The Leica V-LUX 30 is a 14-megapixel digital compact camera with 16x optical zoom, 1080i video capture and integrated GPS. Successor to last year’s Leica V-LUX 20, the new model shares its lens and much of its feature set - including the nifty 3D photo mode - with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20/ZS10 superzoom, which we reviewed three months ago, but comes in at a substantially higher MSRP of £550/$750. The higher price is partly due to the inclusion of Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 and Adobe Premiere Elements 9 in the bundle. In addition, a choice of two smart leather cases are available as optional accessories: a strong, tan leather case with shoulder strap, and a soft brown leather pouch that fits easily into a travel bag or pocket. The Leica V-LUX 30 digital compact camera will be available from June.

Leica Press Release

Leica announces V-Lux 30 super-zoom compact: for the photographic adventurer

Impressive 16x zoom, touch-screen controls, 3D photos and GPS tagging, together with outstanding image quality and HD video, make this high performance digital camera perfect for discovering surprising new perspectives on the world

26 May 2011: Leica has today introduced the V-Lux 30, a versatile, super-zoom digital compact with GPS recording and touch-screen operation, opening up a world of opportunities for travel and urban photography. Featuring a distinctively clean Leica design and minimalist, black matt styling, the camera offers a wealth of options, but is still compact and light enough to slip into a jacket pocket or small bag.

The V-Lux 30’s newly-developed 14.1 effective megapixel sensor, combined with the high quality Leica 16x lens, ensures the user the ultimate in zoom compact camera performance at their fingertips. Yet, for a product with such an impressive zoom range, the camera is just 33mm in depth and weighs under 220g, making it the ideal companion for trips away, whether shooting wide-angle landscape or architectural scenes, taking discreet or close-up street photos of unusual subjects, or long-distance shots of animals or birds in the wild.

For creative and even more imaginative photography, the Leica V-Lux 30 includes a special 3D mode, allowing users to generate fascinating images combined from two photographs taken in sequence (a ‘stereo image pair’), which are then saved as a 3D image in MPO format for viewing on suitable 3D-compatible screens.

Features and benefits at a glance:

·      High performance 16x zoom lens (Leica DC Vario-Elmar 4.3 - 68.8mm f/3.3-5.9 ASPH., equivalent to 24-384mm in 35mm format) for the sharpest images across the entire zoom range

·      Newly-designed 14.1 megapixel sensor for outstanding image quality

·      Touch screen display for fast and simple, intuitive operation

·      Automatic settings for point-and-shoot photography, or manual options for more ambitious users

·      Speedy continuous shooting mode for fast-moving subjects such as sports or wildlife

·      3D photo feature for creative photography

·      Full HD video in space-saving 1080i-AVCHD format

·      GPS tagging for recording the current location and date in each photo

·      Comprehensive, user-friendly software included for photo and video editing and production

·      Choice of two optional smart leather cases

A further outstanding feature of the Leica V-Lux 30 is the HD video recording mode, offering performance comparable to a digital camcorder. Particular highlights of this mode include the efficient 1080i-AVCHD Full HD recording format, with the entire 16x zoom range available during video recording, and an integrated stereo microphone with an electronic wind noise filter, guaranteeing a crystal-clear soundtrack. The video mode also features automatic face recognition, scene mode selection and smart exposure, to ensure the best possible movie results, even in challenging conditions.

For global travellers, the V-Lux 30’s innovative GPS function records the geographical coordinates of the user’s location and the local time for every shot, and saves them within the image data (Exif file). Video files are also tagged with location details, if selected. Furthermore, the camera can display a range of sightseeing attractions within its immediate surroundings, with one million ‘points of interest’ included. Images posted on social networks, image portals and map sites such as Google Maps or Google Earth can therefore reveal exactly when and where they were shot.*

As with all Leica cameras, the V-Lux 30 is characterised by a timeless, elegant design and extremely easy handling. Using the new 3” touch screen LCD display, many features can be controlled simply by tapping the screen with a fingertip. The generously dimensioned LCD has a diagonal of 7.5cm and displays images with outstanding brilliance, with a resolution of 460,000 pixels, providing the photographer with a reliable and accurate view of their images both during composition and after capture.

Two comprehensive, but easy-to-use software packages are included with the camera: Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 9 for image editing, enhancement and organisation, and Adobe® Premiere® Elements 9 for video editing and production. In addition, a choice of two smart leather cases are available as optional accessories: a strong, tan leather case with shoulder strap, and a soft brown leather pouch that fits easily into a travel bag or pocket.

Leica V-Lux 30: the world is waiting to be discovered.

Pricing and availability

The Leica V-Lux 30 is scheduled to be available in the UK from June 2011 from authorised Leica dealers including the Leica Store Mayfair: www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk, tel: 020 7629 1351. A full list of authorised UK Leica dealers is available at www.leica-camera.co.uk. The suggested retail price of the V-Lux 30 is £550.

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