Panasonic Panasonic DMC-LX5 Review

[BBW]

Javier, glad you found your way here - just had at a few of your LA LX5 photos and will go back to see more. Don has just posted, right before you how the EV compensation works on the camera - which is nice to know.

Just press the jog wheel and the EV comes up. It changes the screen brightness as you dial up/down.
Press again, it's locked in.

So Don, tell us about the step zoom - please, Don?

 

[javier]

Gosh, I feel like an idiot. I missed the entire second page.
Thank you for that.

 

[BBW]

Don't worry - it has happened to me, too - and more than once! Stop by the Welcomes and Introductions forum when you have a chance, Javier.

 

[BBW]

By the way, I'm enjoying looking at your LX5 shots on your Flickr stream. Seems as though it's working out really well for you!

 

[sonomichele]

By the way, Having owned an S90, G9 and G10, This is by far my fav P&S.

So tell us why you like it best? Personal anecdotes are always more fun than the hard numbers....

 

[javier]

So tell us why you like it best? Personal anecdotes are always more fun than the hard numbers....

Well to keep it short and simple.
I really love the G9. Mine unfortunatly came to an unfortunate death at the beach. But that is a story for another day.
The G9 performed better than the G10 in both noise and speed. I could pull off ISO800 images with the G9, But ISO 400 was MAX in the G10.
Also setting up the G9 at hyperfocal was pretty easy and had less shutter lag than the G10.
The G10 though had the better wider lens. That and battery life was its only advantage. When the S90 came out, I sold the G10 to buy the S90.
In truth, I only used the s90 for a week before my daughter borrowed it for life so I never really got to enjoy it much. I should also note that
I had an SD780IS as well and that was a real cool pocket cam. My other daughter took that one from me as well. So after my G9 died, I had actually
looked at a few used ones on craigs list and was surprised to see they where fetching near new prices. So I decided the buy the LX-5 for the wider lens.

Well, the first time I went out with the LX-5 i was amazed at how fast the auto focus worked at 24mm. I mean it is like ''bam'' I believe that since it is a
24mm lens with a tiny sensor that it is preset at hyperfocal from like 3 feet on. So basically I point and shoot. It also has better DR than the canons I have had.
It is simply a better cam....As far as noise, it is a min of 1 stop better than the G9 and 2 stops better than the G10...

My old family

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And the death of my beloved G9. I tripped and launched it in the ocean. ''sigh''

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[Streetshooter]

There be a couple a streetshooters around here...
Nice work!

BB,
The camera sets up beautifully.
With the lens resume, you can pre focus at a distance, (no markings)
with the AF button. It locks the focus distance.
The step zoom also will lock to a pre-set focal length.
So, even if the camera goes off, it will return to it's last settings.
Great feature.
I'm working in 3:2, ( max screen display).
I'm living hyperfocal with 35 mm settings.
So far, it's a great user friendly camera.
Maybe this weekend I'll read the manual...
Don

 

[BBW]

Javier, I'm with sonomichele, although I do like to know the technical details, I love a good personal story when it comes to hearing about why someone really likes their camera of choice, and you did not disappoint! Though I am sorry about the untimely death of your G9, it seems like a handy bit of timing. Not to belittle your loss - and you do have those great memories.

It seems as though the LX5 is building up a secure fan base.

P.S. Don - sorry, I missed your post! Are you sure you're not working for Panasonic as a covert sales person?:tongue: You guys definitely pushing all the right buttons!

 

[Streetshooter]

By far, the best thing about the LX5 is it's size.
It fits easily in my jeans pocket.
That makes it a perfect carry all times camera.
(Check the Mode dial and the Aspect switch as it moves on pocket exiting procedure)
sometimes.

 

[Djarum]

Wow. This is depressing. It appears that the IQ from these cameras is almost as good as the PEN. And given the one or two stop difference in noise, this can be made up with the faster lenses on these cameras.

 

[BBW]

Let's try to think of it as digital compacts moving forward, Jason. I do understand where you're coming from - but remember you've got interchangeable lenses!

