There - That Bit Right There - That's The Bit....With Leica

Up the top. On the hot shoe. The flash.

That's the star bit on the new Leica D-Lux.

Okay, it has all the stuff that the previous post said and the lens is extremely impressive as it powers out - very steady. Never mind some of the optical conjuring tricks that you see on other brands - when this Leica lens comes out it is all business.

Note also that Leica have firmed up the detent stops on the aspect-contol slider on the top of the lens. No longer will you inadvertently slip off to 9:16 and end up with funny pictures....

But it is that little flash that gets the juices circulating. Those of us who use fill flash for nearly everything from Plymouths to post-mortems appreciate the extra distance from the lens axis that the flash tube assumes with this flash. It means less red eye and the light goes out easily past any lens filters or hood you may employ.

The flash derives power from the Li-ion battery in the camera so you don't need to keep hunting up AAA's all the time. It powers up fast - 4 seconds from cold camera to ready to go - and ever after it is ready as fast as you intend to shoot.

Slip it off if you want to slim the profile of the camera. There is a positive button latch to keep it on when it is mounted.

A sweetie of a flash. Leica probably want me to be all elegant and upmarket and exclusive when I describe it but it IS a sweetie of a flash.