Leica D-Lux 8

Compact digital cameras like the $1,595 Leica D-Lux 8 are now back in demand as young creators look for alternatives to smartphones and bulky interchangeable lens models. One of the few recent entries to the market, this luxury-grade point-and-shoot offers some UI improvements over the discontinued D-Lux 7 but otherwise provides the same image quality. Its combination of a wide-aperture zoom lens and a Four Thirds format image sensor lets you capture backgrounds with an optical blur, while an eye-level electronic viewfinder (EVF) helps you frame your shots. But some aspects feel dated, including the lack of subject recognition and the limited 4K recording options. The $1,599.95 Fujifilm X100VI is hands-down the best fixed-lens camera we've ever tested, so it remains our Editors' Choice winner, though the D-Lux 8's zoom lens might still sway you in its direction, especially if you can't find the X100VI in stock.

Design: The Same as It Ever Was

The D-Lux 8 is technically a new camera, but its basic design dates back a couple of generations to the D-Lux (Typ 109), which Panasonic also sold as the LX100. The D-Lux 7 and LX100 II followed after the originals. All share the same basic exterior design, record images with a Four Thirds CMOS sensor, and use a 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 equivalent lens that supports 43mm creative filters. For the D-Lux 8, Leica reduces the number of control buttons on the rear, switches to a USB-C connector, and swaps out the older menus for an interface that's consistent with that of its M11-P rangefinder, SL3 mirrorless, and Q3 fixed-lens cameras. Otherwise, the D-Lux 7 and 8 offer the same picture quality and autofocus system.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

At 2.7 by 4.7 by 2.4 inches (HWD) and 14 ounces, the D-Lux 8 lands between truly small options like the $1,069.95 Ricoh GR III HDF (2.4 by 4.3 by 1.3 inches, 9.1 ounces) and larger models like the Fuji X100VI (2.9 by 5.0 by 2.2 inches, 1.2 pounds), both of which pair a prime lens with a stabilized APS-C sensor. By contrast, the D-Lux adds optical stabilization to its zoom lens. As for portability, the Ricoh slides easily into most pockets, while the Fuji X100VI is a little too ample for anything shy of a jacket or cargo pants. I can fit the D-Lux 8 into the side pocket of my pants, but its protruding lens makes it a little tough to fish out.

The D-Lux 8 mostly uses magnesium alloy for its chassis, with some plastics here and there. It matches an anodized matte black finish with a leatherette wrap and Leica's iconic red dot logo for a stylish look. The body doesn't have any level of weather protection, and Leica doesn't bill it as such. A representative from the company says they had good results using the camera in the rainy Seattle weather, but I wasn't able to confirm this since I didn't run into any gray days during my review period.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Leica bundles a basic wrist strap with the D-Lux, along with a lens cap and a small external flash. The flash slides into the hot shoe and draws power from the camera. Upscale add-ons like leather half-cases and more substantial straps are available separately.

Competition: Upscale Compacts Face Stock Issues

The D-Lux 8's asking price is somewhat high, but far from an outlier when it comes to premium digital compact cameras. The Fujifilm X100VI costs about the same, and Ricoh's various GR III and GR IIIx variants run north of $1,000, too. Not too many other cameras put as large a sensor into a compact body, and demand is as high as it has even been, so you might have to wait on a back order list to get any of them.

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Availability isn't much better for alternatives with smaller Type 1 image sensors, which aren't quite as adept at blurring backgrounds. However, they tend to be smaller and cover a broader focal range. Among these cameras are the Sony RX100 VII ($1,299), Sony RX100 VA ($999), and Canon G7 X Mark II ($699).

Controls: Fewer Buttons Than the D-Lux 7

Leica is undergoing a minimalist movement when it comes to button layouts, so it's not shocking to see the D-Lux 8 shy away from the D-Lux 7's rather cluttered arrangement. The latest model includes an aperture ring around the lens, a shutter speed and flexible thumb wheel on top, and a four-way controller with Play and Menu buttons on the rear.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Otherwise, you get aspect ratio and focus mode toggles on the lens barrel and a pair of adjustable, unmarked function buttons on the rear that switch between the EVF and LCD and between the photo and video modes by default. The button at the center of the d-pad is also programmable—by default, it toggles the amount of information you see on the rear display frame preview. To change any of their functions, simply hold them down and select the option you want from a pop-up menu.

The physical buttons provide full control over exposure, though creators who prefer to let the camera handle it can set both the shutter and aperture to auto. Otherwise, the thumb wheel is handy for adjusting scene brightness (EV compensation), and the wheel's central control button lets you adjust the ISO sensitivity by default.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

An on-screen menu supplements the physical buttons and includes a host of options (file format, focus mode, continuous drive, and the like). It's fully navigable by touch, but you can also use the d-pad to page through items. Press the menu button once to reach the on-screen menu or twice to reach the full multi-page menu. Finally, tap the shutter release to return to taking photos.

