{"id":4224,"date":"2014-11-23T17:37:54","date_gmt":"2014-11-23T22:37:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/?p=4224"},"modified":"2015-01-07T11:17:43","modified_gmt":"2015-01-07T16:17:43","slug":"review-panasonic-lumix-lx100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/review-panasonic-lumix-lx100\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Panasonic Lumix LX100"},"content":{"rendered":"

Panasonic has had a long line of premium compact cameras in their LX lineup.\u00a0 Previously, these cameras featured fast lenses, premium construction and fairly good image quality, considering the relatively small sensor.\u00a0 However, with the rise of high-end compact cameras with large sensors, such as the Sony RX100 series and Canon\u2019s G1X lineup, Panasonic felt the pressure to up their game, and they\u2019ve responded with their new LX100.\u00a0 This premium compact camera features a Micro 4\/3 sized sensor and a fast f\/1.7 to f\/2.8 zoom lens covering a range equivalent to 24-75mm on a 35mm camera.\u00a0 In addition to the new innards, Panasonic has also revamped the controls, opting for direct control dials and a built-in corner EVF.\u00a0 The LX100\u2019s steep pricetag of $899 (available at B&H Photo Here<\/a>) sets some lofty expectations, but can it meet them?<\/p>\n

\"Panasonic<\/a>
Panasonic Lumix LX100<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re not familiar with my reviews, I review from a real world shooting perspective. You won\u2019t find lens charts or resolution numbers here. There are plenty of other sites that cover those. I review products on how they act for me as a photographic tool. \u00a0I am not a videographer, so my reviews concentrate on the still imaging capabilities of a camera.<\/em><\/p>\n

Construction and Handling<\/h3>\n

The Lumix LX100 is a camera with a fast zoom lens and a large sensor, which makes achieving extremely small size rather difficult.\u00a0 While the LX100 isn\u2019t as small as the Sony RX100 III, it still manages a petite body given the innards.\u00a0 The LX100 contains a 4\/3 sized sensor, though a small part of that sensor is cropped, yielding a sensor with an approximately 2.2x crop factor.\u00a0 However, the biggest reason for the larger size is coupling that larger image circle with the fast 10.9-34mm f\/1.7-2.8 zoom lens.\u00a0 The lens features 11 elements in 8 groups with a whopping 5 aspherical elements. \u00a0As a result, the lens protrudes about an inch from the camera body.<\/p>\n

\"Panasonic<\/a>
Panasonic Lumix LX100<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LX100 isn\u2019t super small, but it is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket, though you can forget about fitting it in a typical jeans pocket.\u00a0 While some have expressed disappointment with the chunky size, I found it to be quite nice in actual use.\u00a0 While Panasonic makes an even smaller interchangeable lens camera in the GM1 and now the GM5, those cameras are so small that handling suffers a fair bit.\u00a0 The LX100, on the other hand, features a small but comfortable grip, along with a nice thumb rest.\u00a0 The camera nestles comfortably into your hand and shooting for long periods with the camera is likewise comfortable.\u00a0 The larger size also makes room for a nice EVF without cramping your face against your hand while shooting.<\/p>\n

The LX100 is constructed predominantly of high-grade aluminum, and it feels incredibly solid.\u00a0 The dials, including the rather substantial aperture ring, are also made of metal and have a wonderful feel with positive clicks with the perfect amount of resistance.\u00a0 Overall, the package exudes quality, and feels great in use.<\/p>\n

Operation and Controls<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Top Controls of the LX100<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the LX100, Panasonic has taken a page out of Fujifilm\u2019s book and created a camera with retro-style controls.\u00a0 In fact, they\u2019ve essentially exactly copied Fujifilm’s control scheme, at least for the major exposure parameters, as the top and front controls are essentially identical to the Fuji X100 series.\u00a0 A nicely knurled aperture ring with firm detents and an A setting for autoaperture selection surround the front of the lens housing, while a multi-function ring sits behind it.\u00a0 This ring can be set to a number of different functions, from zoom control to ISO and focusing.\u00a0 I preferred to utilize the ring for controlling the zoom, as I naturally expect zoom controls to sit in that location.\u00a0 Unfortunately, zoom speed is rather pokey, even when utilizing the ring on the lens barrel.\u00a0 However, when in manual focus mode, this ring is naturally used for focusing, and here the speed and tactile feedback are essentially perfect.<\/p>\n

