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Review Summary

2011-03-05T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Best point and shoot you can buy!

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

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent compact

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

Rated 5 out of 5

Sharp! Sharp! Sharp!

Absolutely great scenics and closeups.

Brad

2010-04-24T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great quality

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

Rated 4 out of 5

Excellent Value

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

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellence in every way!

An excellent value overall!

Hal

2009-02-18T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

A Great Camera For Pros & Amateurs Alike

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

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3K 10MP DSLR Camera, Silver Specifications

  • Camera Effective Pixels

    10.1 Megapixels

  • Optical Image Stabilizer

    MEGA O.I.S. (Auto/Mode1/ Mode2)

  • Optical Zoom

    2.5x

  • Image Sensor

    1/1.63" 11.3 Total Mega Pixels CCD
    Primary Color Filter

  • Extra Optical Zoom

    4:3 Aspect Ratio: 3.8x for 5 Mega, 4.8x for 3 Mega, 2 Mega, 0.3 Mega
    3:2 Aspect Ratio: 3.8x for 4.5 Mega, 4.8x for 2.5 Mega
    16:9 Aspect Ratio: 3.8x for 3.5 Mega, 4.8x for 2 Mega

  • Digital Zoom

    4x (Max. 14.3x combined with Optical Zoom without Extended Optical Zoom); (Max. 21.4x combined with Extended Optical Zoom)

  • Focal Length

    f=5.1-12.8mm (35mm Equiv.: 24-60mm)

  • Lens

    LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON, 8 elements in 6 groups (4 Aspherical Lenses / 4 Aspherical surfaces)

  • Aperture Range

    Wide: F2.0 - F8.0
    Tele: F2.8 - F8.0

  • Conversion Lens Compatibility

    Yes

  • Focusing Area

    Normal: Wide 50cm/ Tele 50cm - infinity
    Intelligent AUTO / Macro: Wide 1cm / Tele 30cm - infinity

  • AF Metering

    Face / AF tracking / multi-area / 1-area high speed / 1-area / spot

  • Focus

    Normal / Macro, Quick AF On/Off (On in Intelligent Auto), Continuous AF On/Off, AF/MF Switchable, Manual Focus(Joystick), One Shot AF, AF Area Select, AF Tracking

  • AF Assist Lamp

    Yes

  • ISO Sensitivity

    Auto / 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 (High Sensitivity Mode : Auto(1600 - 6400) )

  • White Balance

    Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Halogen / White Set (Selectable at Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self-Portrait, Sports, Baby, Pet, High Sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst, Pinhole modes)
    White Balance Adjustment (+/-10steps, except for auto set)

  • Exposure

    Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual, Program Shift(Program AE mode)

  • Exposure Compensation

    1/3 EV Step, +/- 2 EV

  • Backlight Compensation

    Yes (auto in Intelligent AUTO mode)

  • Auto Bracketing (AE)

    +/- 1/3 EV ~ 1EV step, 3 frames

  • Light Metering

    Intelligent Multiple / Center-weighted / Spot

  • Scene Modes

    Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Self-Portrait, Food, Party, Candle Light, Fireworks, Starry Sky, Beach, Aerial Photo, Snow, High Sensitivity, Baby1&2, Underwater, Sunset, Pet, Hi-Speed Burst, Multi Aspect

  • Advanced Scene Mode

    No

  • Shutter Speed/Shutter System

    P:1-1/2000sec (Selectable minimum shutter speed)
    A/S:8-1/2000sec, M:60-1/2000sec
    Starry Sky Mode : 15, 30, 60sec.

  • Self Timer

    2sec, 10sec

  • Auto Review

    1sec, 2sec, Zoom, Hold

  • Review

    1x/4x/8x

  • Picture Adjustment

    Contrast +2steps
    Sharpness +2steps
    Saturation +2steps
    Noise Reduction +2steps (can be adjusted in Film Mode)

  • Recording Format

    Still Image: JPEG(Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.21 standard), RAW, DPOF corresponding image with audio: JPEG (Design rule for Camera File system, based on Exif 2.21 standard)+ QuickTime
    Motion picture: QuickTime Motion JPEG

  • Image Quality

    Fine / Standard / RAW / RAW+Standard JPEG / RAW+Fine JPEG

  • 4:3 Aspect Ratio (Still Image)

    3648 x 2736
    3072 x 2304
    2560 x 1920
    2048 x 1536
    1600 x 1200
    640 x 480

  • 3:2 Aspect Ratio (Still Image)

    3776 x 2520
    3168 x 2112
    2656 x 1768
    2112 x 1408
    2048 x 1360

  • 16:9 Aspect Ratio (Still Image)

    3968 x 2232
    3328 x 1872
    2784 x 1568
    2208 x 1248
    1920 x 1080

  • Burst Shooting Mode

    Full-Resolution Image, 2.5 frames/sec Max. 8 images (Standard mode), Max 4 images (Fine), Max 3 images (RAW)

  • Unlimited Consecutive Shooting 2

    Yes

  • Intelligent Exposure

    Off / Low / Standard / High

  • Digital Red Eye Correction

    Yes

  • Easy Zoom/Zoom Resume/Motion Zoom

    No/No/No

  • Still Image Recording with Audio

    5 seconds

  • Audio Dubbing

    Maximum of 10 Seconds

  • Composition Guide Lines

    Yes (2 patterns)

