Leica D-Lux 7 Street Kit Is Made For Spontaneity

In the tech and especially the smartphone world, Leica is perhaps better known for its partnerships with the likes of Huawei. Of course, it is also a popular camera maker and it launched the D-Lux 7 compact over two years ago to bring some of the smartphone goodness back to cameras. That said, the D-Lux 7 still lacked the immediacy of a smartphone camera, a flaw that the new Leica D-Lux 7 Street Kit is attempting to address by bundling a few accessories.

On its own, the Leica D-Lux 7 is already a decent compact camera, albeit an expensive one on par with the brand's other products. Beyond just the basic specs, like a 17MP four-thirds sensor capable of 4K photos and videos, the camera also introduces a few conveniences found mostly on smartphones, like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, a touch screen, and USB-C. It also has a Post-Focus effect that can be used to modify images after the fact, just like on smartphones.

Although meant to be portable and lightweight, Leica thinks it can do one better by packaging some otherwise optional accessories. With the new D-Lux 7 Street Kit, the company is positioning the camera to become a street photographer's tool of choice, not a smartphone. That means that the camera should be ready to go and be used at a moment's notice and to survive the wear and tear of street photography.

The latter is accomplished with a handgrip and COOPH-branded paracord strap that offers a better hold on the camera, no matter the situation. A spare battery will keep you going twice as long before needing some charging downtime. The most interesting part of the bundle, however, is the auto lens cap that doesn't need to be removed when taking a shot.

Almost all of these accessories can be purchased separately but the Leica D-Lux 7 Street Kit puts them in one convenient package. The version of the camera also comes in black only, to match a street photographer's style. Of course, it also comes at a higher price tag of $1,549.