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Leica, the timeless german photo camera brand is launching a beautiful and elegant edition of its D-Lux 5. This time the known model wears a Titanium dress for a “less is more” touch, coherent with the brand.

The existing D-Lux 5 was already a beautiful achievement for a very compact and yet performant camera. Here it gets a beautiful “dress” made on titanium for a subtle and elegant result.

Equipped with the same high-performance technical specifications as the standard Leica D-Lux 5 model, the Leica D-Lux 5 Titanium includes a fast 5.1 – 19.2mm f/2 – 3.3 ASPH. zoom lens with a focal length range from 24 to 90 mm (35 mm equivalent), suitable for a wide variety of situations including wide-angle landscape and macro photography.

Leica D-Lux 5 Titanium_with leather caseThe camera’s 1/1.63” CCD image sensor, with a resolution of 10.1 megapixels, is unusually large for a compact model, and is perfectly attuned to the Leica lens together with the electronics and software, producing images with outstandingly natural colour rendition, superb sharpness and high contrast. The exceptionally fast maximum aperture makes it an ideal camera for ‘available light’ photography.

With clearly laid-out menus and straightforward operation of its comprehensive range of features and manual settings, the versatile Leica D-Lux 5 Titanium offers intuitive handling in all photographic situations, from creative image design to spontaneous reportage-style shots, as well as when using the camera’s 1,280 x 720 pixel HD movie recording feature. The camera delivers images in 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 formats as well as 1:1, a particularly interesting format for creative composition.

Furthermore, the 3” LCD screen, with its wide viewing angle and 460,000 pixel resolution, enables accurate framing and composition, as well as high quality, detailed image review. The Leica D-Lux 5 Titanium comes with (as a download) Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3, professional processing software that allows photographers to develop RAW image files and maintain complete control over the development process applied to their images. The high quality, complementary grey calf leather case is included in the set.

Leica_D-Lux5_Titanium_Case

All these features sign these camera on the great tradition of Leica cameras since the origin. The first Leica prototypes were built by Oskar Barnack at Ernst Leitz Optische Werke, Wetzlar, in 1913. Intended as a compact camera for landscape photography, particularly during mountain trips, the Leica was the first practical 35 mm camera, using standard cinema 35 mm film. The Leica transports the film horizontally, extending the frame size to 24×36 mm, with a 2:3 aspect ratio, instead of the 18×24 mm used by LeicaIIIf-600cinema cameras which transported the film vertically. The Leica went through several iterations, and in 1923 Barnack convinced his boss, Ernst Leitz II, to make a pre-production series of 31 cameras for testing in the factory and by outside photographers. Although the prototypes received a mixed reception, Ernst Leitz took the decision in 1924 that the camera would be manufactured for sale. The camera was an immediate success when introduced at the 1925 LeipzigSpring Fair as the Leica I (for Leitz camera). The focal plane shutter had a range from 1/20 to 1/500 second, in addition to a Z for Zeit (time) position.

In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica (LEItz CAmera), due to the strength of the Leica brand. At this time, Leica moved its factory from Wetzlar to the nearby town ofSolms. In 1996 Leica Camera separated from the Leica Group and became a publicly held company.

The Leica is particularly associated with street photography, especially in the mid-to-late 20th century, being used by such noted photographers as Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Leica cameras, lenses, accessories and sales literature are collectibles. There are dozens of Leica books and collector’s guides, notably the 3-volume Leica, an Illustrated History by James L. Lager. Early or rare cameras and accessories can reach very high prices on the market.

So Leica continues to write its legend in order to cross years in a timeless elegance that makes lots of important Brands looking like simple electronic gadgets. Check the Brand official website for more information: www.leica-camera.com.

LA

info sourced at wikipedia.com, leica-camera.com and Official Press file.
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