,000-pixel resolution and can be twisted and turned in almost any direction.
An integrated handgrip enables one-handed shooting.
The Leica V-Lux 3, which will ship to dealers in January at a $949 suggested retail, is backed by a two-year warranty, and ships with a comprehensive software package, including Adobe Photoshop Elements and Adobe Premiere Elements.
The Adobe Photoshop Elements software enables photo viewing, organization and administration in addition to a wide range of image-processing solutions. Adobe Premiere Elements is specially designed for video processing and offers optimum features for processing videos recorded by the V-Lux 3 in AVCHD format, enabling the creation of professional audio and video effects.
Leica makes both programs available to V-Lux 3 purchasers as free downloads from the Leica Camera website after camera registration.