Viewfinder and LCD: No Tilting Screen

The D-Lux's EVF is a bit dated but still shows a quality picture. It's large to the eye with a 0.74x magnification rating, has a relatively smooth refresh rate (switchable between 30 and 60fps), and offers a decent resolution of 2.4 million dots (though resolution drops noticeably as the camera drives autofocus). The viewfinder shows a slightly larger image than the one for the X100VI (0.66x magnification), though the latter is sharper (3.7 million dots) and refreshes at up to 100fps. The X100VI's hybrid finder also has an optical mode, but that's a feature unique to the Fuji line. That said, displays on newer cameras do tend to cover a wider color gamut than that of the Leica.

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The 3-inch rear LCD is also competent. It's bright enough to use on a sunny day, offers good viewing angles, and has sufficient resolution (1.8 million dots) to show image details. Its touch input works quite well, too. The only knock is the lack of articulation—there's no hinge for tilt, and it doesn't face forward for selfies. The X100VI's tilting screen makes it easier to get photos from different angles and perspectives.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Power and Connectivity: USB-C Charging and Leica Fotos

The D-Lux 8 sheds the 7's micro USB port in favor of a USB-C connector, as mentioned. The change is necessary due to EU regulations and makes charging more convenient. However, the D-Lux 8 doesn't support the UVC/UAC protocols to work as a plug-and-play webcam. There is a micro HDMI port for video out, though I don't expect many people will use it, given the camera's limited video abilities. Still, you could use it to connect a streaming stick like the Atomos Connect if you have a burning desire to make the D-Lux 8 your camera for YouTube streaming or web conferencing.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The battery life is just average: 240 EVF/300 LCD images per charge based on CIPA standards. It's a decent estimate for single-exposure photography with some light video recording. I knocked the charge down by about half during a photo outing in which I snapped around 140 pictures over the course of four hours. The Fuji X100VI lasts longer between charges (450 exposures), giving it a leg up as a travel camera. For the D-Lux 8, I recommend packing a spare battery or a USB power bank for extended outings. The official Leica BP-DC15 battery is pricey ($115), but you can get a generic replacement for much less or use the Panasonic DMW-BLG10 ($45) if you prefer a name-brand option.

The camera includes a single UHS-I SDXC card slot within the battery compartment like on most other small cameras. I would have liked Leica to add internal memory to the D-Lux series as it has with the M11 rangefinder and Q3 compact, but that's not an option for now. The Adobe Content Credentials system (which digitally signs pictures for tracking edits) isn't available either. It's likely not a selling point or deal breaker for the D-Lux crowd, but it's curious that Leica hasn't put it in any subsequent releases since the first-to-market M11-P.

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The D-Lux 8 works with the Leica Fotos smartphone app, a free download for Android and iOS. For this camera, the app enables wireless transfers, remote control, geotagging, and date and time sync. You can transfer JPGs, Raw DNGs, and movies, though the latter can take some time. A 16-second 4K24 MP4 clip takes nearly two minutes to copy to my iPhone, for instance. Expect about 20 seconds for a DNG transfer and a reasonable five seconds for each JPG. I recommend batching photos for transfer to save time since the initial handshake between the app and the camera takes a few seconds.

Autofocus: Contrast Focus Mostly Gets the Job Done

There aren't too many question marks about the D-Lux 8's autofocus and imaging engines since both are carryovers from the D-Lux 7 and the Panasonic LX100 II. The D-Lux uses a contrast-based focus system with support for face and eye detection. It supports continuous focus and drive at up to 11fps for as many as 100 (JPG) or 13 (Raw DNG) shots.

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By contrast, most modern cameras, including the X1000VI, use phase detect focus. This type of system offers superior predictive tracking for action and often comes with special modes to identify birds or keep track of athletes moving across the pitch at speed. The D-Lux 8's design and coverage range make little sense for action photography, of course, so there's not a compelling reason for it to focus perfectly on birds or on-field competitors. That said, face and eye detection for pets would be a welcome addition, and phase detection would prevent the in-to-out-of-focus flutter that comes with a contrast system during video recordings.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Gripes about subject recognition aside, the D-Lux 8's autofocus is reliable. The camera snaps to a subject with no delay in its standard autofocus mode, though it can take about a half-second to lock in when you switch the lens to its Macro setting. On a positive note, the D-Lux 8 retains the ability to focus on distant subjects with the Macro mode active, in contrast to the Ricoh GR III and IIIx. I prefer the convenience of full-range focus in the Macro mode, even if it comes at the expense of a slower response.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

