We unbox a legend!

After months of having to gaze upon its boarded up façade in Greenbelt 5, Leica has finally opened up its doors to have the Philippines, eager to have local photo enthusiasts experience the legendary status their cameras have garnered over the years. We were part of the lucky few that were invited to their launch and even managed to snag us one of the cameras, the Leica C. After getting over the fact that we managed to win a Leica during a raffle, we sat down and unboxed it for you guys as is our custom.

Leica C Specs

• 12.1 Megapixels with a 1/1.7” MOS Sensor
• Leica DC Vario-Summicron f/2.0-5.9 Lens
• 7x Optical Zoom (Equivalent to 28mm-200mm Lens)
• 3.0” TFT LCD with 921k-dot Resolution
• 200k-dot Color LCD Viewfinder
• Optical Image Stabilization
• Wi-Fi with NFC and Leica Image Shuttle

Packaging and Unboxing

The Leica C comes in a classy, minimalistic silver box with the unmistakable Leica logo on the front and a little sneak peek as to what the actual product looks like. We flipped the tab to open up the box, lift the cover, and are greeted by its… Wait for it… Documentation. Talk about a buzz kill, right? But at least we know that Leica got us covered if we do decide to delve into those booklets.

A little more digging and voila, the camera is unearthed in all its bubble-wrapped glory! Unboxed and unwrapped, the Leica C is definitely a sexy, little shooter. The product of collaboration with Audi Design, the Leica C gives a nod to its predecessors with its form that has been linked to the brand and, as if it needed it, its two-toned color palette further adds a touch of class.

Along side the camera, of course, are the USB Cables, AV Cables, 950mAh Li-ion Battery, Wrist Strap, and a two-prong and three-prong charger – A nice touch by Leica who knows you’ll be taking this camera on several vacations.

Initial Impressions: not your typical point and shoot

The build quality of the Leica C is solid and can be immediately felt as you lift it out of the box. There is definitely a noticeable heft to it compared to other cameras in the same category mainly due to its aluminum construction; it’s definitely a far cry from the standard plastic frame that most camera brands offer with a shooter this size.

The camera itself is very straightforward and easy to use. The menus are easy to understand with the setup for Wi-Fi and other settings taking a couple of minutes to complete. All the buttons of the Leica C are well laid out. The On/Off switch, Zoom Lever, and Mode Select are located on top of the camera, while on the back you’ll find the Electronic Viewfinder and the 3” LCD Screen flanked by other buttons to navigate through the cameras menus. Though the button layout may be well thought of, one little gripe we had was the size of the cursor buttons within the control dial. We’re guessing that because of the 3” screen, they’ve had to shrink down the size a bit, but it makes it a little tough to push if you have big hands like all of us at Unbox do.

We’ve only had the Leica C for a few hours and have only taken a few shots prior to this unboxing, but we can definitely see what the buzz is all about. This tiny, yet powerful camera may be a part of the point-and-shoot category, but there’s definitely more to it than the prestige of Leica’s legendary brand.

We’ll be taking the Leica C out for a spin and putting through its paces to give you a more in-depth review in the following weeks.

The Leica C is available at the newly opened Leica Store in Greenbelt 5 and is priced at Php 35,145.