I own a lerger camera with different lenses but it is just too big for travel. This is an excellent quality camera. Don't be fooled by the megapixels, it is a great performer.
By daiqirpi
from Troy,NY
About Me Semi-pro Photographer
2/15/2010
good camera
4.0
PROS
Good Image Quality
Large Clear LCD
Easy To Use
Nice Body Color
CONS
BEST USES
Comments:
backup camera
By Clay
from Winlock WA
About Me Casual Photographer
2/14/2010
It's fun and easy to use
5.0
PROS
Good in Low Light
Small / Compact
Good Image Stabilization
Large Clear LCD
Easy To Use
Short Lag Time
CONS
No Viewfinder
Limited Zoom
BEST USES
Family Photos
Landscape/Scenery
Weddings/Events
Indoors/Low Light
Travel
Video
Comments:
I have been drawn to bigger body cameras for the lure of bigger, better, faster but find I didn't have the camera when the shot appeared. This camera is not the smallest of the breed but still fits in my pocket and is ready for action. My friend just purchased a sony cybershop that is smaller but with my hands I can hardly manipulate the controls. I am well pleased with my new little camera!
By Attila
from Irvine, CA
About Me Photo Enthusiast
1/12/2010
Good travel camera
4.0
PROS
Good Image Quality
Small / Compact
Good in Low Light
Good Image Stabilization
Short Lag Time
CONS
No Viewfinder
Limited Zoom
BEST USES
Indoors/Low Light
Landscape/Scenery
Travel
Comments:
Handling the lens-cap is somewhat bothersome, but an auto lens cap is available. I bought it as a second camera, so I am not complaining about the lack of optical view finder & the lack of zoom. The relatively large sensor provides great picture quality, & low light photography. I hope they will increase the zoom, even at the expense of pixel count in following generation cameras. The real pain of the neck is that the battery format is different than my Lumix DMZ-Tz4 so I need to carry two chargers & two back-up batteries.
By Dee
from Arkansas
About Me Photo Enthusiast
3/18/2009
Great camera
5.0
PROS
Great Picture Quality
Bright LCD
Excellent "glass"
CONS
BEST USES
Travel
Fun
Photojournalism
Family Photos
Great take-a-long camera
Comments:
The macro capability equals the good quality of panos you are able to photograph. The photos are exceptionally sharp.
By Ben
from Nevada, USA
About Me Semi-pro Photographer
3/18/2009
Excellent with a few glitches
4.0
PROS
Great Picture Quality
CONS
Poor Operation in Low Light
Long Lag Time
BEST USES
Family Photos
Travel
Comments:
This is a wonderful camera - comprehensive reviews are available. Here is the flaws I want fixed: Shutter lag! It seems at least as bad as every digital camera I've used, maybe worse. It's very annoying to a film camera user who has a fast eye. To switch between 3:2 still photos and 16:9 video, you have to slide a switch and rotate a dial. The aspect ratio should switch automatically to your preset when you change modes. Onboard flash is poor (though not worse than others). The hotshoe does not work with my Nikon speedlights -- as if I'm going to buy a Panasonic? My other criticisms are not so much flaws but shortcomings: F2 is only available in wide angle. 50mm f1.4 would be better. High iso's are noisy. 1600 is probably worse than film grain at this iso, and 3200 is practically useless. The lens, while good within its parameters is limited. It has little or poor macro performance, practical apererature of f2.8, and a short limit on focal length. If it went out to 105mm equivalent it would make up for the small aperature and weak macro performance, but it doesn't. 24mm wide angle is nice to have on a digital, but coming from film it's like "so what?" Overall, despite a nice lens and an adaquate sensor with some nice manual controls, this camera has some senseless controls, average low light performance or speed, average (nearly useless) flash, and real limits on the lens.
By Rudy
from San Juan Mountains, CO
About Me Casual Photographer
3/17/2009
My first digital camera
4.0
PROS
Well regarded optics
Great Picture Quality
CONS
Many elaborate functions
BEST USES
Travel
Fun
Comments:
I bought this camera based on favorable comparisons to the much more expensive Leica. It is probably too sophisticated for my present abilities. Still, one can always learn and I am confident that its "point and shoot" mode will reward me in the meantime.
By Allen Huffman
from Des Moines, IA
About Me Photo Enthusiast
3/09/2009
(1 of 1 customer found this review helpful)
Fantastic low-light performance!