I also like how easy it is to swap focus modes. The lens has a toggle for AF, Macro AF, and MF, while the on-screen display menu includes a touch icon to swap between single (AF-S) and continuous (AF-C) autofocus. For close-ups, the lens can focus as near as 19.7 inches in its standard mode or 1.2 inches in Macro mode at its widest angle. At 75mm, the camera focus to around 16.5 inches with standard autofocus and 11.8 inches in Macro mode. Leica doesn't list a maximum magnification rating for the camera, but I found it more than adequate for photos of flowers and the like.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Manual focus works well since the lens has a discrete focus ring that turns with a pleasing amount of resistance. You get visual aids to assist, too. The EVF uses peaking to highlight in-focus areas of your picture in blue, green, red, or white, and the EVF punches in for a magnified view as soon as you turn the focus ring. The lens optics don't show any visible focus breathing for video, so you can rack focus from one subject to another without any observable change to the angle of view.

Imaging: A Bright Lens and Large Sensor

The D-Lux 8's 10.9-34mm f/1.7-2.8 zoom lens is a known quantity since it's the third camera from Leica (and fifth overall if you count the Panasonic LX100 and LX100 II) to use it. In full-frame terms, it's equivalent to a 24-75mm standard zoom. The wide 24mm angle matches up with the main lens on most smartphones and is useful for scenes like landscapes and group portraits, while the 75mm angle is ideal for head-and-shoulder portraits or subjects at a moderate distance from the camera.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The D-Lux supports multiple aspect ratios, switchable via an on-barrel toggle. Options include 1:1 (square), 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 (for widescreen TVs). The camera uses a multi-aspect design rather than a simple crop, so you realize a slightly wider (left to right) frame at 3:2 and 16:9 compared with 4:3. The differences in width are slight—the 16:9 frame is 416 pixels wider than the 4:3—so this doesn't make a practical difference.

I used Imatest to check the lens performance in the lab. The D-Lux 8's pixel count varies slightly based on the aspect ratio: 16.8MP at 4:3, 16.2MP at 3:2, and 14.9MP at 16:9. I used 3:2 for lens labs since that ratio matches the shape of the test target I use for lenses.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The lens puts up excellent numbers for a 16MP image overall, especially with the aperture closed down by one to two stops. At 24mm and f/1.7-2.8, I see around 2,100 lines at the center and softer results toward the edges for an average score of 1,730. Results are clearer across the frame (2,050 lines average, 2,400 lines center) from f/4-8. The lens is a little better at 50mm. It scores 1,950 lines on average (2,200 lines at the center) wide-open at f/2.7 and ticks up at f/4-8 (2,200 lines average, 2,500 lines center). At 75mm and f/2.8, it pretty closely matches the results from the 24mm focal length (1,800 lines average, 2,000 lines center). Scores improve slightly at f/4-8 (2,100 lines average, 2,500 lines center). Higher-pixel compacts have a huge advantage in Imatest evaluations—the 40MP Fuji X100VI scores 4,200 lines wide open—but the D-Lux 8 holds its own.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Like other Four Thirds sensor cameras, the apparent resolution of the D-Lux 8's pictures drops at very small apertures. Thus, it's a good idea to avoid f/11-16 unless you want to get sunstars. The same optical diffraction that scatters light and reduces resolution causes small points of light to render as 18-point starbursts, an optical quirk that some landscape photographers like to induce. The D-Lux's sunstars look quite good, though they can show false purple color and some rainbow ghosting if the sun hits the lens directly. To reduce false color in scenes, try to partially obscure the sun with branches, leaves, or similar foreground objects.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Generally, flare is not a problem with the lens. Some purple haze is visible at wider apertures if you point the lens directly at the sun, but that's the worst thing I have to say about it. Detail and contrast shine through in these backlit shots, so it's one area where the D-Lux beats the Fuji X100VI. The Fuji's lens is more likely to lose contrast and show flare against a strong backlight or when the sun is just outside of the frame. Whereas I recommend adding a lens hood to the Fuji for outdoor photos, I don't think it's necessary for the D-Lux 8. Regardless, it's easy enough to grab an aftermarket hood for extra protection or to further cut down on what flare is visible.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

As mentioned, the D-Lux uses lens-based optical image stabilization (OIS) rather than in-body sensor shift like the X100VI and Ricoh GR III. For photos, I had a hard time noticing a difference in effectiveness. I was able to extend the shutter to a lengthy 1/4-second exposure without any evidence of blur from handshake in testing. That said, I missed having an in-lens neutral density (ND) filter to cut incoming light for long-exposure shots—both the X100VI and the non-HDF versions of the Ricoh GR III and IIIx have one. An ND filter is all but a requirement for video, too. Typically, you want to use a 1/60-second shutter to get natural motion for 30fps video, and bright light makes it challenging to get that shutter speed at wide apertures.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Speaking of movies, the OIS isn't as effective for video as it is for stills. The D-Lux does a good job for static shots, but IBIS better smooths out shots in which you're walking around or otherwise jostling the camera during a take.

