Leica has announced a new travel zoom compact camera, the C-Lux. We say new, but it's actually a re-badged Panasonic Lumix ZS200 (known as the Lumix TZ200 / TZ220 outside the US).
This means the C-Lux features a 15x optical zoom lens with a coverage of 24-360mm and a maximum aperture of f/3.3-6.4, while the lens can focus down to 3cm to capture macro shots.
There's also a relatively large 1-inch sensor with a 20.1MP resolution and an ISO limit of 25,600. The C-Lux shoots both raw and JPEG, and can capture 4K video footage up to 30p. It also has Panasonic's 4K PHOTO technology, enabling users to extract single frames from 4K burst files shot at 30fps and save them as 8MP equivalent images.
Round the back is a neat little built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with an impressive 2.3m-dot resolution and a magnification of 0.53x. There's a large 3-inch touchscreen, and a sensor that switches off the main screen and activates the EVF when the camera is held to the eye.
Unique colors and accessories
For the brand-conscious the all-important Leica 'red dot' is on the front of the C-Lux, which is finished in attractive light gold or midnight blue. Perhaps the most noticeable difference between the C-Lux and the ZS200 is the leatherette finish on the exterior of the C-Lux, where the ZS200 has a less grippy smooth metal finish.
As you'd expect for a Leica compact, there's a range of premium cases, pouches and straps.
Whereas in the past you've have paid a considerable premium for a Leica version of a Panasonic compact camera, the difference between the Lumix ZS200 and C-Lux is a bit more modest, although it'll still be hard to justify for many – at $1,050 / £875, it's $250 / £146 more than the Lumix ZS200. Australian pricing is still to be confirmed.