Also located on the somewhat crowded, yet still functional lens barrel are two switches.\u00a0 One controls focus operation, allowing you to choose from Autofocus, Autofocus with close focusing and Manual focus.\u00a0 The switch on top of the lens barrel directly changes the aspect ratio of the image.\u00a0 In the introduction, I noted that the LX100 doesn\u2019t use the complete Micro 4\/3 sensor, and it uses the extra area for true multi-aspect usage.\u00a0 Instead of cropping the image circle for different aspect ratios, each aspect ratio uses the full image circle projected by the lens, which means 4:3 has a greater vertical field of view than the other ratios, while the 16:9 ratio gains significant horizontal field of view.<\/p>\n

The switches are nice and firm, which will prevent you from accidentally changing the settings.\u00a0 However, I found the two switches are located a bit too close to the body, which makes them somewhat awkward to operate.<\/p>\n

On top of the camera sits a shutter speed dial with markings to 1\/4000 second, along with a dedicated exposure compensation dial that sits at the upper right.\u00a0 As someone who shoots Fujifilm cameras regularly, I fell right into familiarity with this control scheme.\u00a0 The top also features the shutter button, which is surrounded by a typical zoom rocker switch if you choose to zoom this way.\u00a0 Beside the shutter button sits a dedicated button for art filters.\u00a0 While the Panasonic art filters are actually really well done, I was rather disappointed that they garnered their own dedicated button that can\u2019t be reprogrammed.\u00a0 I\u2019d have much preferred this prime button position to be programmable for other functions.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The focus switch can be seen along the lens barrel. This image shows the lens at full extension at 34mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rear of the camera features a typical four-way control pad with integral rear dial, which activates focus selection, ISO, drive mode and white balance.\u00a0 There are two programmable function buttons and the movie record button as well, plus a dedicated display button for changing view modes.<\/p>\n

Button operation is predominantly well done, though things can still be a bit cramped given the small size of the camera.\u00a0 I fell into a nice routine with this camera quite quickly, with the controls feeling natural after only a few hours of shooting.<\/p>\n

The only major issue I have with the controls on this camera is the inexplicable omission of a touch-sensitive rear screen, and I wouldn\u2019t have minded some tilt capability as well.\u00a0 Panasonic has been putting in touch screens on their Micro 4\/3 cameras for years now, and so the lack of one here is particularly glaring.\u00a0 While most functions are easily handled by the dials and buttons, selecting a focus point quickly was much more of a chore without a touch screen.\u00a0 While the camera can be configured for direct focus point adjustment, there are simply so many fine steps where the point can be placed that it makes it a slow process to change the focus point.<\/p>\n

The menu system for the LX100 is taken more or less directly from Panasonic\u2019s recent Micro 4\/3 cameras, so if you are familiar with that system, you\u2019ll be right at home with the LX100.\u00a0 The menus are clearly organized and easy to navigate.\u00a0 I think Panasonic has one of the better menu systems around among the compact and mirrorless manufacturers.<\/p>\n

Continue: Viewfinder and Performance<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Electronic Viewfinder and Rear Screen<\/h3>\n

The LX100 features a corner EVF like a lot of recent compacts and small mirrorless cameras, though the one on this camera is a bit nicer than several of its closer competitors.\u00a0 The LX100\u2019s EVF is a 2.79 million dot (effective) EVF, though it uses a sequential display.\u00a0 The result is a viewfinder that is extremely clear and detailed, though it can show color artifacts when panning the camera quickly.\u00a0 The viewfinder isn\u2019t huge, at an effective 0.63x magnification (in full frame terms), but it is similar in size to something like the Olympus OM-D E-M5 or the Fuji X-E2, and notably larger and more detailed than something like the Sony RX100 III and especially larger than Panasonic\u2019s sister interchangeable lens GM5.<\/p>\n

