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Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 09 February 2009 - |
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- 3.5 |
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- 21 January 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 05 November 2008 - |
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- 3 |
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- 04 November 2008 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 21 October 2008 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 16 October 2008 - |
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- 0 |
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- 14 October 2008 - |
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- 0 |
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- 23 September 2008 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 16 September 2008 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 12 August 2008 - |
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- 4.5 |
CNET 's conclusion / rating - 09 February 2009 |
“ While the Canon PowerShot G10 seems clunky in comparison and the lens isn't quite as nice, overall I think it delivers better photo quality and the lens provides a more flexible range. But like its predecessor, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 is a solid camera for the peripatetic photo enthusiast once you become accustomed to its quirks... ”
Complete review here
DPInterface 's conclusion / rating - 21 January 2009 |
“ The Panasonic Lumix LX3 is a capable prosumer camera that’s got very good image quality traits in almost all respects (Except for some noise and detail issues); thumbs up to Panasonic for tackling the issue of image quality which used to exist a few years back.
The LX3 looks a whole lot like a Leica rangefinder camera and features a nice, bright zoom lens that starts at 24 mm. You can complete that classic look with an optional external viewfinder, or make that lens even wider by attaching a conversion lens. The LX3 is very expandable with a variety of accessories as you can tell; that includes a hotshoe on the top where you can fit an external flash unit.
You can also customize the camera to remember two sets of camera and exposure settings via the custom spots on the mode dial as well as assign a shooting function to the shortcut “down” button on the back. To top things off, the Lumix LX3 has a full suite of manual controls for times that you wanna be creative and also many scene modes and an Intelligent Auto mode for times when all you feel like doing is pointing and snapping.
Other things you’ll find appealing would be the above average battery life of the camera, 720p HD movie mode and the LX3 constantly being quick on its feet. Of course, the LX3 does have some annoyances as well such as the lack of image brightening and red-eye removal tools in playback and no movie zoom. Then there’s the lens which lacks telephoto power… heck, there’s even no telephoto conversion lens available to the camera to make that up!
I’ve had no problems recommending the Panasonic Lumix LX3 to some friends and family shopping for an all-rounder digital camera and I would gladly recommend it to anyone out there as well. It’s a nice camera that you can bring around with you, satisfy most of your manual control cravings and it has decent fully automatic shooting abilities as well... ”
DPInterface's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
ByThom 's conclusion / rating - 05 November 2008 |
“ Panasonic to their credit hasn't compromised anything that made the LX2 a good camera. On the other hand, they haven't gone very far from where they were. It's really the lens that's changed the most, and fortunately the change there is mostly right on target. It's only that linear distortion that might put off a few. However, if you can get by the distortion there's still not quite enough pixels and a little too much mush when you get down to the pixel level at anything but raw at the base ISO... ”
Complete review here
DPReview 's conclusion / rating - 04 November 2008 |
“ 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)... ”
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 21 October 2008 |
“ Panasonic got the dimensions right from the start with the LX1 and they've had the sense not to mess with a classic. The Panasonic LX3 enhances the basic design with a very nicely integrated grip, a new record/playback mode switch (no need to reselect the exposure mode), while swapping out the IS button on the LX2 for a Focus button that is much more useful (who turns IS off?).
Performance is enhanced with a new image processor that greatly improves the noise problems suffered by the Panasonic LX3 while letting you shoot Raw+JPEG without penalty.
The big caveat with the Panasonic LX3, though, is the move to a wider angle lens with a shorter telephoto reach. It's great for shooting rooms, landscapes, and portraits, but it falls short in the telephoto department, making the Panasonic LX3 a difficult choice for an all-around camera, unless you're used to short to medium focal lengths. But the LX3 might make a great second camera alongside an SLR with a telephoto lens, and would certainly serve the Leica aficionado or street photographer looking for a quality lens in a small package.... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
LuminousLandscape 's conclusion / rating - 16 October 2008 |
“ Overall I was impressed with the Panasonic LX3. It's small enough to be a constant companion, and that's half the battle in this market segment – isn't it? Size matters, and if a camera, no matter how desirable it might otherwise be, is too big and too heavy to always be along when one needs or wants it to be, then its actual capabilities and image quality are moot.
