Leica's Waterproof Camera Launched; X-U Stands For 'Underwater? Details Released!
Leica Has announced its Waterproof, Shatterproof Camera, Leica XU which is priced at a higher end. According to one of its rumors, the letter U in XU stood for 'underwater', which might imply that the camera was ideal for underwater photography.
It has been reported that the New Waterproof camera from Leica can go underwater and can withstand other extremes as well. It is a ruggerized device that can resist dust and low temperatures too.
The Leica X-U (Typ 113) is the company's first camera designed for underwater photography. It can go upto 50 feet and is shock resistant; dust proofed and can withstand extreme weather conditions. Perhaps it is also expected to function efficiently under normal conditions too.
"True to the 'Leica look', the pictures are characteristically sharp and vivid-although strangely, none of those sample shots were taken underwater", stated Tim Moyhinan of WIRED, "Don't expect a full-frame sensor or the ability to swap in M-mount glass, but the X-U's specs are pretty great for a subaquatic shooter".
Now coming to the Specs of the new water resistant camera from Leica, the most important of them all is its ruggedized exterior made up of aluminium body protected with anti-slip thermoplastic rubber.
It features a 16.5 Megapixel APS-C sensor along with a non-swappable lens with fixed focal length of 23 mm.
The camera features an on-board flash that is mounted on the top-front edge of the lens.
With its 1.7 f maximum aperture, Shallow depth and Low-light shots could be taken with ease.
There's a 3 inch LCD monitor could be protected by a hard cover while taking underwater pictures. In addition to that there's a button that can be easily accessed for that purpose.
"The X-U is certainly not the prettiest Leica ever made, but it will likely please photographers who want something that can take a beating", cited Sean O'Kane of The Verge, "The X-U may not be for everyone, but Leica has packed some particular value into the $2,950 camera. It will be available at Leica stores and with Leica dealers by the end of January".
Leica unveiled its Digital M Series in the year 2008 and since then, the company has been trying to make its way into digital cameras in affordable range. However, Leica's new waterproof camera is an expensive one priced at $2950.