In real world use the EVF is quite good, with extremely low lag, low noise in dim light and quick refresh. The only real downside is the fact that it’s a 16:9 viewfinder, so if you’re shooting in 4:3 aspect ratio, the view will be pillar boxed and quite a bit smaller than when shooting at the wider aspect ratios. When utilizing manual focus, by default an enlarging square comes up in the middle of the viewfinder that shows the enlarged area in the center of the frame with the full framing surrounding it.\u00a0\u00a0 As a result, manual focus using the EVF is quite nice.<\/p>\n

The rear screen on the LX100 is a 920,000 dot screen that is clear and has fairly good color and contrast.\u00a0 As I mentioned earlier, I do wish the screen tilted and swiveled, and I very much wish it was touch capable.\u00a0 However as a display it works just fine.\u00a0 In harsh daylight, the rear screen can be somewhat difficult to see, especially off-axis.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The rear display of the LX100<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the displays are quite good overall, the biggest problem I encountered was somewhat of a disconnect in apparent brightness in the viewfinder and actual exposure, especially when shooting outside.\u00a0 The viewfinder seems to show a brighter image than what will be recorded.\u00a0 As a result, I often backed off exposure thinking that I was overexposing, and when I imported the photos to look at them, I found I had underexposed by nearly a stop.\u00a0 What made this more frustrating is that this occurred when using the zebra stripe feature to show blown highlights, set to 100%.\u00a0 (Panasonic offers to show the Zebra striping at 80%, but this is all but useless).<\/p>\n

Performance and Autofocus<\/h3>\n

The LX100 operates fairly quickly for the most part.\u00a0 The only major delays in operation are a short delay upon turning the camera off and on while the lens retracts, and slow zoom operation.\u00a0 Otherwise, the camera is quick and responsive.\u00a0 Files are written quickly, shutter lag is short and EVF refresh is quite nice.\u00a0 I never found myself waiting on the camera during general use. \u00a0As I said, the only real exception to this is the zoom speed, which is no faster than any other compact camera.\u00a0 I was hoping zoom operation would be more along the lines of modern power zoom lenses such as the Sony 18-105mm f\/4 G, but that may have been hoping for too much.\u00a0 Still, I have to think that zoom operation could be sped up at least a little.<\/p>\n

One quirk of the camera happens when reviewing images. \u00a0After looking at images for a short while (in the neighborhood of 15 seconds or so), the lens will retract. \u00a0This isn’t ideal, but it’s not too bad. \u00a0What is bizarre is if you shut the camera off after this happens, the camera will extend the lens back out, then pull it back in to shut it off, adding several seconds where you can’t stash the camera back in your pocket or a bag.<\/p>\n

Autofocus on the LX100 is similar to the recent Panasonic Micro 4\/3 cameras, and features the excellent Depth By Defocus system as found in cameras like the GH4.\u00a0 Focus is extremely fast and, for the most part, extremely accurate.\u00a0 A few times, especially in lower light or when the AF Macro mode is engaged, the camera would think it was in focus when it was extremely out of focus.\u00a0 This didn\u2019t happen often enough to be a problem, however, and the good news is that it\u2019s blatantly obvious in the viewfinder when this occurs, so you won\u2019t be missing shots unless you\u2019re not paying attention.<\/p>\n

Continuous autofocus was quite impressive in the limited amount of time I had to test it out. \u00a0The camera can easily track most subjects with ease, and maintain good accuracy and a high hit rate. \u00a0The 11fps burst mode and 5fps with live view will come in handy for the occasional action shot, though due to the limited zoom range, this isn’t a camera that is likely to see much use for sports shooting.<\/p>\n

Clip-On Flash<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The LX100’s Clip-On Flash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LX100 lacks a built-in flash, but the camera comes with a small flash that clips into the hotshoe and is powered by the camera. \u00a0While the clip-on flash sits higher than most built-in flashes, it still is a small, forward facing flash. \u00a0As a result, while red-eye won’t be too much of a problem, the harsh direct-flash look of a typical compact is still present.<\/p>\n

