A Daring Departure For Leica - Under The Water

Domenic is a good sport, and willing to try most dangerous activities. In this case we asked him to hold a Leica digital camera under water...*

Observant customers will note that this is the new Leica Typ 113 - also known as the Model X-U. We expect that with a name like that it will become a firm favourite of our employee Vincent, but that is another post...

The camera is roughly the size in hand of the fixed focal length X series Leica cameras. but with a slightly rounder and rubberier feel. It has a single lens of 23mm focal length and is marked as a Summilux - albeit with an f:1.7 maximum aperture.

The sensor inside is the APS-C size.

There is a small flash built right on the upper edge of the lens that lets out a tiny frisson of light to assist with underwater and close-up shots. The camera will focus down to 20 cm so this needn't be terribly powerful - figure on a GN of about 5. Just a smidgeon.

RAW, jpeg, movies at 30fps/1080 HD.

A specialty setting: When you hit the lowest quadrant button on the multi-selector it turns on an "Underwater" mode, which shifts white balance and sets a distortion correction for the water.

The body covering is said to be non-slip and the LCD screen has a toughened cover. The battery/card door is double locked. You get to go down to depths of 15 metres or if you are just up on the surface you can laugh at splashes, rain, and dust and shoot away.

You'll need several qualifications for this camera. You must be:

1. Rich enough to afford to take it out of the shop.
2. Adventurous enough to leap off the side of the jetty with it.
3. Buoyant enough to stop at 15 metres and then bob back up again.

In store right now!

* Note for the pedantic. Yes, we realise that you could take ANY Leica camera underwater but this is the only one straight from stock that will keep on working below the surface...

Available online at cameraelectronic.com.au