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Olympus E-420 vs Leica Digilux 3

The Olympus E-420 and the Leica Digilux 3 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2008 and September 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 7.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-420
versus
Leica Digilux 3
Olympus E-420   Leica Digilux 3
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor 7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-1,600 ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 215k dots 2.5" LCD – 207k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.5 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge750 shots per battery charge
130 x 91 x 53 mm, 440 g 146 x 87 x 77 mm, 606 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-420 and the Leica Digilux 3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-420 and the Leica Digilux 3 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-420 vs Leica Digilux 3
Compare E-420 versus Digilux 3 top
Comparison E-420 or Digilux 3 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica Digilux 3 is notably larger (7 percent) than the Olympus E-420. Moreover, the Digilux 3 is substantially heavier (38 percent) than the E-420. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-420 nor the Digilux 3 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
2.
 
Leica Digilux 3 146 mm 87 mm 77 mm 606 g 750 n Sep 2006 1,499ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D3000 126 mm 97 mm 64 mm 536 g 500 n Jul 2009 599ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D60 126 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 500 n Jan 2008 629ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D40X 124 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 520 n Mar 2007 729ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-330 140 mm 87 mm 72 mm 637 g 750 n Jan 2006 999ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-400 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Sep 2006 699ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-500 130 mm 95 mm 66 mm 479 g 750 n Sep 2005 599ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-300 147 mm 85 mm 64 mm 624 g 750 n Sep 2004 799ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 599ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic L1 146 mm 87 mm 64 mm 606 g 750 n Feb 2006 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-420 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the Digilux 3, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Olympus E-420 and Leica Digilux 3 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-420 offers a higher resolution of 10 megapixels, compared with 7.4 MP of the Digilux 3. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-420 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.74μm versus 5.51μm for the Digilux 3). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-420 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the Digilux 3, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-420 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-420 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Leica Digilux 3 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-420 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The Leica Digilux 3 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

E-420 versus Digilux 3 MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
2.
 
Leica Digilux 3 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none21.010.612753
3.
 
Nikon D3000 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.311.156362
4.
 
Nikon D60 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.511.456265
5.
 
Nikon D40X APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.411.451663
6.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
7.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
8.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
9.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
10.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
11.
 
Olympus E-330 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.47352
12.
 
Olympus E-400 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.010.612753
13.
 
Olympus E-500 Four Thirds 8.0 3264 2448none20.710.34551
14.
 
Olympus E-300 Four Thirds 8.0 3264 2448none20.410.1-4048
15.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
16.
 
Panasonic L1 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.48052
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Both the E-420 and the Digilux 3 offer Live View, so that they make it possible to use the rear screen for framing. Both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-420 and the Digilux 3 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the Digilux 3 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-420 (0.47x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-420 and Leica Digilux 3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
2.
 
Leica Digilux 3optical n2.5 / 207 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Nikon D3000optical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D60optical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D40Xoptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
7.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Olympus E-330optical n2.5 / 215 tilting n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
12.
 
Olympus E-400optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Olympus E-500optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
14.
 
Olympus E-300optical n1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
15.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
16.
 
Panasonic L1optical n2.5 / 207 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The E-420 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the Digilux 3 uses SDXC cards. The E-420 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Digilux 3 only has one slot.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus E-420 and Leica Digilux 3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Leica Digilux 3Ystereo / mono---2.0---
3.
 
Nikon D3000Y- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D60Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D40XY- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-330Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-400Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Olympus E-500Y- / ----2.0---
14.
 
Olympus E-300Y- / ----2.0---
15.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
16.
 
Panasonic L1Y- / ----2.0---
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Both the E-420 and the Digilux 3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Olympus and Leica. Further information on the features and operation of the E-420 and Digilux 3 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-420 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica Digilux 3 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-420 or the Leica Digilux 3 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-420:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (10 vs 7.4MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 166g or 27 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (60 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 5 months after the Digilux 3).

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Advantages of the Leica Digilux 3:

  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.47x vs 0.46x).
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
  • More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2006).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-420 emerges as the winner of the contest (7 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-420 07:04 Digilux 3

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-420 and the Leica Digilux 3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-420 and the Digilux 3 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
2.
 
Leica Digilux 3............ Sep 2006 1,499ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D3000..+..72/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 599ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D60..80/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 629ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D40X..79/100..+ +4/54/5 Mar 2007 729ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-330......+o.. Jan 2006 999ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-400..85/100....4/54/5 Sep 2006 699ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-500..76/100..+ +.... Sep 2005 599ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-300......+o4.5/5 Sep 2004 799ebay.com
15.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 599ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic L1..85/100..+..3.5/5 Feb 2006 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-420 vs Leica Digilux 3

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-420 Leica Digilux 3
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date March 2008 September 2006
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 1,499
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-420 Leica Digilux 3
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 10 Megapixels 7.4 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3648 x 2736 pixels 3136 x 2352 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.74 μm 5.51 μm
    Pixel Density 4.44 MP/cm2 3.28 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 56 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.5 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.4 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 527 ..
    Screen Specs Olympus E-420 Leica Digilux 3
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x 0.47x
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 2.5inch
    LCD Resolution 215k dots 207k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-420 Leica Digilux 3
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3.5 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-420 Leica Digilux 3
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Olympus E-420 Leica Digilux 3
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-1 Leica BP-DC3
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge750 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 91 x 53 mm
    (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
    146 x 87 x 77 mm
    (5.7 x 3.4 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 440 g (15.5 oz) 606 g (21.4 oz)
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