The LX100 also had a problem with my Metz 50 AF-1 flashgun that I use with my Micro 4\/3 cameras. \u00a0While it worked fine in manual mode, it was unable to utilize TTL flash with the LX100, which I found rather disappointing. \u00a0Perhaps this flash isn’t compatible with the leaf shutter of the camera. \u00a0However, one great thing about the LX100 is that leaf shutter enables high-speed flash sync, of 1\/2000s maximum when at wide apertures, and 1\/4000s at f\/4 and smaller. \u00a0This can be a great camera to use with an external flash for use outdoors in full sunlight, even at wider apertures.<\/p>\n

Continue: Key Features<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Image Stabilization<\/h3>\n

The LX100’s lens features an optical image stabilizer in addition to its fast speed. \u00a0I found the OIS in the LX100 to be rather effective, enabling sharp images down to around 1\/8 second at the long end of the range, and about 1\/4 second at the wide end. \u00a0This results in an effectiveness of a little better than 3 stops, which is pretty darn good for a compact. \u00a0Combined with the fast aperture, the LX100 can do a pretty nice job shooting in low light with a stationary subject. \u00a0The shot below was taken at 13mm at 1\/6 second, which is about 2.5 stops slower than what would be required without stabilization at this focal length.<\/p>\n

\"Hayden<\/a>
Hayden Falls – Panasonic LX100 @ 13mm, f\/11, 1\/6s, ISO 125, Handheld<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wi-Fi<\/h3>\n
\"Wi-Fi<\/a>
Wi-Fi Remote Shooting (iOS App Shown)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like most recent digital cameras, the LX100 features built-in Wi-Fi, and the implementation here is quite good. \u00a0The camera can transfer images to your phone or tablet, and allows for remote shooting with those devices as well.<\/p>\n

Initial setup can be a bit finicky, but is soon sorted out. \u00a0You can do direct manual connection or connection via a shared network. \u00a0Once a direct connection is established, the camera will remember the device, and your mobile device should also maintain those network settings. \u00a0After this, reconnection is as simple as starting WiFi on the camera and selecting the network on your device.<\/p>\n

The Panasonic Image App starts with full control of the camera, and you can continue in this mode or switch to playback, which will then allow you to select images to transfer to the camera. \u00a0Unfortunately, there is no control over the RAW conversion when transferring images.<\/p>\n

When utilizing the remote control of the camera, most of the camera controls can be accessed and changed, from image quality to white balance to ISO and focus point. Unfortunately, the parameters I’m most likely to change can’t be changed: Shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation. \u00a0These are grayed out in the app and must be changed by hand on the camera if adjustment is desired. \u00a0I’m not sure why this is the case. \u00a0While I understand that Panasonic may not want the dials to show different settings than what the camera will be taking a picture of, it doesn’t make much sense when you consider how remote shooting is done. \u00a0Hopefully Panasonic will change this behavior in the future and allow for these adjustments. \u00a0Overall, though, the live feed is relatively low lag and the camera operates quite well under remote control.<\/p>\n

Intervalometer<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
The intervalometer is easy to set up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LX100 features a built-in intervalometer for time-lapse shooting, and it works like most intervalometers on the market do: you can set the time between exposures and the number of frames to record, up to one shy of 10,000 exposures. \u00a0Of course, with any long time-lapse, you’ll want to watch battery power.<\/p>\n

Panorama Mode<\/h3>\n

What is rapidly becoming standard on most cameras is some sort of panorama stitching mode, and the LX100’s works fairly well. You can select which direction you want to travel, lock exposure and begin sweeping. \u00a0The camera stitches images quite cleanly. \u00a0While still not as good as a dedicated panorama stitching program, the results were good, and stitching errors were rare and generally minor. One characteristic of the LX100 that aids in using the panorama mode in a quiet location is that the leaf shutter\u00a0in the LX100is very quiet and not distracting like it is on some other cameras.<\/p>\n

