I brought a point to two weddings this weekend - the Leica D’lux 8
A Courthouse Wedding, a Small Camera, and Pizza Across the Street
An intimate wedding at the Caldwell County Courthouse gave me the perfect opportunity to bring the Leica D-Lux 8 along and see how it fit into an actual wedding day.
My Leica SL3 with a 35mm lens was there as my primary camera. That combination could comfortably handle the entire afternoon, which gave me the freedom to explore what the little D-Lux 8 could add.
And that was the point of bringing it. I wanted to discover when I would naturally reach for it.
The D-Lux 8’s 24–75mm equivalent zoom gave me flexibility alongside the fixed 35mm on my SL3. I could include more of the surroundings or tighten the composition without changing lenses. In a small, relaxed celebration, that made it an enjoyable second camera to have within reach.
I also paired it with an on-camera flash to lean into the point-and-shoot feeling. You can see that direct-flash character in the portraits and celebratory photographs, particularly against the colorful backdrop at our next stop.
After the elopement ceremony, we walked across the street to a small, mom-and-pop pizza joint for pizza and cake.
There was something wonderful about wrapping up a wedding afternoon that way. A courthouse ceremony, a short walk together, a toast, and a slice of pizza. The photographs move from quiet moments together to bright colors and close-up details, including their hands coming together to cut the cake.
The intimate setting and easy pace made this a good first testing ground for the D-Lux 8. With my main camera ready whenever I needed it, I had room to experiment and enjoy photographing the celebration as it unfolded.
Every photograph shown in this post was made with the Leica D-Lux 8.
A Full Wedding Day at Grandview: Playing With Motion After Dark
The next test was a full eight-hour wedding at Grandview Events in La Vernia, Texas. This time, the Leica D-Lux 8 had a different role.
My SL3 with the 35mm lens was on my hip, and my second photographer was working with the Leica Q3 43. With those cameras covering the day, the D-Lux 8 became a third camera I could reach for when I wanted another perspective or room to experiment.
Its 24mm equivalent wide end was useful for including more of the setting. But my main interest at this wedding was seeing what it could do with a little flash and a deliberately slow shutter.
On the dance floor, I kept the shutter at half a second and used an on-camera Godox flash. That long exposure allowed movement and ambient light to stretch through the frame, while the flash gave faces and expressions definition within the blur.
You can see it in the trails of colored light around the dancers, the movement surrounding the saxophone player, and the streaks framing a young guest holding his bubble wand. There is a looseness to these photographs that suited the celebration. People were dancing, laughing, and moving, and I wanted that energy to come through.
The little camera let me lean into that direct-flash, point-and-shoot feeling while making deliberate choices about motion and composition. Half a second leaves plenty of room for unpredictability. Part of the enjoyment was discovering how that movement would translate into the photograph.
I carried the experiment through to the exit, combining the couple’s expressions with glowing trails and the movement of everyone celebrating around them.
At the courthouse wedding, the D-Lux 8 gave me flexibility alongside my 35mm. At Grandview, it gave me a way to explore a different look while our main cameras handled the coverage. That is where this small camera started to make sense in my wedding bag: another creative option I could reach for when the moment suited it.
There’s more to share about this little camera. My Leica D-Lux 8 video is coming soon to Why I Shoot on YouTube, where I’ll talk about the experience, the photographs, and where it fits in my camera bag. Subscribe so you don’t miss it!
