Panasonic DMC-LX3 10.1MP Digital Camera with 24mm Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
by Panasonic
List Price:
Our Price: $399.99
You Save: $99.96 (20%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $129.99 (click here)
Category: Digital Camera
See more product details
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: PanasonicRelease Date: 2009-11-30
Model: DMC-LX3 Black
Color: Black
Product features:
- 10.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
- 2.5x wide-angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized zoom lens
- 3.0-inch high-resolution LCD screen; HD video capture
- Classic SLR-like manual operations include selectable AF spot/multi AF area, customization button, aperture, shutter, program and full manual modes
- Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
- Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade [Old Version]
- Serif PhotoPlus X3
- Aperture 3
- Manfrotto 7302YB M-Y Tripod with Ball - Replaces 725B
- Pixelmator [Old Version]
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Panasonic DMC-LX3 10.1MP Digital Camera with 24mm Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
Customer Review: Panasonic LX3
Summary: 4 Stars
Panasonic LX3
It's not a world-shaking camera, but it's a good one. I give it 4 stars.
I've been taking pictures for pleasure since the 70s. I've owned a Nikon rangefinder, a Yashicamat 124G, a Pentax 67, and a variety of Nikon SLRs since back in the ancient days of film. Most of my cameras have been fully manual: set the focus by hand, set the zoom by hand (if there is a zoom), set the aperture and shutter speed by hand. All those cameras have separate lens caps, too.
I've also owned several all-automatic point & shoots, and I now own a Nikon D-70, which is my main camera these days. I got my LX3 a couple of weeks ago, and I've devoted a good bit of time to reading the manual and putting the instructions to use on the LX3.
My understanding of most items is that they're all the product of compromises. Some of the compromises work for me, some I can live with, and some are deal breakers. The LX3 has its compromises: the zoom is 2.5X; when you take a video, the camera locks the zoom and focus when the recording begins. I'm more aggravated by this latter compromise - I'd prefer to be able to zoom in and out while making a video, but it's not a deal breaker for me.
The small things I like are the slides and dial for some controls instead of buttons or menus. A sliding switch to turn it on means I don't accidentally hit the power button when I meant to press the shutter release. The slide for the flash means I really have to mean to raise the flash -- it doesn't pop up accidentally because my fingers were in the wrong place. A slide fastener for the battery/SD access means (I hope) a more secure fastening of that door. There's a slide switch to select picture mode or view mode. I also like the rotating dial for modes. I can turn the camera on with it set to video, even though I last used it for still photos. No drilling down through menus as the event passes me by. I use the dial to determine exposure mode (P, A, S, manual, and custom) before I turn the camera on or while it's coming on. In the dark and without my reading glasses, I can see my mode in the LCD; if I change it, it shows me an animation of the dial selecting the modes. I like this, since I can't always read the icons on the dial.
The major selling point for me, though, is the ability to think about what I'm going to do and to do that. This is a camera that rewards thoughtful photography. Do I want to show the slide on a regular TV, a computer, or on Hi-Def TV? I can choose the aspect ratio accordingly by using a slide switch right on the lens. Is the background a distraction so that I want to blur it out? I can choose my aperture and let the camera set the shutter speed. Do I want to take a snapshot of someone? I can choose to have the camera find the face and set focus and exposure on that. Is someone in bright light? I can set the flash to -1 or -2 EV and soften the shadows without overpowering the sun. Is someone backlit? I can choose spot metering and use the focus function and joystick to put the spot to be metered right on the subjects eyes and get a good exposure.
I have set up a couple of specific setting combinations and saved them as custom modes. I can select them using the mode dial (one is selected without further ado; the others require a quick selection from a menu that pops up - slows me down, but not too much).
With my Nikon FM2, all settings are totally manual, and the camera is set up to make it easy: aperture is a ring on the lens and shutter speed is a dial on the body. Twist another ring to focus on the screen through the eyepiece. On the LX3, things are different, so it takes some getting used to. Shutter speed and aperture are manually set using the joystick, so it's not an immediate result. Focus is also done using the joystick and looking at the LCD, and I'm not happy with that yet. Maybe I will be. So far, though, I'm happier setting the focus using the focus button and the joystick to put the focus dot on what I where I want the focus to be and letting the camera handle it. It's slower than my FM2 but faster than using the joystick to manually focus. (And more accurate so far.)
User interfaces are personal. If you don't like the interface on the LX3, you won't like the camera. I like it fine. I'd prefer to have the menu drop me back in to the last-used selection, but it starts at the top every time. I'd prefer to be able to press the menu/set button and have it scroll to the next menu item, but I have to use the select buttons instead. Overall, I give the user interface high marks; there's a quick menu accessible from the joystick which gives you quick access to often-used items.
