Leica point and shoot digital camera?

Question

Can someone tell me where Leica's P/S are made? Are they better than other brands? I'm looking for a really good P/S, not like the toys from Nikon.

Many thanks!

Answer 1

Leica P&S cameras are made by Panasonic as others have already said. They are probably better than Panasonic brands since Leica would specify the manufacturering standards to be applied, but it's not right to assume that they are better than all cameras including "toys" from Nikon.

Leica doesn't need to build the best P&S cameras. It has a well known reputation world wide so people will buy their products whether they're good or not. The name does the selling not the quality

I was seriously considering a Leica range finder for $5000 a while back. I was seduced by the name and the alleged quality. By the time I was done I realized that this camera didn't really do much at all, it wasn't better built and the pictures it took weren't among the most outstanding on the market at all. In fact the reviews were not complimentary at all. It's no different with their P&S cameras.

So I bought a Nikon toy, the D200 instead for $1,600. What's interesting is that the Nikon is better built than the Leica rangefinder and its so richly functional I am consistently getting outstanding images many of which I would never have gotten from the Leica because it doesn't provide the tools and functions needed even though it's three times the price.

If you need to impress your friends then by all means buy the Leica but just keep in mind you'll impress them with the camera but not necessariily with the pictures it will take. There are better cameras on the market from Canon and Nikon that produce better pictures.

Answer 2

The Nikon P5000 is an outstanding camera (for the money) you will like the Leicas but they will cost you. The thing you need to understand is Leica p\s cameras are built by Panasonic with the Leica name on them the lens is not even true Leica. If it was the cameras would cost in the 5000.00 range just cause of the glass. A better camera (more dependable) is the Canon G7 at 489.00 its 10mp a 6x zoom
the best glass lens canon makes (it is canon glass) and its not to big of a camera http://www.hoopercamerasales.com/product.asp?pf_id=67305 tell them Howard sent you good luck

Answer 3

To my knowledge, Leica branded point and shoots are made by Panasonic.

I personally would not pay any extra for a Leica branded point and shoot based on this information.

Answer 4

The Leica will have so many more possibilities than you will ever use, but you will pay for them. Look into a Lumix (Panasonic) P/S. They have Leica lenses. Sony bought Minolta, so you might want to investigate their products. Both Canon and Olympus are good, but I would lean toward Canon.

Answer 5

if your expectations are high, then why in the hell are you looking at a p&s? Even with traveling, sorry, but I will not use anything less than a good pro-summer DSLR. I've seen a pretty decent Sony T50 7.2mp camera at Costco, but still I hate those little pieces of crap. Yes, you can take some decent photos with them, but they will never ever be as good as a DSLR. Size matters, and even when I hike to the top of a mountain I still feel it is worth carrying the best camera I have... otherwise what is the use of doing all that work and paying all that money for traveling only to get sh1tty photos.