Customer Reviews

Photographer's Guide to the Leica D-Lux 4: Getting the Most from Leica's Compact Digital Camera

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the kind of book I wish Leica included in the box when I bought my D-Lux4 camera. What I like most about this book is the fact that the author manages to use an informal - I'd almost say friendly - style while still providing a comprehensive and thorough coverage of the camera's features. Nothing has been left aside.

Before digging in the book, my initial concern was that it would be one of these books that just paraphrase manuals, and don't provide any added value apart their weight of paper. Starting from the first chapter and on, I quickly realized that this wasn't the case with this book. You can sense that the author is communicating with you his experience and enthusiasm about that camera, and photography in general. The book goes to the essential of each feature, and the author doesn't forget to share a few tips and insights.
It's a good complement to the user manual which can be terse and which doesn't explain much in terms of concepts. This book makes a good job at filling that gap, with its hands-on approach. Less theory, more practice!

This book is very readable: not too light that you'd think it's just a big cheat-sheet of some kind, and not too dense that you'd fall asleep and feel the urge to put the book back on the shelf! Some of the intimidating or even obscure features of the camera are well explained, encouraging you to use them. I feel that I was learning something, as if a friendly person was really trying to show me and teach me something about the D-Lux4.

Another plus, is that the format of the book makes it convenient to go around and have it handy when on trip. In other words, a good field book. I think that anyone who bought a D-Lux4 should do themselves a favor and grab one copy of this book.
A rare book, and hopefully a good example to follow by other authors. Highly recommended.

I personally own a Leica DLux 4 and my biggest complaint was that the manual that comes with the camera was not only poorly written but lacking in depth.

This book is easy to read, comprehensive with detailed instructions on how the camera works and what makes it tick. I am sure that Leica DLux 4 owners will appreciate the time and the effort that was taken to make this available.

The documentation that was included with my newly purchased Lumix LX3 fell somewhere between vague and incomprehensible. When I found this book on Amazon I figured it couldn't be any worse. If Leica and Panasonic were smart they would include the book with the camera purchase. It has unlocked the full potential of the camera to me. I went from ambivalence to real enthusiasm for this wonderful pocket-able camera. The book is well written. It is clear and precise and actually corrects errors in the manufacturers documentation as well as describing features not included in the OEM manual. If you buy either the Leica or the Panasonic Lumix LX3, BUY THIS BOOK.

This book fills a long felt need for a good, simple to understand and comprehensive book on the delightful D-Lux 4 camera. Such a book was awaited for a long time and in the meanwhile people had to make do with supplementary material from the Panasonic LX3 manual. The original manual required you to 'read between the lines', which need is obviated by this book - I guess the author being an attorney helps ...
I would have liked to see more information on custom settings and finer adjustments to the camera to suit various photographic preferences and shooting situations. That would really help people far along the path to discover the latent capabilities of this very capable camera.

I bought this book to use with the LX3 which is the same camera as the Leica under a different name. I have had the camera for a year. I have learned more in the last week about it's functions than in the entire time I have owned the camera. Well written, easy to understand and just plain readable. I have purchased third part camera manuals in the past for a number of different cameras. This one I actually read. Get this book. There is far more under the hood of this camera than you will ever discover on your own...

LX-3 owners often hear that their camera is the same as the D-Lux4, and after reading this book I can assure you that this is the case. All the features ( aside from the Red Dot, of course) every bit of the software and all the menu frames are exactly the same, right down to the fonts on the screen, so you will not be risking anything in the way of compatibility in deciding to buy this book. Plus you will be saving yourself mounds of irritation and many hours of time by purchasing this book at the very same time that you purchase your camera. There is quite a bit to learn about the LX-3 ( too much, it may seem at times ) and factory manual is just as frustrating as you may have heard it to be, so you would not be remiss in shelling out the money and using this easier-to-understand book right from the beginning.

This manual covers all of those things Leica vaguly explains in their manual and introduces fatures not covered by Leica. If you want to get the most from your Leica D-Lux 4 read this book. The book is well written in a none technical manner.

Thank goodness for White's lucid treatment of the Leica D-Lux 4! He really makes it easy to understand this camera. Although I have a Nikon digital SLR, I like to take my Leica with me everywhere, and this book quickly showed me how to use all the featurs and settings. We really needed a book like this.

The title says it all. If you own this Leica camera, this book is a must. It should have been penned by Leica itself. Forget the owners manuel which is poorly written. This book is all you will ever need to maximize the functions of this camera.

I wanted a good point and shoot for those times when too much camera equipment (DSLR w/lenses) would be in the way. After much research, I decided on the Lumix lx3 (country cousin to the Leica D-Lux 4), and to my suprise, received one as a birthday gift. It is a beautiful little gem w/a Leica lense. However, the instruction book is a nightmare to comprehend. I was so frustrated that I went on line asking if anyone knew of an adjunt /attendnat book to asist me. BINGO! I located a reference to Alexander S. White's book, PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO THE LEICA D-LUX 4, in a review of the Lica camera. As the two cameras are identical (well almost)I ordered the book. I promise that if you purchase this great little book, you will enjoy your cameras even more than you do presently. I have a library stocked with just about every instruction and guide book for each Canon camera I have owned and presently own. Mr White's book is on a par with the best of these. The highest praise to ths author and his very well written book is to say that it reads as if my father had written it. He was a great amature photographer and taught me (over 40 yrs ago) the the love of this hobby...step by step. Cheers to Mr. White for a job well done.