A Better Point-N-Shoot

As I've previously stated, I have always had a hard time warming up to point-n-shoot cameras, digital or otherwise.  I'm a 35mm SLR guy from way back and I've always liked being able to twiddle the knobs to control my exposures. A few years ago, I finally took the plunge on a Pentax DSLR camera and have accumulated an assortment of lenses but as much as I enjoy using that gear, sometimes it's nice to keep things simpler in order to stay in the moment.

As I was getting into the Pentax gear, I picked up a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 bridge camera. It was a point-n-shoot with a zoom lens made by Leica. It was only 5MP resolution and although I was intrigued with it, I finally sold it on, more than doubling my money. While I didn't have any seller's remorse, the idea of an affordable camera that has some Leica DNA has stayed with me.

A year or so after that, I acquired another Leica-lensed Lumix, a DMC SZ1 pocket point-n-shoot. It takes amazing photos for its size, but size is one of its shortcomings in that it's almost too small to handle and I don't have big hands. Still, I've kept that one for those times when I just want to have a camera along but it's not the main focus of what I'm doing.

Eventually, I came across a newer and more sophisticated Lumix, a DMC-FZ35, again with a Leica lens. This one seems to combine the best of what the two previous cameras have to offer in a little more SLR like configuration. Lightweight and comfortable to carry, I thought this was my ultimate point-n-shoot until I came across its larger, slightly older sibling, the DMC-FZ50.

At a glance, this camera could easily be confused for a DSLR. It's beefy, heavier than the FZ35, and zoom and manual focus functions are on lens rings like a DSLR. Unlike the SZ1 and FZ35, which feature Leica designed lenses, the FZ50 was actually co-developed with Leica, which sold a variant of the camera as the V-LUX 1. Some critics like to say Leica's V-LUX1 isn't a real Lieca but rather a Panasonic in Leica clothing. It could as easily be said that the FZ50 offered an opportunity to own what is essentially a Leica without paying a Leica price for it.

The main difference between the Lumix and Leica variants was in the firmware, but according to what reviews I can find, the differences, other than cosmetics and Leica's three-year warranty, were minimal and neither variant was significantly better than the other. For considerable premium one would pay for the Leica name, I'm sure many buyers had no hesitation to "settle" for the Lumix.