LUMIX LX3

Pretty awesome, I especially like how it opens up with the lens, kinda transformer like.

Just a question a High end compact camera is it similar to a regular compact camera where you can just point and shoot? Or do you have to autofocus?

I LOVE the lens flap! NICE quality!

Danny, why is this article dated 01/03/2009? 0.0

the biggest problem with me is that I hate having to carry a camera around. So I do take some pictures with my cell phone camera (2 megapixels<- epic fail) but I don't like lugging my actual Digital camera around

Awesome to see a compact camera like that...
Will go to those places on Flickr if I can find them...
Also, will add you as a comrade on flickr!!!!!

showing hubs this camera review huhuhu not sure when we'll get but a 5 out of 5 dolphins is goot lol!

wow, that little camera is very impressive. the quality of those picture are awesome and i like the design, it reminds me of one of those old film cameras.

Hmm... nice digital pictures with that camera. I'm impressed. I seldom take pictures tho, and I personally don't like being snapped.

danny you're torturing me by showing that mousepad again. /want >.<

Wow, it has soft focus on this compact digicam, gonna check it out soon, the price is very yummy too ^_^

What a beautiful camera!

I've been contemplating on getting a compact camera of my own because lugging around my DSLR is sometimes a bit much :(

良いな、そのカメラ。。。^_^

As much as I love Canon, this looks like my next camera.

What is the typical resolution of the pictures taken, is there grainy pictures

EVERYDAY
my CF cards are nearly full....all of them - i better start offloading them onto my PC.

Very cool lens cover Danny - DO WANT (if i had a compact that is)

I no longer like my canon powershot A590 now.
Me sucking at taking pictures helps contribute to that too though.

Ever since I used a Panasonic Lumix camera at a LAN party I've been keeping an eye on them. All of them seem pretty nice to me. I might pick up a lower end version for $150-ish. Would it be worth it or a waste of money?

Never had anything better than compact point and shoots, even with the number of photos I've taken.

If I was smart I'd invest the money into a decent camera and end up with photos that don't make me slap my palm into my forehead when I look at them years later.

Wow, nice camera.. i like the thumbnail view and the oppai mousepad^^

I just need a compact one. I can't take my Nikon every time I want :(

おお〜。ハイエンドコンパクトカメラいいですね！
一眼レフは「もってくぞー」と準備しなければいけないけれど、
ハイエンドコンパクトカメラならかばんに入れておけそう。いざというときに暗いところも綺麗なのはgood

What would be the Sony and Canon equivalent of this lovely piece of equipment?

congratulations on the camera. love the shot with the tissue covered figures, and the shot with cheerleader Mikuru.

That's pretty good camera for a compact, have never really play around with a high end compact before, but the ISO400 shots looks great

I like the lens craft...it's pretty nifty so that you don't have to manually take it off...My first digital camera is a Lumix DMC-FX33 which I bought a few months ago. Not as nice as the the LX3, but I like the simple controls and it's good enough for a beginner like me...

WOW nice..... i was thinking of getting this or a Canon Prosumer G10 but in the end i held back. Wanted to get a Nikon D90 instead.....

Anyway LX3 is one of the great Compact Camera in the market, the downside is that its zoom range and pixel aint as good as G10. But at least u get a better lens with HD movie recording.

All Hail Panasonic, and all hail high-end compact camera.

Interesting... I hope someday I have the money to buy this and a full dslr.

wow, the macro mode does look impressive.

I have the same problem with my dslr, the photos look better on the screen ^^;;

And I love the innovative lens cap =o I'm finding it annoying having to take the cap off every time I decide to take a photo >.<;;

Great camera Danny~

Whoa... Lumix is now another fave for me ^___^

Excellent! I have been looking into getting a camera, getting fed up of using a camera phone, especially when I tried to take pictures outdoors at night, it really sucks, I was looking into getting a SLR camera but hate the size because I would be doing a lot of traveling next year. This is defo a solution :D

i like that lens!

Me needs to learn moar on cameras... =.="

That looks awesome~ I'm a fan of Canon, but I don't think I've seen Panasonic's before.

I saw some sample pictures from camera and it looks good. The impressive low light pictures are what's attracting me to this camera... but I don't know if this camera is even available here.

Looks and sounds awesome. Yeah, after reading all the reviews & comments of the high end compact digicams previously, looks like the Panasonic Lumix LX3 is the best choice. I'm looking to get one myself, hopefully before the end of the year. Although I've been browsing some of the local camera stores and they all seem to be out of stock.

