The first in a new ?ultra-compact? line of digital compacts has been unveiled by Leica in the shape of the six-million-pixel C-Lux 1.

Measuring 5x10cm the C-Lux 1 sports a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit f/2.8 ASPH lens delivering the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 28-102mm zoom. The seven-element-in-six-group optic includes four aspherical elements.

Features include optical image stabiliser ? designed to reduce the effects of camera shake – plus an ISO sensitivity setting up to ISO 1600.

Also on board are a 2.5in (207,000 pixel resolution) monitor and a battery claimed to deliver up to 320 photos when fully charged.

Leica is due to launch the C-Lux 1 at the end of May in black or ?silver chrome? versions in a kit that includes a 64MB SD memory card, battery charger and Photo Elements 4.0 software.

A UK price and availability date were yet to be confirmed at the time of writing.