Electronic and Leaf Shutter<\/h3>\n
\"Grass<\/a>
Grass at Sunset – Panasonic LX100 @ 34mm, f\/4, 1\/13,000s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LX100 utilizes a leaf shutter in the lens rather than a focal plane shutter. \u00a0This has a few benefits. \u00a0First, as mentioned on the previous page, flash sync is incredibly high with a leaf shutter. \u00a0Second, it’s also incredibly quiet. \u00a0The mechanical shutter on the LX100 is nearly inaudible, and I had to check that it wasn’t using electronic shutter once I turned off the rather unnecessary ‘shutter sounds.’<\/p>\n

The extremely quiet leaf shutter transitions automatically to the included electronic shutter capability at shutter speeds faster than 1\/4000s. \u00a0The electronic shutter is capable of speeds of 1\/16,000 second, allowing for shooting in broad daylight wide open without the need of an ND filter. The shot to the left utilized the electronic shutter at 1\/13,000 second to catch detail in the blowing grass and achieve the desired exposure for the image despite shooting directly into the sun.\u00a0This transition is seamless, though you can choose to enable only mechanical shutter and only electronic shutter if you wish.<\/p>\n

It’s worth noting that either is quiet enough that subjects won’t hear you click, making the LX100 an excellent option for street photography with its small size, silent shutter and fast autofocus. \u00a0In conjunction with the Wi-Fi control, one can also perform the stealthy ‘pretend you’re on your phone while shooting subjects’ to minimize distraction, while also accurately composing the frame and shooting. \u00a0Not being a street photographer, I didn’t do that with this camera, but that option is there if that fits your style.<\/p>\n

Continue: Image Quality<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Image Quality<\/h3>\n

Lens<\/h4>\n
\"Click<\/a>
Click to view a full size image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The LX100 manages to cram a 24-75mm equivalent lens with a fast maximum aperture of f\/1.7-2.8 into the small body of the camera, which is a rather ambitious design. \u00a0As a result, there are some optical compromises in the lens, though the overall quality remains on a high level.<\/p>\n

Image sharpness is quite high in the central part of the frame at all focal lengths and aperture. \u00a0Stopping down improves edge sharpness, though some residual edge and corner softness remains, especially at the wide-angle portion of the zoom range. \u00a0A lot of this has to do with the absolutely massive distortions at the wide end that are corrected both in JPEG and in Lightroom. This correction does result in a final image that has minimal distortion, but at the expense of corner and edge resolution. \u00a0Uncorrected files at the wide end show extreme amounts of barrel distortion. \u00a0Luckily, most users will never see this distortion as the lens corrections were certainly designed into the camera.<\/p>\n

Color and contrast are very good, though the lens is only mediocre in the flare department. \u00a0For the most part, images are fine, but with a bright source in the frame, such as the sun, the camera lens can show a small bright green blob in the frame and some purple artifacts around the light source, but I’ve definitely seen much worse. \u00a0Veiling flare isn’t much of an issue.<\/p>\n

The fast aperture does allow for some shallow depth of field. \u00a0While it’s not going to reach the capabilities of a proper interchangeable lens kit with fast glass, it does allow for more depth of field control than other high end zoom compacts. \u00a0Overall bokeh quality is pleasing for a lens like this, especially at the telephoto end. \u00a0It’s not super creamy, but it also avoids being distracting over most of the zoom range. \u00a0At moderate distances at the wide end of the range, some nervousness can definitely creep in, though.<\/p>\n

Chromatic aberration is relatively well controlled. \u00a0There is some minor lateral CA present in uncorrected files, but the lens profile in JPEG and in Lightroom completely eliminates it.<\/p>\n

While the lens isn’t perfect and pixel peepers may be critical of the performance at the edges, overall I was rather impressed with the LX100’s optics. \u00a0The zoom range is versatile and the wide aperture range allows for some moderately shallow depth of field while producing images with good resolution and a good look. \u00a0Click the image above and to the right to view a full size image, processed with Lightroom 5.7. \u00a0Click the green arrow at the bottom of the enlarged image to view at 100%.<\/p>\n

