Anyone who even remotely considers themselves a photography fan will have lusted over a Leica at some point in their lives – but most will have quickly discounted the thought after seeing how much the fixed-lens and mirrorless cameras usually go for. That could change in July, when the Leica D-Lux 8 will make its full debut.
Leica has officially confirmed the fixed-lens compact is on the way, with a radical glow-up that closely mirrors the phenomenal Leica Q3. That will remain the full-frame flagship, with the D-Lux 8 using the same 4/3in CMOS sensor as the outgoing D-Lux 7. That camera’s Vario-Summilux 10.9–34mm, f/1.7–2.8 lens will also make a return here.
Unlike the D-Lux 7, which was a joint effort with Panasonic that borrowed heavily from the LX100 II, the new model will be an all-Leica creation. That means a much simpler set of controls at the rear, a stripped-back top plate and a new touchscreen interface inspired by the Q range.
Judging by the few images released so far, it’ll also pair with Leica’s Fotos app, and will feature an electronic viewfinder – something I thought was sorely missing from the recently-launched Panasonic Lumix S9. It seems like the rear touchscreen will be fixed, as it was on the previous generation, rather than gaining any sort of tilt or flip-out abilities. I can’t tell if the body is machined from metal, like the Q3.
Updating the D-Lux for 2024 makes a lot of sense. Rangefinder-style compact cameras have been racking up millions of social media views lately, with the Fujifilm X100VI almost instantly going onto back-order straight from launch. And seeing how Sony, Panasonic and Nikon have all taken the interchangeable lens approach, that only really left Leica and Ricoh competing in the fixed-lens space.
Leica will only talk pricing on July 2, when the D-Lux 8 will be officially launched, and I’m in no way expecting it to be a value champion. True, the D-Lux 7 launched in 2018 for $999/£1195, but that’s considerably less than what Fuji is currently asking for an X100VI. I’m betting it’ll still command a premium – but be considerably easier on the wallet than the £5000+ Q3.