5.0
PROS
Great low-light
Pop-up flash
Great Picture Quality
CONS
Lens cap
BEST USES
Travel
Inside theme park rides
Comments:
I bought my first digital camera in 1996 (an Epson PhotoPC) and since then have owned several digicams made by Sony, Casio, and my beloved Fuji F10. No camera since my 2000-era Sony has been able to take non-blurry photos without using a flash or tripod and still subjects. Research at the Digital Camera Resource forums let me know that the key was the F2.0 lens in the old (slow!) Sony I had. No camera I have owned since could do as well in the same situations... Until the Panasonic Lumix LX3!(For reference, I have two websites which contain over 100,000 digital photos I have taken, so I've put these cameras through some intense usage over the years.)I have never owned a Panasonic item, but when I read about this "new" model coming out with F2.0 I wanted to know more. Reviews at DCRP were positive, and so I gave it a shot. [...].The camera has surpassed my expectations. Even when not locking in to 1/30th second shutter and F2.0 it still manages to quite often (but not always) take amazing crisp pictures in low-light conditions. I'm just stunned.The only downside is that it has a removable lens cap on a string (like my old Sony) and it is hard to get used to that after so many years with point-n-shoots with built in caps. Also, I thought the odd pop-up flash was a bit retro, but after using it, I can't go back. Being able to flip a button and know I have a flash is great -- and pop it down to shut it off is easier than toggling flash modes on a button.I have barely scratched the surface of what this camera can do, but I expect to use it.I really REALLY like this camera. It's a bit larger than I am used to, but nothing I have found -- other than DSLR -- can touch this in low-light. The Fuji F10 was as close as I'd found, due to high ISO tricks, but this camera leaves it in the dust.
By MJRich
from Portland, OR
About Me Photo Enthusiast
2/26/2009
Very happy
4.0
PROS
Easy Setup
Excellent auto mode
Easy To Use
Strong Construction
Comfortable Controls
Great Picture Quality
CONS
Small amount of lag time
BEST USES
Travel
Fun
Anatomy Lab
Comments:
I use this camera a lot for my anatomy lab - it's great for up-close shots. But it's the recording feature that really sold me on this camera. It's great when you wonder what the heck it is you took a photo of. I also take all those photos in pretty bad light - and they turn out almost more vibrant than they look in real person. Can't wait to test it out some more!
By Sebastosh
from New York City, NY
About Me Semi-pro Photographer
2/23/2009
This camera is awesome.
5.0
PROS
Strong Construction
Easy Setup
Easy To Use
Comfortable Controls
Bright LCD
Great Picture Quality
Easy to Keep Clean
CONS
BEST USES
Fun
Art
Photojournalism
Travel
Family Photos
Comments:
I use this camera for everything, and it meets my standards on almost every level. The only hiccup is zoom.. which is rarely needed. Simpler than the Canon G10, but equally as effective. I don't have to waste time going into menus for settings, everything is one or two button presses away.. and quality is outstanding.. especially with f2.0 in lowlight. I keep seeing this camera in the hands of very serious and professional photographers, as their first choice for a point & shoot.
By Hermes
from New Haven, CT
About Me Casual Photographer
2/23/2009
Well constructed full featured camera
5.0
PROS
Easy To Use
Strong Construction
Great Picture Quality
CONS
BEST USES
Travel
Art
Family Photos
Photojournalism
Fun
Close-ups
Comments:
After using this camera for a while, I'm still learning all of the features it has available. It seems like it has a setting for nearly every situation I'm in. It is especially good for taking pictures of indoor art, and close-ups of everything. With the macro focus, I find myself randomly taking close-up pictures of things just because I can and they come out so well. The battery life is really good - I got talked into buying a second battery for this camera but I've never needed it. Some options take a while to find in the menus, but that might partially be because I'm not used to the layout yet.
By JC the photogeek
from Charlevoix, MI
About Me Photo Enthusiast
2/22/2009
Great little camera
4.0
PROS
Easy to Keep Clean
Great Picture Quality
Easy Setup
Comfortable Controls
Easy To Use
Strong Construction
CONS
BEST USES
Travel
Family Photos
Art
Fun
Comments:
I shoot in high definition RAW and then crop to suite in development. The LX3 is perfect for use in this format.
By akirekadu
from Laurel, MD
About Me Photo Enthusiast
1/07/2009
(1 of 1 customer found this review helpful)
The best point and shoot camera ever
5.0
PROS
Great Picture Quality
True 16 to 9 aspect
Strong Construction
Comfortable Controls
Great Low Light results
Great results with flash
Bright LCD
Easy Setup
CONS
Short Zoom Range
Removable lense cap
BEST USES
Family Photos
Landscape
Fun
Low light photography
Travel
Comments:
I have never seen this kind of results in any other point and shoot. Fantastic pictures both outdoors, indoors and with flash. f/2.0 + 24mm wide angle wow! The construction is very high quality, the LCD is bright and big, many many useful scene modes, true 16:9! I only wish the zoom range were a bit longer.
Images from akirekadu
24mm wide angle, 16:9 mode
By Boeing 287
from Boston Ma
About Me Photo Enthusiast
1/06/2009
Pleasently surprised
5.0
PROS
Comfortable Controls
Great Picture Quality
Easy To Use
Bright LCD
Easy Setup
Strong Construction
CONS
BEST USES
Travel
Fun
Comments:
Best camera in the market for its class. Interface is better/simpler than Nikon d40.