\"Statues<\/a>
Statues – Panasonic LX100 @ 10.9mm, f\/1.7, ISO 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Color and Dynamic Range<\/h4>\n

If you’ve used a recent 16 Megapixel Micro 4\/3 camera from Panasonic, then you generally know how the LX100’s sensor performs. \u00a0It has the same sensor as the Panasonic GX7, though it only uses about 12.8 megapixels of that frame. \u00a0Aside from the slightly lower\u00a0resolution, image quality is essentially identical, and that’s a good thing. \u00a0The LX100 has good color response, which is somewhat muted in the RAW files, but can be adjusted quite well.<\/p>\n

The dynamic range of the LX100 is excellent, providing plenty of shadow detail and lots of room in the highlights for high contrast scenes. \u00a0For most situations, the camera can capture the tones in the scene without clipping at the extremes. However, this is a\u00a0\u00a0camera that I feel really benefits from the use of RAW.<\/p>\n

JPEG Quality<\/h4>\n

The JPEG production of the LX100 is not bad, and is an improvement on older Panasonic cameras, but there is still too much mushy noise reduction and artifacting that can happen in smooth areas of color, even at base ISO. \u00a0At high ISO, the images are fairly clean, but the noise reduction is very heavy, which obliterates detail. \u00a0When looking at the JPEGs, the LX100’s image quality looks like a decent quality compact camera. \u00a0When using RAW, it looks like a high quality mirrorless camera. \u00a0I highly recommend shooting RAW if you are going to purchase the LX100.<\/p>\n

Noise<\/h4>\n

As with the other sensor characteristics, the pixel level noise is on par with recent Panasonic Micro 4\/3 cameras, which is really quite good. \u00a0While there is some fine grain in skies even at base ISO, overall noise is well controlled up through about ISO 800. While ISO 1600 and 3200 show a fair bit of grain, they retain lots of detail, making these two ISOs more than usable for a wide variety of situations.<\/p>\n

\"Ohio<\/a>
Ohio Statehouse – Panasonic LX100 @ 10.9mm, f\/5.6, ISO 3200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even ISO 6400 through 25,600, while quite noisy for sure, can be usable for the web or small prints, due to the high level of detail retained, though 25,600 would want to be saved for emergency use only, simply due to how quickly the shadows become muddied and the color cast that begins to creep in at that ISO. \u00a0Click on the images\u00a0below\u00a0for 100% crops at ISO 6400 and ISO 25,600, from RAW in Lightroom, to get an idea of the detail vs. noise you get at these ISOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\"100%<\/a>
100% crop at ISO 6400<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/th>\n
\n

\"100%<\/a>
100% Crop @ ISO 25,600<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0Video<\/h4>\n

As I noted at the beginning of the review, I am most definitely not a videographer, so I don’t feel comfortable discussing in-depth the ins and outs of camera video usage, but with the LX100 capable of shooting 4K video natively, I did shoot a few clips, and here are my thoughts.<\/p>\n

Autofocus in video mode works rather well, but can quickly jitter in and out of focus during filming of static subjects, as it seeks to confirm focus, which can be somewhat jarring\u00a0upon playback.\u00a0The camera can utilize full manual control of video, and aperture, exposure compensation and shutter speed can all be changed on the fly during recording. \u00a0The camera doesn’t have a separate microphone input, so you will have to deal with the relatively sub-par sound recording unless you want to utilize a separate sound recorder and sync the video and audio tracks later.<\/p>\n

Image quality on video was very good, with a 100Mbps 4K stream at 24p available. \u00a0Detail was excellent, and color and contrast quite nice. \u00a0While I don’t have a 4K monitor or television to watch the videos I took at full resolution, I did view them zoomed to 100% to see what the detail looked like at full size, and it was quite good. \u00a0I noticed in scenes where I was panning \u00a0the camera, the loss of fine resolution due to the slower shutter speed is much more apparent at this resolution than at 1080p.<\/p>\n

