Leica D-Lux 4 (2008)

At 228 grams, it slips into a jacket pocket. It carries a 24-60mm f/2.0 lens.

Overview

The Leica D-Lux 4 is a serious camera without much flash. Introduced in September 2008, this compact digital was built for photographers who wanted manual control in a pocketable body, wrapped in Leica's minimalist design. It's a 10.1-megapixel machine built around a 1/1.63-inch CCD sensor. That's modest by today's standards, but at the time it delivered high image quality and versatility in a small package. It does well in low light thanks to a fast Leica DC Vario-Summicron 5.1-12.8mm f/2.0-2.8 lens, which works out to a 24-60mm equivalent in 35mm terms. An f/2.0 aperture at the wide end was rare in compacts then, and it's still one of the camera's standout features.

Owners report quick autofocus and responsive handling. You get full manual exposure control (P, A, S, M modes) and RAW (DNG) support, which appealed to enthusiasts who didn't want point-and-shoot automation. The 3.0-inch TFT LCD with 460,000 dots was sharp for its era. There's no built-in optical viewfinder, but an optional electronic viewfinder (DMW-LVF1) attaches via the hot shoe. Image stabilization is Panasonic's MEGA O.I.S., which points to the camera's underlying engineering partner.

Burst shooting runs at 2.5 frames per second, with a buffer of up to 8 full-resolution images in standard quality mode. It isn't built for action, but it's enough for candid street work. The camera records JPEGs compliant with DCF and Exif 2.21 standards and saves lossless DNG files for post-processing flexibility. The flash is built in, with a range of 0.3-8.5 meters at wide angle (ISO Auto), and external flash units work via the hot shoe. Connectivity is USB 2.0 High Speed and AV output (NTSC/PAL). Power comes from a 3.7V, 1150mAh Li-ion battery, good for approximately 380 shots per charge (CIPA standard).

Specifications

Historical Context

The Leica D-Lux 4 shares almost everything with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. Sources suggest it is, for all practical purposes, the same camera: same lens, same sensor, same 2.5x zoom, even assembled on the same production line. The differences are firmware tuning, the Leica-branded lens designation, and a more restrained look. Panasonic marketed the LX3 as a high-end compact, while Leica positioned the D-Lux 4 as a premium tool for discerning photographers, despite the shared hardware. It sits in a line of badge-engineered collaborations between the two companies.

Collectibility & Value

The Leica D-Lux 4 launched at $899.00, a steep premium over the Panasonic LX3. Prices today still show that divide. Used units have been listed as low as $150 USD on Reddit, while professional resellers like MPB have priced them at $544, which suggests condition and completeness affect value a lot. Collectors note that the camera has a loyal following but also reliability issues. Some units show lens malfunctions on power-up, with the zoom mechanism cycling erratically. Other reported problems include LCD screens failing to illuminate and video playback showing an abnormal blue tint. Connection issues with the Leica FOTOS app have also been mentioned, though this may come from modern smartphone compatibility rather than the camera itself. Despite these flaws, owners report satisfaction - "I got the Leica D-Lux 4 and am ever so happy with it" - and praise its image quality and handling.

Market Value

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEICA D-LUX 4                                                   Nov 2026 │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ High      $499                                    Latest            $271 │
│ Median    $334                                    Trend                — │
│ Low       $257                                    Volume          ~16/mo │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   $500 ┤                                                                 │
│        │   .                  .                  .                       │
│        │  .                                       .              .       │
│   $371 ┤   .         .    .   .          .          .    .    .         .│
│        │..            ...  .          ..  . .  .      .        . ..   .. │
│        │ ..   ..      .   .     .         ...   .. ..  .    .      ....  │
│        │               .                  ..   .          .          .  .│
│   $200 ┤                                                                 │
│        ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│    vol │▂▅▅▅  ▂▂     ▂▅▅▂ ▅▅  ▅ ▂     ▂▂ ▂█▅▅  ▅▂█▂▂█ ▂█ ▂▂ ▂ ▂▂ ▅▂▂▂▅▅▂▅│
│        └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│         2026-04                      2026-06                      2026-07│
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

eBay Listings

Recently sold on eBay: $275–$424 (median $334, based on 64 completed sales, past 12 months)

Leica D-LUX 4 Compact Digital Camera Black 10.1mp w/ Case SD

$350

Leica D-LUX 4 10.1MP 3.8x Optical Zoom Compact Digital Camer

$375

95%New Leica D-LUX 4 Digital Camera Fully Tested W/SD Card C

$245

Leica D-LUX 4 10.1MP 3.8x Optical Zoom Compact Digital Camer

$354

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