Name: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera with 3.8x 24mm Wide-Angle Leica Optical Zoom, 3.0in LCD Display - Black
Brand: Panasonic
SKU: IPCDMCLX5BK
Price: 399.00 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.6 (28 reviews)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera with 3.8x 24mm Wide-Angle Leica Optical Zoom, 3.0in LCD Display - Black

Panasonic DMC-LX5

Panasonic

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 10.1MP Digital Camera, Black

Adorama

Photography

Cameras

Digital Point & Shoot Cameras

Panasonic Digital Point & Shoot Cameras

Panasonic DMC-LX5 

Top Rated Gear: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera with 3.8x 24mm Wide-Angle Leica Optical Zoom, 3.0in LCD Display - Black Configuration: Camera Only, Model: Panasonic LX5, Resolution: 10 MP

Not sure if I'm going to keep,it can't use in bright sunlight was told rel good street camera

It's oj

I have loved this Panasonic Lumix for years and when my original one was battered by heavy use, I wanted to buy another (particular likes were wide angle and low light capabilities). Then I heard it was discontinued, but the Adorama used is like new so I have a second of the same model after all. Thanks

Adorama used is perfect

This camera has literally everything I wanted in a point & shoot- an excellent lens, ability to use filters, hot shoe, intuitive controls and a well designed body that feels rock solid and it has a bit of heft to it- p.s. that's good. Finally a camera manufacturer that realizes that a bit of weight & size is a good thing. The only minor gripes I have is that a centered tripod socket on the bottom would be preferred especially if you are using a gorillapod. I also prefer the 9 point Canon focusing system because it's extremely easy to latch on to just one focusing point in a heartbeat. The Lumix electronic viewfinder is great on sunny days but it could be improved.
I spent 10 days in Panama recently and put it through it's paces and was well pleased with the results. I also went to a concert recently and got some nice available light images. The battery life is quite good but I would buy an extra. The zoom is not great but I'll take that anyday because zoomed out to 90mm, it's still only a 3.3 Fstop compared to 5.9 on some cameras zoomed out.
A solid 5 star camera in my book & I do photography for a living...

A solid camera throughout.

Great camera

I bought this camera for the times I didn't want to lug around my SLR, but wanted to be with something a little more powerful than my smartphone camera. I bought it when it first came out, right after reading some great reviews (PDN, Wired, etc.), and this camera definitely lives up to the hype. It's fun and easy to use and it's AMAZING in low light (I won an image competition for a photo I took outside at night, handholding the camera. The resulting image was crazy sharp and clear and looks like I used a tri-pod). The colors are beautiful, the LCD is great, the macro abilities are incredible, fabulous lens. The only things I dislike are the flash and the lack of viewfinder. I've resigned myself to not using the flash (I did buy an external for it, but I'm still not loving the results) and just push the limits of what I can do in indoor/low-light handholding the camera, although this sucks when I want to just take a quick family snapshot or something. I'm getting used to the no viewfinder (although, when I take it in bright sunlight I can't see anything at all and have to just wing it--grrrrr). This is why I'm not giving it 5 stars. I would advise buying a second battery right up front, you're going to want to have a spare with you, charged and ready to go at all times, since battery life is only ok. I also bought a lens barrel for the camera so I can attach a UV filter  over the lens for protection, and I definitely recommend that as well.

Great little point and shoot

This camera is small enough for the pocket and has the added benefit of being able to use screw on filters. Image quality is top drawer for a compact  camera.
Battery life is first class.
The only negative for me is the lens cap,having been used to automatic covers on other small cameras, 
It is faster and wider than other compacts, great for indoor shots of pets and kids.

LOVE THIS CAMERA

I love this camera. It's function menu is easy and logical to navigate through. It produce wonderful crystal clear images as well as very nice video.
It's too bad that it does not seem to accept a directly threaded UV filter to protect the camera's main lens. One would need to purchase an adapter which then thickens the body quite a bit. It is otherwise just about the perfect camera for my day to day requirements.

An AMAZING camera

This is an update to my 11/13/2011 review.  I have now had a chance to use this camera with a basic Polaroid external flash.  I first tried the Vivitar model flash specified for this camera.  It was larger than the camera so I returned to Adorama for a no hassle refund.  The Polaroid is a much better fit.  While the LX5 cannot compete with DSLR with high powered flash, the combination with the Polaroid flash and fast lens significantly enhances low-light photography.  I cannot be more pleased with results.  BTW, the neck strap is still cheesy!

I cannot be more pleased with results. BTW, the neck strap is still cheesy

It delivers great images.Great for high key lighting with the fast lens and spot metering. Sometimes I wish there were a little more length to the zoom range,that said, the pay-off for a shorter zoom range is superior optics and lower distortion than most compacts with longer ranges. Being able to use a polarizing filter is a real bonus. It is the best compact that I have used.The menu is very good,offering plenty of adjustments and is easy to navigate.