And I was wondering why you ordered an extra lens cap in your news article the other time. Now I understand. I have learned.

the lens cap is awesome, very original

the design of the camera is definitely superb

great pictures too, seems that finally there is another compact model matching Canon Ixus ^^

wow the LX3 looks heavy duty. camera these days getting more and more powerful

Looks great, think I can recommend this to my Dad, he's kinda looking for something small yet powerful.

Nice article! I didn't know that they sell such self retaining lens caps, seems a very convenient thing to have.

This looks... incredible!
I've been looking for a good camera for under $600 that can handle low-light AND do great macro.
I believe you've just found it for me, my good sir.

I'll have to check to see what its video is like.

暗い所にもはあんなに綺麗のは凄いですね。いいカメラ欲しいけど、やっぱ一眼レフの方がいいんですかね

Wow, the photo quality is very nice. I think the flap design is a very interesting idea too, certainly helps distinguish it from the norm.

I'm always snapping pictures, even if it's just capturing my cat in a cute pose.

When I have a job I'd love to look into getting a camera like this. I don't feel the need for a big expensive dslr, but I think something like this would work really well for me.

I didn't know that it was as good as this. I am thinking of buying it. Hmm...

Most awesome. Mayhaps I will save up for it next year. Always wanted my own camera (always borrowed my folk's).

Is it more expensive to repair the old camera than buy a new one, Sir Danny?

Yeah, Lumix is good brand. I have DMC-FZ7. It is a combination of SLR and compact camera, and has enough features for hobbyist.
But it doesn't have slot for external flash...

Really neat review on the camera here.
It's really neat to see that camera's like such have been further developed.
The lens cap made by Ricoh which you bought somewhat added a bit style to the camera.

As a fellow camera lover i'd be giving the same thing for the said camera.
Compact yet loaded with cool and very useful features.

Woah! And I thought all compact cameras where crappy. I should buy myself an LX3 too... or ask my mom to buy one. We both complain how sucky our compact camera takes photos. Also it's battery life is very short. I do hope the LX3 can last more than 2 hours x_x

Very nice review!, I put this machine on my wish list ^^... My IXY800IS it seems to take blurry images from now... Some friends told me that is 'cause dust...

So, I hate my camera now (snif, snif)...

Since I only travel to and fro my office on the weekdays, there isn't much stuffs to photography. Thus, don't see a need for a compact.

That's one high tech camera with great detail in such a small size ^_^

说真话，我现在用的是松下LX2,呵呵那时候本来想买SONGY，但是想想降的太快了，所以还是决定买松下，我的LX2我用了一年，想不到现在出LX3了好想哭，我也想在买一台LX3,他是非常的时尚和美观，而且性能上比卡片机好多了

Very nice camera and shots. I've a Cassio here for when I go out and while the quality isn't good as my DSLR it's good enough for everyday life shoots and it also can record vids which is nice. But this Lumix looks so awesome, me wants it!

I'm a little bit jealous.
Such great picture quality in such a little camera, me want to have ^^.

the camera design looks nice especially the part where the lens part open up abit like transformer* wonder whether they sold it in sg.

choosing between g10 and lx3, but now i definitly know what i want ^^

Looks like a nice camera, nice big lens.

I am saving up to buy the Canon EOS 50D, as I needs more megapixels.

woah awesome shots... definitely aiming for this now. ^^

wow the design looks slick and the pictures that it can take is just wicked.....

Thats a nice camera,
how is the depth of field in comparison to your DSLR?

Wooooow I wants it..... the pics look super-awesome... I can't wait to get a new camera....:sob:

And lol at the way you hide the oppai pupils.

i know nothing about cameras but i have my eye on the new ISUS 870IS...
although those are some really neat shots!

High end compacts are interesting, but in this country at least their price is about the same as a budget DSLR, so not much contest. I also find they can have the same sensors as low-end compacts, which are sometimes dissapointing...

Nice camera Danny, I think I should changemine either

Interesting lens cap. How well does it protect the lens against dust?

seems people are praising this camera everywhere. already got a canon p&s about six months back, so will upgrade to a dslr only... also i think the thumbnail view is already there in most canon cams. it shows about 9-12 pics at a time. you just have to rotate the dial or zoom in/out to get that view i think.

excellent review on dpreview with this conclusion:

The LX3 is an example of a species so endangered that the we were beginning to worry it had become extinct - a compact camera that photographers can get excited about. Panasonic has included a large degree of direct control, classy styling and, more importantly, a specification that goes beyond the unthinking 'larger screen and more megapixels' trend.

It's hard to tell what we're more impressed by - the ambitious lens or the decision to sit back and spectate during this round of the megapixel race. If pixels aren't just to become clutter on your hard drive, they must contain useful information and we've seen too many compact cameras that produce images that need to be down-sized to bring them up to standard. The LX3 may not have the eye-popping resolution of some of its peers but instead it's one of the best high-ISO compact cameras we've seen.

And then there's that lens. Image stabilized, 24mm at the wide end of things and offering an F2.0-2.8 maximum aperture range that gives you the choice of shooting at lower ISOs than its competitors. It's a feature that really sets the LX3 apart, even amongst cameras aimed at keen photographers and, as DSLRs become less expensive, that's exactly what this camera needed. The only concern must be that the lens only extends as far as 60mm equivalent. This is pretty short by most measures and may limit the cameras appeal, depending on your shooting needs (it's great as a walkaround landscape camera for instance).

Beyond all the good intentions of the specifications, it's a camera that appears to directly address many of its predecessor's shortcomings. Noise performance is greatly improved and the level of noise reduction is much less destructive (and you can shoot in RAW if you're the kind of person who has a prefered noise-reduction method in post-processing).

The joystick is a nice idea that should make for an excellent user-interface but it's a bit fiddly. The user experience just isn't quite as slick as it could be if you want to regularly change settings. Panasonic's own G1 shows that it's possible to give a superior level of manual control using a similar number of external controls (perhaps we should start asking for a control dial like the G1 if there's ever an LX4). That said, you do get used to the LX3 and it isn't completely fair to compare it to a camera aimed at a different set of users - it's still arguably more pleasant to use than any of its obvious competitors.

White balance isn't the LX3's strongest point but there's a good degree of control if you're consistently finding that it's not giving the results you want (Or, again, you can shoot in RAW and process in the software that is supplied with the camera). And in most other respects the images are very good - automatic correction of chromatic aberration and sensible (if rather saturated) image processing mean a lot of time spent with the LX3 is time spent thinking - 'Oh, I'm quite pleased with that.' And that's the bottom line - it's a camera that encourages you to play, to experiment, to take photographs and one that rewards you for doing so.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!

I would certainly buy this camera if I didn't had a decent camera already.
I'm owning a Canon IXUS 860IS and I kind of like it except from its poor color and white balance performance.
Maybe in the near future I will buy a new camera and the LUMIX LX3 is certainly a camera I would considering to buy.

I would like to get my own camera... sometime soon...

Currently I'm with sharing with my little brother a 860IS... which he is managing...

Hope I can get a prosumer soon...

Nice review, looks like it makes great photos!

Seeing those I actually must ask Danny - and to the other camera enthusiasts as well. For someone with no photographer training looking to buy a nice yet not overly expensive digital camera, to be used for making great holiday photos, inluding scenic images but also take close up snapshots of things like figures. Would you recommend a camera such as this one which is more feature rich than a basic camera but not quite yet a DSLR yet? Or go for an entry level DSLR or a DSLR in promotion? (Since over here DSLR's like Nikon's D60 are offered at nice promo prices these days.)

The lens remind me of Star WArs for some reason^^; Really cool stuff, I need to get a beter camera too!

I love taking pictures with my Canon S3-IS, some of the bottoms start to loose the paint^^. I want a bigger camera with more aperture and speed, but right I can' t afford it. So for now I'll stay with my Old Cannon.

Looks nice! I may have to pick up one of those lens caps for my Ricoh GX100

Panasonic's Lumix was on my list of potential portable point-and-shoot cameras that I wanted to buy, though was preceded by Sony, Canon, and Nikon which were smaller.

I've read a lot of good reviews on the Lumix but the size made me a bit weary. I might opt to buy one for myself this coming Christmas.

Great camera, I like it. I must admit I never was very adept to do photos, but since the last otaku events I assist this month, I`m starting to be a photo maniac!

I love taking photos, but the only camera I have is in my iPhone, which is really terrible. I never really use it because it just doesn't do any justice to what I want to photograph.

great hi-end compact camera. Finally, I don't have to carry my big Nikon every time.

I really like the lit keyboard. It's there a tutorial for making your own?

awsome lx3, will get one soon. wanted the lx2, had it in my hand with cash out...but hesitated.

That its some nice high-end compact camera you got there Danny. But the price is too expensive for me as I wanted to buy your kind of compact camera. Oh well, I will wait for the price drop then.

another reminder that I could seriously use a new camera. by the time I can afford one I won't know what to get though

That's one mighty fine camera. I've never been keen on taking pictures (or have pictures of me taken), so something like this wouldn't fit my tastes. However, I do like other peoples pictures. Takes some pretty damn good pictures.

the camera design looks kinda like those antique cameras in the old days ^^; but I like those flaps.

Maybe I can get this other than a DSLR! since I still dont understand many things ^^;

OMG that's amazing! :O

don't they have Leica models that's identical to the Lumix?
its pretty powerful looking with all the shoe and stuff : )
these cameras are getting so powerful these days..
G10 for cannon seems very capable too

but then again.. D40 @ under 400cdn, i still go with a DSLR

Danny, does this camera comes with english language?? Because there are some products that comes only in japanese, an example are the Sony cameras: They come japanese language only cameras, and english/portuguese/spanish cameras... Canon comes japanes/english, like my IXY 800 IS...

that's quite a smart camera, starting to hear some good things about panasonic and their cameras. I've found myself looking for a new camera to add/replace my current one that is starting to suffer when taking pics that aren't still or in good light - it used to be fine! I originally thought it would last as it had a few manual controls to make things interesting and was easy to carry round but alas it's showing it's flaws! I've played with the latest 'compact' SLR from Pana which seemed quite nice but it's still the bulkiness and that fact you end up buying additional lenses adding to the overall cost that still puts me off. I think I'll be hard pushed to find a compact camera with a decent zoom or better than my current camera for a decent price, just goin2 to have to bite the bullet and be prepared to pay for what i want - even if it means sacrificing some features for a decent image. Btw the lens cap is a sweet addition

anyone interested in a 850 IS ? ^^ will sell mine

i really this LX3 :)

Excellent choice danny! LX3 is definitely a camera which deserves the praises showered on it due to its capabilities. Love the Ricoh cap as well. (´^ω^｀)

Speaking of which, anyone who is interested in powerful yet lightweight point-and-shoot(P&S) camera should consider the following (in no list of importance):

- Sigma DP1
- Ricoh GR Digital II
- Canon G10
- Panasonic LX3

But of course, these cameras have a disadvantage of having really noisy pictures when shot from ISO/ASA 400 and above.

Even though i myself have a 400D, i am still drowling for a Ricoh GR Digtal II for the fact that it's compactness as well as it's powerful image processing engine is something to lust for.

Sometimes DSLR will have to lose to P&S camera. ( ﾟ∀ﾟ )

I'm waiting until after Christmas to purchase this camera. Last year, I got the Panasonic FX50, because I was too cheap to get an DSLR. I don't really need a DSLR, but would love to get a compact that allows for some hands-on manipulation of the shots. I would've gotten the LX2 last year, but the performance wasn't so good (ISO above 200 was noisy). Glad to read in the dpreview that they fixed that and ISO 400 is getting acceptable. Like the fast lense.

Darnit Danny! I currently have the LX3 and the Canon SD880 in front of me right now. I've only each for a few days and I was trying to settle on just one of them. After much pain of the heart...I settled for the SD880, for it's compactness (it slips in any pocket with no fuss), and it's ease of use. The LX3 tempted me like crazy cause it's pretty, the pictures it's capable of producing are pretty, and...it also makes me pretty...at 2x the cost of the SD880. Now you've made my decision a little harder...!!! x_x

I have a D200 on the side...and I was comfortable with the idea that if I wanted supremely beautiful pics...I'd take the D200 (over the LX3 that I'm set on returning). Have you any more persuasive words to throw my heart around some more??

P.S. I ALSO noticed the pictures on the LCD screen were better looking...so strange.

Thx for the review ^^
didnt know there was such a cool lens cover ^^;

i was wondering that why people compare LX3 to IXY.. IXY is out of the range from LX3.. in my opinion.. LX3 should be use to compare with Powershot G10 instead of using IXY series.. the size of G10 was big but that doesn't make it different in terms of product range.. one of my friend attend Panasonic training and said LX3 was use to compare with Powershot G9.. the big censor size and large aperture do impressed me.. but the size no suit enough for me. i like bigger size camera for better grip..

nice cam ^^

You need to take a picture of your whole figure collection on your desk with that camera!

Was thinking of getting a DSLR camera but after reading your post, I decided to get the LX3, after taking a few random shots, i was surprised how good the photos turned out to be.

Thanks for the review, it really helps ^^

Did you get one of those filters? or the wide len? Any of those are "must have?"

looks like a poor man's SLR ...haha...very nice pics...better than my cannon esp with the low light environments

is this out in America yet? because i know what i want for Christmas now :]

haha LX3 is a great camera...
personally on FZ-28
you gotta love the sharpness of Leica desgined lens...
But Panasonic Venus engine tends to be noisy at high ISO(its inherent to NON-DSLR anyway,sensor size too small),
however, Venus Engine IV has made improvements..

Great camera(congratulations Danny), compact and portable, I have a Panasonic DMC-F8 it's some big to carry but takes nice pictures

How's the battery life on this camera? How many shots/battery?

danny, what software are you using with your Lumix.? i bought one after reading your review, but my Photoshop Elements 6 can't read the files.! >.<; brand name software unable to read JPEG extension - go figure. ; ;

want the same, with the same lens cap. so cute! <3

Apparently Ricoh's LC1 lense cap can fit on numerous of cameras, but slight modification may be required to the flap mechanism to present it from damaging the lense...

Thanks for the recommendation. Went to test one out today at Yodobashi and it was great. I'm picking one up to replace the date Sony DSC-H5.

I take pictures every few months but I hope that will change! Everytime I see the sky - the clouds... I want to shoot them!

I just bought a book called "Fundamentals of Modern Photography" by Tom Ang. Quite a informative book, and glad I bought it. Cost me about RM53 = ¥1338. But my camera is quite a let down compare to Danny's Lumix LX3. Mine is the Sony DSC-T2. I'm having problem with grainy shots especially low light condition. =(

d@@b

danny, on your advice (plus a little deep reading in dpreview and a few other sites) got the lumix lx3. one thing dpr noted was that it can take an outside firm like Panasonic, one without the long SLR history, to break the mold created by the marketing departments to create something different.

There was an article in the NY Times today on the new Casio FX-1 which showed another “outsider” company offering a different product (or at least making it in a smaller form factor)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/technology/personaltech/09pogue-email.html?_r=1&8cir&emc=cira1

steve

I'm thinking of getting one for when I come over later this year. It will be mainly for my wife so she doesn't have to lug around the Dslr. Lecia do basiclly the same camera but for a few hundred dollars more , is it worth it ? I think so because the resale value will be higher than the Lumix. The key to the Lumix is the great lens which is the Leica lens, for anyone who wants to be totally in control over there images or want to learn more on photography buy a DSLR, Lumix is great for putting in the pocket and popping out for a quick shot but it doesn't come close to a real Camera, in the end you will reach the limit of the camera and want it to do more. I bought a Nikon D90 and I'm so happy I have found a DSLR that can do what I want, also Nikon has the largest range of lenses out there. You can pick up a really good top quality manual Macro lens for a few hundred just because it's manual and auto focus for macro work is a big waste of time and money. Plus you can get real creative and buy a Lens Baby which totally rocks, I have big plans for my lens baby in Tokyo.
The Lumix will be our little carry around camera which from Danny's pictures does the job nicely but thats about it, it just can't do what a DSLR can do and for me thats all the fun stuff.

Nice review Danny. Love your site , maybe we Will bump into you while in Tokyo. I'll buy you a drink.
Cheers
M
http://www.tediumonline.com/

This Panasonic Lumix LX3 looks like it's incredibly awesome, but the problem is that I'm no professional. I'd still like to snap some high quality shots though! My last camera was a Canon PowerShot A70, it was alright but still under the quality level I'd like, do you have any suggestion of a somewhat less pricey camera than the Lumix LX3? Found them for like around 500 US$.

BATTERIES! We bought dad an olympus years back and it was awesome, but its Achilles heal was its lithium ion batteries. They cost a bomb to replace and were not very good in the first place, with poor charge. Having frequented DC, I have to ask that while the LX3 has cool picture quality, how is its battery life? And now that you have owned for a while, are the bats still lasting? Dad is leaning heavily towards Canons, namely I have one and because they use AA's.

Hi! Great review of a great camera! However I have 2 questions!

1. I wonder what you mean by "If you use the zoom mode, the flaps get in the way as the lens retracts but you can stick something under the flaps to avoid this."?
What am I suppose to stick under and how?

2. Is this still the best camera in it's size? Or is there better out there now? I want to buy one but this is the absolute max when it comes to size.

Lumix LX3 users:

Anyone got any suggestions for a nice cool carry bag for the LX3?

Just been carrying mine by hand since I got it but planning on going on an overseas trip and will need to carry the camera around all day and prefer to have it protected in a nice carry case/bag.