\"Single<\/a>
Single frame pulled from a 4K video clip taken with the LX100. Click to view the full frame and click the green arrow at the bottom of the screen to view at 100%.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One very nice thing about shooting 4K video is the ability to pull 8 megapixel images out of the video stream, and Panasonic has a 4K photo mode if this is your intention from the beginning. \u00a0This mode allows for faster shutter speeds and non-16:9 aspect ratio photos. \u00a0This has some great potential if you have space for the data and you want precise timing of a shot, though it would be impractical to shoot this way\u00a0at all times. Click the image above to view a full size still image plucked from a standard frame of 4K video. \u00a0This is easily high enough quality for 8×12″ prints and probably larger.<\/p>\n

The video mode also crops in slightly to have true 1:1 pixel representation in video, so the wide end becomes limited to approximately 27mm equivalent when shooting 4K video. \u00a0While the video on the LX100 probably won’t entice too many professional filmmakers due to the handling and lack of audio input, the LX100 is certainly ready for this next generation of televisions and home movies of the highest quality.<\/p>\n

Continue: Conclusion and Image Samples<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

Pros<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Very well-built and easy to operate camera<\/li>\n
  • Versatile lens with wide-angle range and fast maximum aperture<\/li>\n
  • High quality 4\/3 sized sensor with multi-aspect ratio capability<\/li>\n
  • Excellent dynamic range<\/li>\n
  • Noise is well controlled for a compact and on-par with Micro 4\/3 mirrorless cameras<\/li>\n
  • Good lens quality with high central sharpness, good color and contrast and even decent bokeh<\/li>\n
  • Image stabilization is effective to around 3 stops<\/li>\n
  • Excellent controls with dedicated aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation dials<\/li>\n
  • Very good EVF with extremely high resolution, low noise and low lag<\/li>\n
  • Wi-Fi capabilities are well implemented and include remote control<\/li>\n
  • High quality 4K video recording<\/li>\n
  • Very fast and accurate autofocus<\/li>\n
  • Virtually silent leaf shutter and electronic shutter up to 1\/16,000 second<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Cons<\/h4>\n
      \n
    • Rear screen lacks touch capability<\/li>\n
    • Some softness on edges and corners even stopped down<\/li>\n
    • A bit larger than some of the competition<\/li>\n
    • 12 Megapixel resolution a bit lower than competitors<\/li>\n
    • No exposure adjustment while remote shooting<\/li>\n
    • Included Clip-On flash is a bit weak<\/li>\n
    • Can’t use TTL with some external flashguns<\/li>\n
    • No microphone input<\/li>\n
    • Lens zooms slowly<\/li>\n
    • Lens barrel controls a bit too tight to the body<\/li>\n
    • Exposure preview in the EVF can sometimes be brighter than the image recorded<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The Panasonic LX100 is entering what is a very crowded enthusiast compact market, where competitors like the super small Sony RX100 III and the very capable Canon G1X, both come in at more than $100 less than the LX100. \u00a0Despite the high price tag, the LX100 is a camera that is definitely worth a long hard look for anyone looking for a single lens high quality compact.<\/p>\n

      It’s not the smallest camera in this category, but it is certainly one of the most capable, and I personally prefer the size of the LX100 to something like the RX100 due to the better ease of operation. \u00a0The fast zoom lens, the excellent ergonomics and controls, the high quality EVF and the large 4\/3 sized sensor help to make the LX100 a camera that can produce images that are in many cases on-par with interchangeable lens cameras.\u00a0Toss in native capability for 4K video, and it’s something that is quite unique at this point in time.<\/p>\n

      While there are several things that aren’t perfect with the camera, the only thing that I really wished for was a touch panel on the rear screen, which would help immensely with quick selection of focus points. \u00a0It’d be nice if the zoom operated more quickly or if it had a little higher resolution, but none of these are dealbreakers.<\/p>\n

      I really enjoyed shooting with the LX100 this past week, and while I do think it might be priced just a tad too high, it’s definitely a camera I would highly recommend.<\/p>\n

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