photoxels
PRESS RELEASE
11/09/2014
LEICA X – brilliant picture quality made in Germany
Leica Camera AG, Wetzlar, presents a further model in the Leica X line: the new Leica X – made in Germany. Featuring a new Leica Summilux 23 mm f/1.7 ASPH. prime lens and a sensor that is particularly large for this camera class, it captures exceptionally brilliant pictures. Its versatility is further expanded by a video function for moving pictures in full-HD quality. Together with an extensive range of setting options and an intuitively simple handling concept, the Leica X unites everything that defines the art of photography in an iconic Leica design statement: the joy of seeing unforgettable moments in a particularly personal way.
As is the case with all cameras in the Leica X line, the Leica X features a professional APS-C-format CMOS sensor with over 16.5 megapixels (effective 16.2 megapixels) that, in combination with its fast Leica Summilux 23 mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens, ensures maximum imaging quality and pictures with natural colour rendition and the finest reproduction of details. The crop factor of the sensor is 1.5 in comparison with 35 mm film format. The angle of view of the lens of the Leica X is therefore equivalent to that of a 35 mm in full-frame format – one of the classic prime lenses – and makes it extremely versatile and ideal for reportage photography. Thanks to a very fast initial aperture of f/1.7, the Leica Summilux 23 mm f/1.7 ASPH. creates exceptionally beautiful bokeh. It is almost completely insensitive to flare and ghosting effects and delivers bright, clear and incredibly sharp photos – from infinity to its closest focusing distance of 0.2 metres.
The Leica X is distinguished by timeless elegance, a clarity of design that is tightly focused on the essential as well as the highest quality with regard to the materials and finish of even the tiniest details. Everything is in high-quality metal – from the body and the control elements to the optimised thumb switch and the lens cap. The front and rear body shells are made of magnesium and the top deck and baseplate from anodised aluminum. In combination with its premium leather trim, the Leica X is a true Leica in both look and feel. The camera is available as a discreet black version with colour-matched leather trim or as an elegant silver version with brown leather trim.
Thanks to its clearly laid-out functions and simple operating concept, intuitive handling is a key feature of the Leica X. At the same time, it offers an impressive range of automatic and versatile manual setting options. Thanks to the ease of switching between manual and automatic control, photographers can concentrate completely on composing their subjects and choosing the decisive instant to shoot in any situation. In live-vew mode, its large, high-resolution display offers photographers complete control in every situation.
The features offered by the Leica X open up new creative horizons and a broad spectrum of options, ranging from spontaneous snapshots to available-light photography. The fast, precise, and almost-silent autofocus of the Leica X is ideal for spontaneous and discreet photography. The camera shutter is released as soon as the autofocus locks on to the subject – with no lag at all. The opportunities offered by manual focusing with the focusing ring on the lens guarantee an ideal symbiosis of technical capabilities and imaginative creativity. In addition, the new Leica X features a video function for capturing moving pictures in full-HD quality. The videos are recorded at a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels and 30 full frames per second and saved in the popular MP4 format.
An extensive range of technical equipment, bags and cases is also available for the Leica X (visit www.leica-camera.com for more information). Also new is the Leica Digiscoping Adapter. This allows the use of the X camera on the Leica APO-Televid 82 and APO-Televid 65 spotting scopes. No other connector between a spotting scope and a camera is as stable and simultaneously easy to use. Combined as a set, this gives wildlife watchers and photographers an opportunity to take photographs with a variable focal length from 850 to 3100 mm.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom®, a professional digital workflow solution for Apple Mac® OS X and Microsoft Windows®, is also included in the X package. This image-processing software offers a wide range of functions for the management, processing and presentation of digital images. Leica X customers can download the software free from the Leica website after registering their camera.
The Leica X is now available from authorised Leica dealers.
Technical data LEICA X (Type 113)
(Last revised September 2014 | We reserve the right to make technical changes)
Lens:
Leica Summilux 23 mm f/1.7 ASPH.
Ten elements in eight groups
Two aspherical lens elements
Focal length:
23 mm (equivalent to 35 mm in 35 mm format)
Apertures:
1.7 to 16 (1/3 EV increments)
Focusing range:
20 cm to infinity
Focusing options:
One-point, 11-point, spot, face detection
Image sensor:
APS-C CMOS image sensor with 16.5 megapixels (effective 16.2 megapixels)
Resolution:
JPEG in 3:2 format: 4928 × 3264 pixels (16.1 megapixels), 4272 × 2856 pixels (12.2 megapixels), 3264 × 2160 pixels (7.1 megapixels), 2144 × 1424 pixels (3.1 megapixels), 1632 × 1080 pixels (1.8 megapixels)
DNG in 3:2 format: 4944 × 3278 pixels (16.2 megapixels)
Video:
1080p, 30 fps
720p, 30 fps
Image quality:
JPEG super fine, JPEG fine, DNG and JPEG super fine, DNG and JPEG fine
Exposure control
Exposure modes:
Automatic programme (P), automatic aperture priority (A), manual setting (M)
Exposure compensation:
Increments: 1/3 EV steps, range: ±3 EV
Automatic exposure bracketing:
1/3 to 3 EV increments, three exposures
Metering modes:
Smart multi-segment metering, centre-weighted metering, spot metering
White balance:
Auto, halogen, daylight, flash, cloudy, shade, electronic flash, two manual settings, manual colour temperature setting with fine tuning
Sensitivity:
Auto, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 3200, ISO 6400, ISO 12500
Shutter speeds:
30 s to 1/2000 s
Continuous shooting:
3 fps or 5 fps, max. seven consecutive exposures with constant shooting speed in DNG- and JPEG-fine quality
Film modes:
Standard, dynamic, natural, b/w natural, b/w high contrast
Flash
Modes:
Auto, flash exposure correction, red-eye correction, fill-in flash, slow sync, studio, first/second curtain sync
Hot shoe:
Compatible with Leica flash units and accessory finders
Monitor:
3″ TFT LCD with 920,000 pixels, wide viewing angle: 100%
Review modes:
16-thumbnail display, zoom review (16× max.), image rotation, deletion protection
Storage media
Internal memory:
None
Memory cards:
SD, SDHC, SDXC
Interfaces:
HDMI out, USB (USB 2.0 high speed)
Battery (rechargeable lithium-ion):
Capacity: approx. 350 exposures
Dimensions (W × H × D):
Approx. 133 × 73 × 78 mm
Weight:
Approx. 451/486 g (without/with battery)
Package includes:
Battery (Leica BP-DC8), battery charger (Leica BC-DC8), battery case, leather carrying strap, USB cable, lens cap, user manual
Software:
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® (free download option after product registration)
About Leica Camera
Leica Camera AG is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the construction of lenses. And today, in combination with innovative technologies, Leica products continue to guarantee better pictures in all situations in the worlds of visualisation and perception. Leica Camera AG has its headquarters in Wetzlar, in the state of Hesse in Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The company operates branch offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Italy, Australia and the USA. New and innovative products have been the driving force behind the company’s positive development in recent years.
