Is Leica messing with us by releasing the Leica D-Lux 8?

*Since Leica has a tradition of rebranding Panasonic's camera, I thought I would take the opportunity to show some of my older pictures taken with the Panasonic LX10, which had a smaller 1" 20MP sensor.

In recent years, the rise of social media has reshaped the landscape of photography. The once-dominant DSLR cameras and interchangeable lens cameras have lost their allure as people's interests have shifted towards the dynamic world of video content, primarily influenced by platforms like TikTok.

When Instagram was dominant and still focused on photos, everyone on social media turned themselves into self-taught photographers. In order to appear professional, budding influencer photographers were into bigger interchangeable lens cameras. Without formal education in photography, sometimes influencers felt inadequate and needed a larger camera to boost their confidence. These cameras often posed as needed armor so people wouldn't question their skills. That trend contributed to the success of Sony's full-frame cameras.

When social media shifted towards videos, most people got used to creating content on their phones. Filming on the phone is much quicker and more efficient than using a professional camera. That's when people realize they didn't need a camera since their phones can cover different focus ranges.

If you are a photographer, you may argue how frequently you still use larger cameras. I don't argue the need for a professional camera for photographers; however, social media users have dictated these camera trends rather than traditional photographers. Regular, everyday people have influenced the camera industry as they are the people who bring them profit.

Even though online users tend to focus more on video content, people do value images as an excellent medium for capturing moments and memories. In addition, we have gone through the phase of film photography promoted by celebrities. Unfortunately, the compact film camera's popularity did not last due to the cost of film and the limitations of dying technology.

Following the compact film camera trend, people became passionate about older Digicam and compact cameras like the Ricoh GR series and the Fujifilm X100 series. Influencers have been painting the Ricoh and Fujifilm cameras as magical tools to give us the illusion of film photography, feeding our need to be nostalgic.

Personally, I do not think Digicam or the trending compact cameras shoot photos that are reminiscent of film photography. First of all, I came from the Digicam era. I didn't think the quality was excellent, nor did it remind me of photos shot in film. My opinion on Digicams will likely remain the same because they are the same, other than much slower compared to modern cameras. I do agree that many old Digicams are small, compact, and easy to carry.

Even though we have coined the term film simulation for the color profile effects on cameras from Fujifilm and Ricoh, the photos are not the same as photos shot on film. The film simulation is a stylization term for those cameras; adding a digital noise effect certainly does not make the images more film-like.

Each digital camera version has its own color profile and stylization set by the manufacturer. Looking at the photos shot on Digicam does give me a nostalgic feeling, but that's because I remember the years when I was using Digicam, not because the images look like they were shot on film.

The insane popularity of Fujifilm and Ricoh cameras caught the camera companies by surprise. Observing the cameras released in the last few years, you can tell the companies are out of touch.

In their mind, interchangeable cameras are more profitable because you can sell lenses in addition to the cameras. However, they didn't realize that celebrities have influenced people to use compact cameras rather than try to be professional photographers.

Social media users want to appear to live life rather than work hard as a photographer. They are fabricating the image of cool and effortlessness when capturing life and memories. People want to appear as if they don't give a sh*t because they are the sh*t. Nobody has time to change camera lenses when busy attending events, socializing, shopping, and traveling.

That led to cameras like Fujifilm X100V and Ricoh GR III often selling out, and people were willing to pay double because that's the price to pay to be the center of the trend despite the cameras being released a few years ago.

The phenomenon of paying double for dated cameras is mind-blowing. The demand was way higher than the availability. I was joking with friends: Camera companies could just re-release those older camera models, and they would be making easy profit. My friend thought I was ridiculous, but here we are; Leica is rebranding a camera from 2018, giving it a facelift and shoving it down our throat.

I didn't think my joke would become a reality, or maybe I should have applied for a trend-predicting job! Allegedly, the "New" Leica D-Lux 8 is a repackaged Panasonic LX100 II camera. People are surprised to see how bold Leica is by taking this step, but this is not exactly new. I have seen similar behavior in the fashion industry.

Companies like Louis Vuitton would make a small change by adding a strap to a pouch and releasing it as a new bag with a much higher price tag. People also constantly complain about the quality of Chanel's products, but they keep raising prices and ignoring the public's feedback. Of all the camera companies, Leica would be the one who can pull off something like this.

For sure, Leica's target audience for D-Lux 8 is not photographers. Leica is releasing this camera to feed the public's craving for a compact camera. What's better than a compact camera with that luxurious red dot? I bet most Leica D-Lux 8 buyers can't tell if it is actually an older camera, nor do they care if they are potentially paying for a repackaged camera from 2018.

To be fair, I have heard Leica made a few minor hardware updates, so they will not be described as blatantly ripping you off. So what if it is technically a Panasonic LX100 II? Does it matter?

I will confess that I want it. I was interested in getting the Panasonic LX100 II, but I hesitated too long, and suddenly, it was gone from the market. I could have bought a used one, but I always prefer a new camera with a current warranty and better product support.

I love my Leica Q2, but it is a heavier camera. On top of that, I am not sure I need that 47MP to capture my dog getting old for day-to-day usage. Big files take up space, and storage limitation is one of the issues I am dealing with.

Should you buy the Leica D-Lux 8? As long as you are not looking for the fastest camera, I am sure you can enjoy it. Most modern-day cameras are excellent and good enough for regular users. The camera has a new casing that looks a lot like the Leica Q series. It is a gorgeous camera that is worth a second chance. Even when I looked back at the photos I took with my Panasonic LX10, a camera from 2017 with a smaller sensor, I was pretty happy with the image quality. That camera captured some important moments and memories of my life.

If Leica ever needs a tester, I will be the first to sign up.