Leica C-Lux 2
$980, inclusive of GST and is warranted for 2 years internationally
Available at all Leica authorised dealers

Every once in a while, it is nice to be pleasantly surprised by a gadget that looks ordinary but creates a big impact.

The Leica C-Lux 2 is one such a small but pleasant surprise.

As the Leica shares the same hardware in terms of look and features with the Panasonic Lumix FX-07, it could be easily dismissed as one of the many point-and-shoot cameras, with a higher pixel count to the detriment of image quality. Fortunately, the Leica is not like that.

As with the Lumix, the Leica has anti-shake technology that comes in the form of Mega OIS (or optical image stabilisation)and a large 2.5-inch LCD preview screen. Plus, there's a zoom range of 28mm-100 mm (35mm equivalent)with a pretty fast lens of F2.8 at the widest range.

Its controls come in the form of small buttons, and a tiny shooting mode wheel and a zoom lever.

Also, given its features like the scene modes - including a Simple mode - the camera would be just right for casual photographers who want to simply shoot and forget. But the Leica C-Lux 2 is anything but nondescript.

Firstly, it reminds me of my parent's viewfinder camera with its slick, black case and a small, subtle yet powerful Leica badge out in the front.In essence, nothing beats good design sense.

And what truly redeems the camera is the fantastic photos it turns out. I could even take a macro shot of my watch in near darkness, illuminated only by the monitor screen of the camera, and with no need for a tripod, too. The picture turned out near perfect.

In fact, both outdoor and indoor shots turned out with accurate colours and skin tones. I am truly impressed!

The difference between the Panasonic and Leica's treatment of the same hardware can only be attributed to one factor: Leica's ability to tweak the camera to churn out beautiful images and thus,the high price tag.

FINAL SAY

The C-Lux 2 is a small camera with easy-to-use features that gives drop dead gorgeous pictures.