Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10K

Pros: Excellent photo quality with the kit lens; flip and twist LCD screen; easy to use pre-set "scene modes" and "film mode"

Cons: A lot of noise from ISO 800 onwards; lack of wide angle lenses in the Four Thirds System; Satisfactory photo quality under low light; Expensive.

Summary: At first look the L10K might seem a rather "cheaper" access to Leica, given that the L1 and the Digilux 3 are clearly overpriced.

Indeed, this camera performs very well with adequate light, and although it doesn't really live up to the standards of a true Leica, it does give excellent results for an entry level DSLR.

But mind you, being an excellent entry level DSLR does not make it a good camera - with a nearly unacceptable amount of noise from ISO 800 onwards and extremely inaccurate colours when shooting under low light, the 1300 dollar price tag seems unreasonable.

I advice all who are deciding whether to buy a L10K or not, not to be fooled by the word "Leica".

This camera is all about the optics - and more importantly, its optics ain't as good as it seems.

No Leica, No Speed, No Quality, No Great Body.

With the four big weaknesses I do not think this camera is ideal for a lot of people. Its existence is plainly to provide a more rugged entry level camera for the Four Thirds System - and quite frankly, it failed.