Top Class Compact

I have become sold on Panasonic Lumix cameras!  I recently purchased the LX-5.  It is an amazing camera.  My only gripe is that the neck strap is horrible.  It appears to be made of a "faux" leather material that never retains its shape when folded........horrid.  Panasonic, if you are listening, make it of high quality fabric and it is good to go.  I am about to remove it in favor of small hand-strap.  That said, it takes nothing away from the greatness of the camera.

Minor Gripe

Outstanding compact camera with a killer lens.  Just the best compact I've owned.  Superb in low light.  Has become my most used camera ( of over 30+ cameras) and is always with me.  Only small niggle could be a that I would prefer a slightly faster shutter lag, but is plenty adequate.

ACCESORIES
The optional optical viewfinder is nice but somewhat limited in its application.  The EVF is useless except in very bright conditions (beach, desert).

Absolutely fantastic!

I carry my LX5 with me just about everytime I go out. It's light and easy to carry over my shoulder or in a jacket pocket. I like that it has 4 aspect rations, including 1:1 for square format. I've had this camera for a year and it's my new favorite.

My favorite camera - I'd buy it again!

not pocketable really but small enough. sunset setting quite good. I agonized over S95 and Oly XZ1 and picked this.  no regrets.

Great product

My Biggest gripe is the lag between pictures.  While it's being displayed on the LCD the camera is locked.  The display time can probably be adjusted I just haven't got that far with it yet.

Love it so Far

I use this camera when I don't want to lug around my full frame DSLR. THE MOST important decision factor when purchasing this camera was it's ability to shoot RAW which I find absolutely necessary. I don't want an algorithm to make decisions for me. If I want to output to JPEG after the fact, thats fine, but not fine during capture. This camera is essentially a Leica without the badge!
I have taken some beautiful images with this camera and enjoy using it. One Caveat, Buy the electronic View finder accessory. It will make a world of difference. I can not frame with an LCD. Just me I suppose, but the electronic view finder while a bit strange at first, is essential. Great Camera, great price, great results...

Great Camera to always have with you

This camera is amazing.  For a pocket size camera, it takes great indoor pictures.

This thing is Amazing!!

I bought this DC for my wife to replace her old DC. We no need to buy a spare battery due to it's long battery life in traveling. I bought this DC for 2 reasons:
1.) F2.0 aperture;
2.) Long battery life up to 400 shots;

Other functions are compatible with other DC competitors.

One of the best pocket size DC

Tired of my old point and shoot and it's mediocre images, I wanted to step up and learn to take pictures I could be proud of..Now I'm really stepping up to the plate! My learning curve is fun and my camera goes everywhere easily. Excellent video records at the touch of a button. Maybe a pro needs more, but the average family photographer with a serious interest will be delighted with this little gem.

This amateur photo enthusiast delighted!

I bought this camera after reading pre-release pro reviews and learning that some pros who shoot for National Geographic carry this camera and other Lumix family models as a secondary.  Its size, solid build, and photographic capability make it easy to carry everywhere and avoid the "I wish I had my camera" lament.  In very low light, when entering the ISO 1600-12,800 range, especially in wide indoor scenes, you will see some noise when you blow up photos, but post-processing can mitigate that.  The battery puts the Energizer Bunny to shame.  I'm pleased I bought it.

Very portable powerhouse

This is a pocketable camera that shoots high quality images.  Light and well built, it's the perfect camera for street shooting and travel.

A great camera, [...]

Context: I have a DSLR (Canon Rebel XTI) with a good enough set of lens which I really like but I was looking for something smaller I could bring with me when doing outdoor activities (e.g.: road and mountain biking, skiing).  I already had a Pentax Optio W80 which has the advantage of being small and quite resistent but picture quality was not as good as I was expecting.  Conclusion: I bought my Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 about six month ago and so far I am quite please with the results I am getting.  As expected this is now my prefered camera when doing outdoor activites but I also use it more often than expected (vs my DSLR) when taking pictures for HDR processing.  So far I am very please with it and the only cons is that it is missing an integrated visor [but you can buy one].If curious to see some of my pictures: [@]

Perfect Compact Camera

I wanted a camera that I could have with me at all times. The two most important things to me are the ability to shoot Raw, and the Optics. This Leica lens delivers and the imaging engine does not disappoint. The IQ is outstanding for such a small form factor and delivers truly amazing results. It is not however, a replacement for your DSLR rig...But when you don't want to lug a lot of gear around...I can't say enough good things about this GREAT Camera. One thing as a professional shooter. I can not do without a viewfinder as I find it impossible to frame a photo with an LCD. So, my advice is to buy the EVF for this. Fantastic! Don't listen to all the "bad" reviews for the EVF...It delivers the goods. It is NOT like quality optical view finder, but I find it indispensable to compose. Get it, use it, love it!

Serious Camera for Serious Photographers

Great for seriuos photography without the bulk of DSLR. Excellent low-light capabilities and RAW

More than a point and shoot

This is a great camera and I use it daily, very useful in low light conditions.

Great performer

A small camera with a lot of possibilities!

Exactly what I was expecting

When I say this is my new primary camera, it's the camera I'm using most often. When I go out & it's not a planned photo op, I take the Lumix. If it's a planned event or photo walk I take my D90. These days I have a camera with me 90% of the time whereas before it was probably about 20%; there is a greater spontaneity of use.I'm not going to rehash what you probably already know. If you're reading this you are probably trying to decide between the LX5, Canon S95, Samsung EX1/TL500 and maybe even the Leica D-LUX5. My experience & opinion with the Canon & Samsung is cursory; I was only able to test them in the store and only know what you know from reading other reviews. I have no experience handling the Leica. This is about my reasons for selecting the Lumix and how I like it after using it for a few weeks.My primary criteria for choosing a second camera was size; and this fit the bill. It's not quite as small as the Canon S90/S95, and about the same size as the Samsung & Leica. It's not going to fit in your pants pocket however, it will fit in any coat pocket or small shoulder bag. The other nice feature that caught my attention is how it fit in my hand. The LX5 has a nice grip on the right that allows you actually hold the camera with one hand. It's not a full grip like on my Nikon, but it does feel more secure in my hand then the other 2 cameras I mentioned. Also the LX5's lens is external whereas the lens on the Canon & Samsung lens retract into the body of the camera. Obvious pros and cons to this but I do find myself using the lens to secure my grip on the camera when I'm randomly handling the camera.This is strictly objective of course, you'll have to test it for yourself. The Lumix also has a hot-shoe for attaching an external flash or if you want an actual viewfinder you can get that attachment as well. The LX5 also shoots in RAW. The Lumix easy to use. All manual controls are immediately accessible on the top and back and there are numerous ways to fine tune the controls by using the internal menu system which is pretty straight forward once you are familiar with it's layout. As with any new camera, there is a small learning curve.You already know that it's equipped with a Leica F2.0-3.3 lens. It's the same lens Leica uses on it's new Leica D-LUX 5; which except for a few features, the Lumix is the same camera as the D-Lux for a few hundred bucks less. The lens is sharp and performs well in low light without the flash although as with camera, the photos can be a bit grainy if the lighting isn't good. I can't tell you in lumens what is or isn't to dark but I will say that if the inside light is bright you can probably take most of your photos without the flash. If it's dim, your photos will be a bit grainy so you may want to do some test shots with and without the flash first. I use Lightroom and/or Photoshop Elements to post process my photos and it was relatively easy to get the grainy photos to look good. Grainy doesn't necessarily mean bad as long as the photos are well focused. The built in flash works fine when used within it's capabilities. There are no settings for the flash but it gives off adequate light and I haven't yet overexposed any images. Again, post processing is the key to correcting the small mistakes. The storage media is SD card which is the same as my Nikon so I can use the same storage cards for both cameras. Video modeI don't have much experience using this but what it's easy to use even using it the first time it gave very good results. My video was sharp & while there is a lot of ambient sounds, the intended voices and sounds were clear. What I don't like.The lens cap. You would think that for [$] there would be a system in place to keep the lens cap from falling away from the camera. It's annoying to have to put the cap in my pocket or bag every time I want to take a photo. The other slight annoyance is when I want to look at your images. If the lens cap is on when you power the camera up you get a beep and message on the screen to take the lens cap off. This is OK if I'm going to take photos but if I only want to view my images what's the point? On the other hand, you don't actually have to remove the cap to view your images. After the beep, continue to the green replay button and it works fine.The Lumix,  Canon, Samsung & Leica cameras are all going to do the job for you if you want a small camera with manual settings. What it boils down to is how the camera's feels to you both in your hand tactilely & how easily you adjust to using the many features these cameras offer. If you are considering the Leica then you also are considering the cost.  For me Lumix LX5 works.

My new primary camera

Overall a perfect compliment to my DSLR set up.  Don't get too caught up on comments about the size unless you really want to put it in a pants or jeans pocket (which I never do with a point and shoot) This camera fits perfectly in my jacket pocket or cargo pants side pocket and Scotty Vest.  Image quality is superb, don't know why some had shutter lag as a con, this is the fastest compact P&S I've ever owned. The super fast lens is a big boom to low light work and to be able to shoot in Raw makes this the best camera in this category. It also is excellent for Macro work. Oh and the new price of [$] makes it a no brainer compared to Canon's S95 which was the only other camera I considered.  Buy this you won't be dissappointed.

Excellent  - DSLR quality in a small pac

Great for a family event.
Takes great picture in any light.
Fast auto focus, zoom in-out.