The Four Thirds format sensor and f/1.7-2.8 maximum aperture range allow ample opportunity for photos with a shallow depth of field and blurred backgrounds. The blur is largely free of false color—I didn't spot any purple or green halos related to the LoCA effect—but it falls short of being distraction-free. Defocused highlights show some false onion skin texture (a result of imperfections on the surface of molded aspheric lens elements) with hard, defined edges. These flaws are most visible when you catch bright, specular highlights in backgrounds and can make for a somewhat frenetic look.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The image sensor supports an ISO 100-25000 sensitivity range and records images in 8-bit JPG or 12-bit DNG format. The JPG engine is rather basic, with the expected set of color profiles (Standard, Vivid, Black-and-White, and the like). Direct competitors do far more with JPGs. The Fuji X100VI supports a full range of Film Simulations that you can adjust with film grain and color chrome effects, while the Ricoh GR III and IIIx offer Ricoh Recipes. Leica includes Leica Looks, a similar set of artsy JPG finishes with other cameras, but the D-Lux 8's image processor isn't new enough to support it.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The 12-bit Raw format offers some headroom for editing color and exposure. The D-Lux 8 moves away from a proprietary file format to Adobe DNG, giving you a bit more choice in processing software. I worked with images in the latest version of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC and noted that they hold up well against white balance, contrast, and other basic adjustments. But the 12-bit files don't retain as much data as you get with 14-bit captures from the GR III or X100VI—more noise is visible when you open up shadows or really push the exposure, and you get a bit less headroom to pull in overexposed highlights.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

As for noise performance without edits, the D-Lux 8 shows clear, sharp JPGs without any visible grain from ISO 100-800. Details soften slightly from ISO 1600-6400, and photos have a waxy look at ISO 12500-25000. If you opt for Raw DNG, the noise reduction depends on your processing software. Lightroom's default settings show more grain at higher ISOs but also more detail. The grain is evident starting at ISO 800 and ramps up as the sensitivity increases. The noise pattern is fine up through ISO 6400, while the grainy finish takes on a larger, rougher look at ISO 12500-25000. The Fuji X100VI is about a stop better across the range for comparison and includes an ISO 51200 option for extreme low-light scenarios.

Video: No IBIS and Cropped 4K

The D-Lux 8 supports 4K30 and 4K24 recording with a cropped angle of view, along with full-width 1080p60. You get 8-bit color with 4:2:0 sampling, H.264 compression, and 100Mbps (for 4K) or up to 28Mbps (for 1080p) encoding. All the same color profiles as for the JPGs are usable here.

This basic video toolkit won't satisfy creators with cinematic ambitions or vloggers who like to color correct video, but it's decent enough to record some travel video or get a clip to share on social media. Of course, premium smartphones are even better for quick 4K grabs—you won't have to deal with a cropped view, can take advantage of an ultra-wide lens, get the benefit of sensor stabilization, and can enable HDR color.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Vloggers can safely skip the D-Lux 8. Self-recording is all guesswork due to the lack of a front-facing screen, while the built-in, omnidirectional mic doesn't present voices very clearly. There's no way to add an external mic, either. If you want a compact that's better for video, look to the Sony ZV-1 Mark II. That camera offers a lens with a wider 18mm starting angle and an ND filter, a flip-forward screen for self-recording, and a three-capsule stereo mic with a windscreen (you can also attach an external mic).

Verdict: Capable, But Falls Short of Fresher Competition

Creators who are tired of using a smartphone for casual snaps but don't want to carry a full-on interchangeable lens model should seriously consider the Leica D-Lux 8. Its lens covers a useful zoom range and has bright optics for background blur and dim environments, while the camera body is small enough to slide into a side pocket. We can't deny its appeal as an entry point into Leica's storied ecosystem either, though we wish the rear screen supported tilt and that the imaging engine was a bit more modern. Overall, the superlative Fujifilm X100VI keeps our Editors' Choice award thanks to its top-notch prime lens, excellent handling, and more advanced photo and video capabilities. Of course, if you can't actually buy the X100VI—it's perpetually on back order—the D-Lux 8 is a suitable alternative with more versatile focal coverage.