Some observations: it's a light camera, but it's not small. The dimensions are for the body of the camera, but the lens, even when the camera is shut off, extends from the body almost another inch. My wife has a Canon G9, and the volume of the two cameras is identical if you take the LX3's lens into account. It won't fit in your shirt pocket. I've used lens caps for so long, it's a non-issue for me. I have no problems with the removable lens cap. The Hi-Def videos are excellent. I shoot in RAW all the time; conversion to JPEGs is not much more burdensome than shooting in JPEG, and having all the photo information available to play around with rewards any extra time it takes. Your mileage will vary, but all the options I have available on the LX3 makes using RAW a good decision for me.
Another observation is the barrel distortion at 5.1mm. I've photographed quadrille paper at 5.1mm and 12.8mm at all three aspect ratios. At 5.1mm, barrel distortion in the graph paper is quite obvious. However, in the real world I never notice the distortion in my wide-angle photos or videos. I'm sure other people will notice and be put off by it. The distortion can be corrected by some photo editing applications if it bothers you.
Further, the LX3 has a distinctive lens flare pattern: if you shoot into some specular lights, you get a vertical line up and down the entire photo for each light.
If you use your point and shoot for snapshots, I'm not sure the LX3 is worth the big bucks. Leaving it on automatic and JPEGs doesn't seem to me to be worth $500. If you want to make photographs instead of taking snaps, I think this camera is worth comparing with others of its ilk (the Canon G9, for example [or better, the G11 when it comes out]). The LX3 does not make photos equal in quality to DSLRs, but it's much more carriable - and having it on hand when you want to make a photograph means you actually get the photo. For me, the value in the camera lies in having all the choices I get to make in 35mm photography (and DSLR) without having to lug the big iron around all day. It won't replace my D-70 anymore than my other P&S cameras did, but it's a very worthy adjunct. I would have preferred a much smaller camera, but I'm willing to compromise on the size to get the capabilities of the LX3.
More Panasonic DMC-LX3 10.1MP Digital Camera with 24mm Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Description of Panasonic DMC-LX3 10.1MP Digital Camera with 24mm Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
Designed for easy, creative shooting, and high-performance in low-light conditions, the Panasonic DMC-LX3 features a F2.0 24mm Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens, 10.1 megapixels 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.Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
Bestsellers in Digital Cameras
Sony DSCF505V Cybershot 2.6MP Digital CameraSony; Digital Camera
Best price: $429.99
Price in other shops:
KB Gear JamCam 0.3MP Digital Camera, SilverKB Gear; Windows NT; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Minolta Dimage 2300 2.3MP Digital Camera KitKonica Minolta; Windows NT; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Kodak DC5000 2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical ZoomDigital Camera
Leica Minilux 35mm CameraLeica; Digital Camera
Best price: $1,995.99
Pretec DC-520 0.3MP Digital Camera, ChampagnePreTec; Windows NT; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Sony MVCFD85 1.2MP Mavica Digital Camera with 3x Optical ZoomSony; Windows NT; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Canon PowerShot S10 2MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical ZoomCanon; Windows NT; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Sony DSC-F55 Cyber-shot 2MP Digital CameraSony; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Vivitar Vivicam 2750 0.3MP Digital CameraVivitar; Windows NT; Digital Camera
Price in other shops:
Similar Digital Cameras & Photo Products
GGS Optical Glass LCD Screen Protector for Panasonic LX-3 Digital CamerasGGS; Digital Camera
Best price: $2.56
Price in other shops:
Tiffen 46mm UV Protection FilterTiffen; Digital Camera
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
Auto Lens Cap For Panasonic Lumix DMC LX3 LX-3 + 1 Ultra Fine GOJA Microfiber Cleaning ClothGoja; Digital Camera
Best price: $13.99
Kingston 8 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SD4/ 8GBKingston Digital, Inc.; Release date: 2009-11-30; Windows; CE
Price in other shops:
PANASONIC LUMIX: DMC-FX150, DMC-FX37, DMC-LX3, DMC-FX500, DMC-FX35, DMC-FS20, DMC-FS5, DMC-FS3, DMC-FX55, DMC-LX2 DIGITAL CAMERA BLACK NEOPRENE Cover CASE Sleeve POUCH Carrying BagCase; Digital Camera
Best price: $7.19
Kingston 4 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SD4/ 4GBKingston Digital, Inc.; Release date: 2012-02-19; Windows; CE
Price in other shops:
CaseCrown Vintage Postal Tag Style Camera Case for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Digital Camera CompactCaseCrown; Digital Camera
Best price: $10.21
Price in other shops:
Wasabi Power Battery for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX12, DMC-FX150, DMC-LX3 (Japanese Cells, 1500 mAh, 3-YR Warranty)Wasabi Power; Digital Camera
Best price: $11.99
Panasonic DMW-LA4 Conversion AdapterPanasonic; Digital Camera
Best price: $11.50
Price in other shops:
Kinamax BTR-CGAS005-J 1500mAh CGA-S005/ NP-70 Replacement Battery for Panasonic and FujiFilm - Premium Japanese CellsNEXARK; Digital Camera
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: