The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is a high-end compact camera that features a large sensor that is designed to work with Micro Four Thirds.
A 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 Leica lens, high-speed AF in approximately 0.14 seconds, built-in Live View Finder (LVF) with 2764K-dot equivalent high resolution, a 3.0-inch LCD screen with 921k-dot resolution, an ISO range of 100-25600, high-speed burst shooting at 11 fps with the mechanical shutter and 40fps with the electronic shutter, a high-resolution 8MP image that can be extracted from The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 may be purchased in either black or silver. It costs £699.99 or $899.99 respectively.
Panasonic Lumix LX100 Build Quality
Although the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is supposed to be the successor to the DMC-LX7 camera, which is already 2 years old, the new camera features so many technological advancements that it is almost impossible to distinguish it from its ancestor.
The most significant improvement is the incorporation of a Micro Four Thirds sensor, which is identical to the one located in Panasonic’s GX7 small system camera. The physical size of the 1.33-inch MFT sensor is significantly larger than the 1-inch sensors used in two of the LX100’s primary competitors, namely the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III and the Canon PowerShot GX7. Additionally, with 16.84 megapixels on board, the pixel size is larger as well, which all promises to result in improved image quality.
Because the LX100 is equipped with a multi-aspect ratio sensor, it can take pictures with a 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, or 1:1 aspect ratio while keeping the same focal length in each balance. The result is an image that is 12.8 megapixels and has a 4:3 aspect ratio.
The incorporation of an electronic viewfinder, which was once again taken directly from the GX7, is another significant alteration that has been made. This should stop the ongoing discussion regarding optical vs electronic viewfinders if there is an excellent cause to do so.
To begin, it possesses an astonishingly high resolution of 2764k dots, which translates into a display so good that you would swear it was an optical finder. This is made possible in no small part by the high color reproduction of approximately 100% of the Adobe RGB color space, 100% scene coverage, and a 60fps refresh rate.
Second, there is a helpful sensor that recognizes automatically when the LX100 is brought up to eye level and even starts auto-focusing, with only a little wait until the display is ready to use. This sensor is located on the top of the camera and is a great addition.
Thirdly, a plethora of information is presented to the user on the screen; practically anything that can be shown on the LCD screen at the back of the camera can also be shown in the electronic viewfinder. When using the LX100, we did not find ourselves wishing for an optical viewfinder. Suffice it to say that.
Panasonic Lumix LX100 Image Quality
During this evaluation, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 generated photographs of exceptionally high quality. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 handled chromatic aberrations exceptionally well, with only minor purple fringing effects occurring in high-contrast settings. This was because the camera only had one lens.
The provided external flash performed admirably indoors, avoiding red-eye and achieving an exposure that was just right. Your nighttime shot turned out wonderfully, and the fact that you could use the maximum shutter speed of 60 seconds allowed you to capture a lot of light.
Anti-shake is a feature that distinguishes this camera from its rivals and functions exceptionally well whether it is held by hand in low-light settings or when the telephoto end of the zoom range is being utilized.
The macro performance is quite strong, allowing you to focus as close to the subject as 3 centimeters away from it (although it can be challenging to achieve the desired illumination at such a close distance).
The pictures came out of the camera with a slight softness when the default sharpening setting was used, so they should be further sharpened in an application such as Adobe Photoshop. Alternatively, if you don’t like how the default setting produces your images, you can change the setting manually on your camera.
You can quickly customize the appearance of the JPEG photographs that the camera captures thanks to the wide variety of Creative Controls and Photo Styles. However, the Intelligent D-range is a good feature for capturing greater detail in the shadows and highlights, as is the new HDR mode. We had a hard time seeing any distinctions between the Intelligent Resolution levels.
By just moving the camera in a sweeping motion, which is made possible by the ingenious Panorama mode, you may snap panoramic photographs very effortlessly and then add one of 15 different creative effects to them.
Panasonic Lumix LX100 Specs
| Body type | Large sensor compact |
|---|---|
| Body material | Aluminum |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 4112 x 3088 |
| Other resolutions | 4112 x 3088, 4272 x 2856, 4480 x 2520, 3088 x 3088, 2976 x 2232, 3120 x 2086, 3840 x 2160, 2240 x 2240, 2048 x 1536, 2112 x 1408, 1920 x 1080, 1536 x 1536 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 13 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 17 megapixels |
| Sensor size | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Venus Engine |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 200-25600 (expands to 100-25600) |
| Boosted ISO (minimum) | 100 |
| White balance presets | 5 |
| Custom white balance | Yes (4 slots) |
| Image stabilization | Optical |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, standard |
| File format | JPEG (DCF/EXIF v2.3)Raw (RW2) |
| Image parameters | ContrastSharpnessNoise ReductionSaturationColor ToneFilter Effect |
| Optics & Focus | |
| Focal length (equiv.) | 24–75 mm |
| Optical zoom | 3.1× |
| Maximum aperture | F1.7–2.8 |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive View |
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Yes (4X) |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Normal focus range | 50 cm (19.69″) |
| Macro focus range | 3 cm (1.18″) |
| Number of focus points | 49 |
| Focal length multiplier | 2× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 921,000 |
| Touch screen | No |
| Screen type | TFT-LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 1.39× (0.7× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder resolution | 2,764,000 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 60 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed (electronic) | 1/16000 sec |
| Exposure modes | ProgramAperture priorityShutter priorityManual |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Flash range | 7.00 m (with included external flash at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes (via hot shoe) |
| Flash modes | Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, on, on w/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync w/redeye reduction, off |
| Continuous drive | 11.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedSpot |
| Exposure compensation | ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps) |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 3840 x 2160 (30p, 24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 30p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 |
| Format | MPEG-4, AVCHD |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Microphone port | No |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n with NFC |
| Remote control | No |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 300 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 393 g (0.87 lb / 13.86 oz) |
| Dimensions | 115 x 66 x 55 mm (4.53 x 2.6 x 2.17″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
Panasonic Lumix LX100 Conclusion
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is the most capable small camera we have ever examined. It offers a compelling mixture of cutting-edge technology, excellent image quality, and easy handling, sure to satisfy even the most discerning photography enthusiasts.
There are still a few drawbacks, the most notable of which is the absence of a touchscreen or articulated LCD, as well as a relatively narrow control ring; however, the new LX100 manages to pull off the trick of being both a technological tour-de-force and a camera that is an absolute delight to use when taking pictures.
The switch to a Micro Four Thirds sensor immediately gives the LX100 the picture quality lead over its primary 1-inch sensor competitors, as does the outstanding 24-75mm Leica lens. This is a winning combination that unquestionably differentiates this camera from its contemporaries.
It does come at the expense of making the LX100 larger and heavier than comparable cameras like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. Still, that camera does not have the manual settings that Panasonic’s version of the premium compact provides.
And even though the LX100 is more significant than a small system camera like Panasonic’s GM5 or Sony’s A5100, for example, you’ll have a hard time finding a lens similar to the Leica DC Vario-Summulix 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 in terms of its size and quality.
And we haven’t even gotten into the 4K video recording, the fantastic electronic viewfinder, the lightning-fast burst shooting, or the outstanding AF system yet.