So, you remember the LX3? Popular camera, broke a lot of ideas as to what a high end compact digicam should be? Was stuck on our allocation list for like years? Well, it’s finally getting its long due update, the LX5.
Of special note is the fact that despite identical numbers, the sensor is all new, and talking up a wider dynamic range than the already well-received LX3. Combined with the newest incarnation of the Venus engine, which features 3 processing cores and can analyze chroma and luminance noise both separately as well as in relation to each other, the LX5 is promising a leap forward in image processing ability.
The LCD is now backlit with High Color Range Index LEDs. The movie mode is better now, too, adding AVHCD Lite to the codec options as well as manual exposure, color modes, and optical zoom during recording.
And it supports SDXC now, natch. It should go without saying there are a lot of expectations riding on this model, since the LX3 broke down so many walls and outperformed in so many ways. We’ll wait and see if this camera does too. It’ll be available in the pictured white, or black (so stop worrying, Jody), and it’s available for pre-order allocation right now over on our site.
| SPEC | LX5 | LX3 |
| Sensor | 10.1MP, 1.63″ | 10.1MP, 1.63″ |
| Processor | Venus Engine FHD | Venus IV |
| Optical Zoom | 3.8x | 2.5x |
| Equiv. Focal Length | 24-90mm | 24-60mm |
| Aperture | f2.0 – 3.3 | f2.0 – 2.8 |
| Lens Type | Leica DC VARIO-SUMMICRON | Leica DC VARIO-SUMMICRON |
| Image Stabilization | Optical, Power OIS | Optical, Mega OIS |
| ISO Range (Expanded) | 100-12,800 | 100-3,200 |
| LCD | 3.0″ TFT, 460,000 Dot, High CRI LED Backlit | 3.0″ TFT, 460,000 Dot |
| AVHCD Lite Video Recording | Yes | No |
| Manual Exposure in Movie Mode | Yes | No |
| Optical Zoom in Movie Mode | Yes | No |
| Available Electronic Viewfinder | Yes | No |
| Records To | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal Memory | SD/SDHC, Internal Memory |
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I love the new panasonic Lumix range but the issue I have is the lack of a view finder. I know that there is an accessory available but it is too expensive for what basically should be a free add-on. Also is it possible for folks like us to get our hands on some cameras to review?
Hey PK! I can understand your gripe about viewfinders, but you have to admit there’re quite a few good reasons they’re going the way of the dinosaur on compacts. There’s the fact that the market demand for them gets lighter every year as LCDs get notably better and better at handling accurate sharpness evaluation and work better in light, and then there’s the fact that at best a digital compact’s viewfinder was a small, plastic peephole that didn’t accurately reflect zoom, and was subject to frequent parallax errors or even being blocked by the camera’s lens.
The new LX5 here goes beyond cameras before it, not only does it support the admittedly pricey optical viewfinder, but more excitingly it takes the DMW-LVF1 electronic LCD viewfinder from the GF1, which gives it dead-accurate depth-of-field, framing, exposure compensation, menu overlays, image playback, you name it. I know another 200 on top of the price of the cam is steep, but I have to say, I think in this case it’d be worth it. And, it makes the LX5 especially appealing as a pocket cam for current GF1 owners, since they can reuse the same hardware. So, it could be worse, really.