Panasonic Lumix DMC-F1S is Hard to Tell Apart from Leica D-Lux
Last week, CNET published an article called Separated at birth: bargains on cloned products, which examines similar electronic products that are available from more manufacturer at different price points. The article lists similar products in the following categories:
- portable DVD players,
- plasma TVs,
- front projectors,
- headphones,
- DVD recorders, and
- digital cameras.
I wanted to take a look at a product pair that was listed in the article, to see how similar the products are, and how much could be saved at Amazon.com. So, I checked out the Panasonic Lumix DMC-F1S and the Leica D-Lux digital cameras.
The Leica D-Lux is a 3-megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom. It's aimed at camera buffs who are interested in a digital camera for quick snapshots. According to Leica's website, "As a constant companion it one can capture the encounters and events in life and document them as in a visual diary. It has clearly arranged functions and is delightfully easy to use. With numerous possibilities for individualization, it is not merely a camera, but a valuable accessory - with you everywhere and at all times to preserve those precious moments you never want to forget."
Panasonic does a lot less to describe the way that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-F1S fits into its owner's lifestyle, but it's $450 cheaper.
I compared these two cameras in every way I can think of, and they almost have to be the same camera. They have the same:
- lens,
- effective resolution,
- maximum still resolution,
- maximum video resolution,
- memory card slot,
- built-in LCD,
- physical dimensions,
- weight, and
- rechargeable battery.
Apart from the brand name, the biggest difference appears to be the size of the memory card that's included: Leica includes a 64-megabyte SD card, while Panasonic only includes a 16-megabyte card. You can buy a 64M SD card from Amazon for $20 to $25, so you'll still be ahead $425.
I'm glad I did this analysis. It reinforced the idea in my mind that deals on electronics are out there if you do the research.