Panasonic is also to be applauded for bucking the industry's relentless trend toward higher pixel densities. 10MP is enough for very nice 11X17" prints, unless one is doing heavy cropping, and if going to 13MP or 15MP would have meant decreased image quality then I for one regard the trade-off as worthwhile.... ”
LuminousLandscape's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
DCResource 's conclusion / rating - 14 October 2008 |
“ The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 is a unique, fixed-lens camera for wide-angle enthusiasts. It offers very good photo quality (though there's room for improvement), a fast, ultra-wide lens, full manual controls, a sharp 3-inch LCD display, and support for all kinds of optional extras. It's not for everyone -- I think many people will be put off by its limited zoom range -- but if you like what the LX3 has to offer, then it's well worth a look.
The DMC-LX3 is a midsize camera made of a solid metal body. It's very well put together, save for the flimsy plastic door over the battery/memory card compartment. Controls are well placed, though the buttons on the back of the camera are a bit small and cluttered. The most notable feature on the LX3 is its fast, F2.0-2.8, 24 - 60 mm lens. That's as wide as you'll find these days, and that maximum aperture range is way better than what you'll find elsewhere. Unfortunately, there's not really any telephoto power here, so fans of "zoom" may be disappointed. ... ”
Complete review here
Camera Labs 's conclusion / rating - 23 September 2008 |
“ The Lumix LX3 fulfils its brief as a high-end enthusiasts compact. It ticks all the required feature boxes including full manual control, RAW recording, a flash hotshoe and wide angle lens with the bonus of a bright focal ratio. On top of this you also get a decent 3in screen with 460k pixels, HD movie recording and a raft of easy modes including Panasonic’s excellent Intelligent Auto. All this packed into a small and light body which actually comes in slightly cheaper than its closest rival from Canon.
So like most cameras the Lumix LX3 comes with some caveats, but if you’re satisfied by the image quality, you’ll be very happy with the camera. Sure the lens doesn’t zoom-in as close as most compacts, but which models have a stabilised lens with 24mm coverage or an f2.0 focal ratio? Which models also support RAW, full manual control and offer a flash hotshoe? Which models deliver all this in a pocketable form factor while also coming in slightly cheaper than the closest competition? The Lumix LX3 may not be perfect, but it’s one of the best compacts for enthusiasts to date and if its feature set and focal range suits your style of photography, it comes Recommended.... ”
Camera Labs's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
PhotoReview 's conclusion / rating - 16 September 2008 |
“ Successor to the popular DMC-LX2 model, the Panasonic DMC-LX3 represents a significant upgrade to its predecessor. Panasonic claims to have improved 'every component' to deliver a camera that will appeal to DSLR photographers who want a capable compact camera with all the necessary features and functions as a complement to their main camera.
One of the more obvious changes in the new model is its lens. The LX3's Leica DC Vario-Summicron is a full stop brighter than the LX2's, with a f/2.0 maximum aperture at the wide zoom setting. It also encompasses a wider field, offering an angle of view equivalent to 24mm in a 35mm camera. The wider maximum aperture enables photographers to shoot close-ups and portraits with blurred backgrounds that results from controlling the lens aperture.... ”
PhotoReview's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 12 August 2008 |
“ In summary the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 certainly fulfills its remit of being a premium system camera which challenges the likes of the Ricoh GR and GX series cameras, the Canon Powershot G9 and the Sigma DP1. The LX3 is a beautifully made and designed product that instantly makes your friends envious, but which importantly doesn't forget to be an effective photographic tool. It also manages to pull off the difficult task of appealing to a diverse range of users, from complete beginners to pro photographers alike, making it perfect for the 1-camera family. On the downside, the maximum telephoto setting of 60mm will doubtless put some prospective buyers off, simply because it won't suit their photography, especially as there's no telephoto conversion lens available at launch. Image quality is better, but not that much better, than other Panasonic compacts, and the Sigma DP1 with its APS-C sized sensor still retains the crown of best image quality from a compact camera.... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
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