Leica's compact camera gets New Year’s firmware update – here are the D-Lux 8's digital resolutions

New Year, new me – and new Leica D-Lux 8, too! Well, new might be a bit of a stretch; this is only an incremental update, but if you’re somebody who likes to keep their cameras bang up to date, here’s what you and your D-Lux 8 can expect from firmware 1.7.0.

The Leica D-Lux 8 is now fully compliant with Article 3.3 of the EU Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU). This essentially means that the compact camera meets cybersecurity requirements as per European Union regulations.

This involves improved WLAN security, which according to Leica means that “When the camera is reset, a new randomly generated WLAN password is automatically assigned. The password display in the WiFi menu is replaced with ****”.

In addition, the camera gets encrypted Bluetooth communication. And, as you’d expect, the firmware update also includes bug fixes, which are not listed.

As always, make sure you adhere to Leica’s strict guidelines when updating your camera. You can find out how to install your firmware update and what not to do, i.e., turning off the camera, removing the memory card or removing the battery mid update, by referring to the downloadable PDF on the Leica D-Lux 8 Firmware page.

Personally, I like to wait a few weeks before updating my cameras, just to make sure there are no teething problems. However, the update was published at the end of December, so it has been out for more than a week.

The D-Lux 8 is the latest iteration of Leica’s D-Lux compact camera range. It’s built around a 17MP 4/3” CMOS sensor, touts a Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9–34mm f/1.7–2.8 ASPH lens (24-75mm equivalent), and is a great entry point into the premium world of Leica cameras.

At $1,915 / £1,450 / AU$2,890, it’s far from a cheap camera, but it’s comparatively cheap for a Leica, and roughly what you’d expect to pay for a mid-range device.

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