  • Built-in Memory

    approx. 50MB

  • Scene Mode Help Screen

    Yes

  • Auto Angle Detection

    Yes

  • Flip Animation

    No

  • Travel Date/World Time

    Yes/Yes

  • Title Edit

    Yes

  • Text Stamp/Date Stamp

    Yes

  • Built-in Flash Type/Mode

    Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off Flash Synchro ; 1st / 2nd Flash output Adjustment (1/3EV step, -2 - +2 EV) 0.8 - 8.3m (Wide/Macro/ISO Auto), 0.3 - 5.9m (Tele/ISO Auto)

  • External Flash

    Yes

  • Viewfinder

    External OVF (Optional)

  • LCD Monitor

    3.0", 3:2 Polycrystalline TFT LCD Display (460K dots)
    Field of View : approx. 100%
    AUTO Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode

  • Playback Mode

    REC/Play Selector Switch, 30 & 12-thumbnail Display, Calendar Display, Zoomed Playback (16x max), Playback of Fav Pics, Image Rotation, Resize, Trim, Protection, Aspect Conv. DPOF Print Setting Creating Still Pics from Motion Picture, Dual Image Playback

  • OSD Language

    English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Russian, Chinese(Traditional), Chinese(Simplified), Netherlandic, Thai, Korean, Turkish, Portuguese, Arabic, Persian, Japanese, Swedish, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish

  • Recording Media

    Built-in Memory
    SD Memory Card
    SDHC Memory Card
    MultiMediaCard (Still image only)

  • Microphone

    Yes

  • Speaker

    Yes

  • Interface

    DC Input, AV Output (NTSC/PAL), HD AV Output (Component), USB 2.0 High Speed

  • Direct Print

    PictBridge

  • Power Supply

    Li-ion Battery Pack (3.7V, 1150mAh) (Included)
    AC Adaptor (Input: 110-240V AC) (Optional)

  • Battery Life

    380 pictures (CIPA standard)

  • ISO Limit Set

    Yes

  • Multi-Exposure

    Yes

  • Multi-Aspect

    Yes

  • Rec Mode (Mode Dial)

    Intelligent AUTO, P(Program) mode, A(Aperture Priority) mode, S(Shutter Priority) mode, M(Manual) mode, Custom1, Custom2, Portrait mode, Scenery mode, Sports mode, Night Portrait mode, Close-up mode, Scene mode, Motion Picture

  • Color Bracketing

    No

  • Real-time Histogram / Highlight Display

    Yes / Yes

  • Motion Picture

    4:3 Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels 30 fps, 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps/10 fps 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 848 x 480 pixels 30 fps

  • Film Mode

    Standard, Dynamic, Natural, Smooth, Vibrant, Nostalgic, WB/Standard, WB/Dynamic, WB/Smooth, My Film1, MyFilm2, Multi Film

  • Dimensions (H x W x D)

    2.34" x 4.28" x 1.06"

  • Weight

    0.5 lbs

  • Warranty

    Panasonic warranty

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About Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3K 10MP DSLR Camera, Silver

FEATURED REVIEWS

A Great Camera For Pros & Amateurs Alike

By Hawkeye

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 ...

View full Review

Best point and shoot you can buy!

By SHANE A.

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

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3S Digital Camera is designed for easy, creative shooting and high-performance in low-light conditions, the DMC-LX3 features a F2.0 24mm LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens, 10.1 mega pixels and an ultra-sensitive 1/1.63-inch CCD developed specifically for this model.

By combining a high-quality lens and sensor ready for a variety of shooting conditions with a wide-range of accessories and manual controls, the DMC-LX3 is ideal for professional photographers and serious amateurs looking for a compact digital camera that furthers their creative photography. At the heart of the DMC-LX3, is its 1/1.63-inch CCD. Making the intentional choice to limit the number of mega pixels to 10.1 on its CCD, Panasonic was able to give more space for each pixel and also redesigned the peripheral circuits and other components to further minimize noise generation.

As a result, sensitivity is almost 40 percent higher and saturation is increased by 35 percent, when compared to Panasonics 10 MP digital cameras, giving the DMC-LX3 outstanding image quality and a wide dynamic range and meeting the demand for a camera that works optimally in low-light environments. The CCD is also capable of reproducing images in three aspect ratios 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9. The new Multi Aspect mode allows the camera to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously, allowing you to choose the version that best suits their needs.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3K 10MP DSLR Camera, Silver Features

  • Major upgrade to the DMC-LX3 is the F2.0 24mm ultra wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens. The F2.0 is about twice as bright as a F2.8 lens and can shoot at higher shutter speeds to capture clear, blur-free images in dimly lit environments
  • In addition, the 24mm lens captures approximately a 213% larger viewing angle than a normal 35mm camera and 136% larger compared to a 28mm wide-angle lens. The lens unit consists of eight elements in six groups with four aspherical lenses with four aspherical surfaces
  • As a result of the F2.0 lens, the DMC-LX3 produces high resolution and minimal distortion and artifacts such as chromatic aberrations, ghosting and flaring
  • The DMC-LX3 features a Film mode with six color types and three types of monochrome selections. Much like selecting from different film types, this function gives you the flexibility and creative freedom to take more expressive digital photos
  • The DMC-LX3 produces a maximum of three images from a RAW file for you to compare the different textures
  • Another new feature is the multiple-exposure feature, which lets you create artistic photos by overlaying up to three consecutive images; while still viewing the last image on the 3.0-inch LCD screen