Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3S 10 Megapixel Digital Camera with f/2.0 24mm Wide-Angle Lens, 2.5x Optical & 4x Digital Zoom, Silver

2011-03-05T19:00:00

Beautiful lens makes it easy to work in low light and produces images that I have printed up to 16"x20"

SHANE A.

2010-11-06T21:00:00

I bought this as a small camera for travel, hiking, and mountain biking--places I can't take a DSLR. This camera is a little gem with everything you expect on a DSLR from aperture and shutter settings, to spot metering (even on faces when face recognition is turned on), RAW (Panasonics RW2 format), and image stabilization. Flash and exposure compensation are there, as is an HDR friendly 3-exposure bracketing, if you're into that sort of stuff. Wide open at 24 mm it has a respectable and sharp f/2.0 and at the other end f/2.8 at 60mm--perfect for indoor portraiture without the flash. The lens is tack sharp with no soft corners at all focal lengths and apertures. DOF is amazing alongside a crop body DSLR. 24-60 mm is workable like many good walkaround DSLR lenses, but seems like less of a compromise given how consistently good photographs are across that entire range compared to the "superzoom" lenses on similarly priced cameras. This is a tiny sensor, so there will be a lot of noise at ISO 800 and above, and more than any DSLR at 200 and 400. The camera offers up to 3200, but only 800 is usable after some serious noise reduction. For "DSLR-quality" photographs there's ISO 80, but 100-200 is acceptable. The camera's small size and image stabilization makes working in low light a breeze, allowing for effortless photography at shutter speeds of 1/20 that would be much more challenging freehand with a DSLR. Longer exposure times do a bit to offset the ISO noise. The flash is average, and the weakest link. It works hard at ISO 200 and doesn't cover much real estate. An external flashgun twice the size of the camera is the only viable option as the Lumix flashes aren't all that much of an upgrade. Another gripe is the lack of a viewfinder, as the LCD washes out in bright sunlight. The LX-5 viewfinder is not compatible with this camera, sadly. There's also a noticeable shutter lag, much more so than with a DSLR, which takes some getting used to. Finally, there's portability. This is somewhere between a true compact and a micro 4/3rds like the GF1. In a soft case it WILL fit into a pocket, but is very bulky with the lens jutting out of the body. Adding to this bulk is a 5mm thick lens cap. Clipped to a belt, or stuffed in a backpack it doesn't make its presence known, though. I would recommend this to any photographer who can't be caught without a camera within reach. Stuff it into your bag for those spur of the moment photo shoots that put a camera phone to shame. Just don't expect a DSLR replacement, you can't break the laws of physics--yet.

the a.

2010-09-16T21:00:00

Absolutely great scenics and closeups.

Brad

2010-04-24T21:00:00

Just bought this camera last week and very impressed with the images. Rivals my 35mm. Nice image stabilization. My main issue is the removable lens cap with a easily "scratchable" lens. Waiting to see if the wide angle and limited digital zoom will be a problem. So far though a really like it.

STEVEN R.

2010-01-09T19:00:00

Great carry around compact. Amazing raw image quality and the Leica lens lives up to its reputation and is tack sharp. Only negative is that the lag-time can be a little slow in low light however I use this camera mainly for landscapes and portraits so not really an issue for me. I also used the external viewfinder. Impressive and accurate unless youre zooming then you need to use the lcd screen. Overall a fantastic camera for the price.

GREGORY N.

2010-01-09T19:00:00

An excellent value overall!

Hal

2009-02-18T19:00:00

The Lx3 is an easy to use Point and Shoot camera which I carry with me all the time. I slip it into my camera bag on assignment shoots or my jacket pocket for everyday use. It is amazingly simple to use and well built. But the LX3 may seem to be costly for a P&S yet when you consider the 24-60mm f/2-f/2.8 Summicron on the body, the lens alone is worth the price alone. At ISO 100 this lens produces images that are sharper then those from my Nikon. I'd particularly recommend it to anyone who wants to make 8 1/2 x 11 inch or bigger prints. Admittedly for small 4x6 prints or images on the web it is a bit of overkill.

Hawkeye