I’ve discussed my newest photographic toy, the Leica D-Lux 8, a premium compact camera. I’ve taken it downtown and shot it at night to test its capabilities. While a compact camera is convenient, it’s not entirely necessary if I’m shooting architecture on a dedicated photo excursion. I can easily bring a larger camera, such as the Sony A7C II, and get better image quality. Where the D-Lux 8 really shines is for lightweight travel and as an EDC (Every Day Carry) camera.

I brought the little Leica to lunch with my wife to shoot Pho at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, The One Pho, in North Austin. I get the premium version, which features a superheated stone bowl with bubbling soup, where you can cook the meat and noodles yourself. They also include a more premium cut of meat and hand-made noodles, as seen below.

Shooting the food doesn’t require a fancy camera in these lighting conditions, something that a smartphone camera can also accomplish. However, the D-Lux 8 version creates a shallower depth of field, more latitude in post-processing, and a high-quality image. These pictures have more depth than a phone camera can produce. The D-Lux is also small enough that it doesn’t look strange or intimidating in a restaurant where I can document the food and take pictures of my wife.

My fancy pho version costs $20, which sounds like a lot, but it is only $5 more than the standard one. It is well worth the increased quality and quantity. Incidentally, my first date with my wife thirty years ago was lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant. Vietnamese food was comparably rare and “exotic” in Austin back then. I remember our Pho cost $4. Inflation is a terrible beast.

Blog readers, you’ll love my free monthly photography magazine. Signup for the free magazine to get articles and topics not discussed on the blog.