 

[Streetshooter]

DJ,
It is not as good as m43. It's close but not as good.
On the screen things always look equal.
I have a dozen prints arriving on Sat.
That will tell the difference.
The IS works very well. I was able to get very good results at 1/10 sec.
I'm not selling the GF1 for sure.

I would think this is a great carry camera but not to replace m43 stuff.

 

[Djarum]

BBW and SS,

I think the issue is simply that, after a year of using my PEN, for me to get the most use out of it, I need a zoom lens that focuses faster and is a stop aperature faster.

 

[Streetshooter]

DJ,
The LX5 focuses rather fast on the smallest AF target size. Similar to the GF1.
The f2.0 lens is nice... You should enjoy it.

 

[sonomichele]

Javier - wow you were actually able to chronicle the demise of your G9 friend. Such a sad day but you now have pics to remember it by (and to curse whoever left it there when the tide came in).

I love my LX3, been debating whether to try the smaller S95 or just to stick with the tried and true.

Michael

 

[SocorroPhotog]

LX5 Greens & Blues

I have both the LX5 and TL500/EX1 and have owned a LX3, S90 & G10 so I think i'm enough of a seriuos compact addict. Of all these cameras the holy grail for me is sharp detailed pictures with accurate color. I found most of these to be alright in terms of detail (with the TL500 being the best) but color accuracy is another story. The S90 was accurate enough (a little over saturated) with good white balance. The LX3 was a little on the cool side with purple being it's Achilles heel. The G10 was great, with wonderful detail (high res sensor helped) but not a low light shooter. The TL500 has the sharpest pictures (of the 10mp bunch) and amazing auto white balance with accurate colors (with really low light being the exception). That brings me to the LX5. It's resolution is a touch under the TL500, no big deal, but it's color accuracy (in daylight) is off on greens and blues. Greens come out way to bright. I've noticed this in my pictures and ones posted (OOC) by others. That was the deal breaker for me so I sold the LX5.

 

[Ray Sachs]

I have both the LX5 and TL500/EX1 and have owned a LX3, S90 & G10 so I think i'm enough of a seriuos compact addict.

Having owned the S90 and LX5, I wonder if you could comment on their responsiveness? I have an S90 and I'm fine with the IQ in half decent light, and it sets up very easily for hyperfocal street shooting, but i find it slow to respond when I'm actually shooting with it on the street. Not in the same league with my m43 gear. Don's comments about the LX5's AF speed relative to the GF1 makes me wonder if that's a more responsive camera overall than the S90? I end up converting so much of my work to B&W that super accurate colors aren't my highest priority...

Thanks for any comparison info you can provide.

-Ray

 

[Penny]

Having read the above and criticizing the price of the new Leica D-lux price on another thread (in comparison to the LX5) the difference being over £200 I wonder whether some of the 'down points' some people have found on the LX5 is repeated on the Leica.
If not is paying the higher price a better option? I wonder.

Problems such as.........
Banding re video for one and 'Greens and Blues' reproduction in daylight as stated by by SocorroPhotog.

 

[BBW]

Check out javier's photos, Vince's, Amin's and Don's, Penny...and we have some from the LX3 from other members like Ferry.

I've been concerned about this, too - the color balance issue that ScorroPhotog has brought up. Regarding the differences between the Leica version and the Panasonic, from what I can tell it's outside design and the DNG files with the Leica vs the RAW files with the Panasonic. But don't quote me! I have been on Flickr looking at the Panasonic LX5 shots and they look very, very good. Granted, much has to do with each owner's computer screen and its color calibration/management. I have often seen various members here and over at MU-43 whose Panny shots look right on the mark, while others appear much too yellow. I think that it's how the individual deals with any camera's files. For example - some of my X1 shots were quite good while others I know were way too dark or off in other ways most likely due to my inability to expose properly for such high contrast shots...and my lack of pping skills, too.

I feel that if one can buy from a reputable photography store with a fair and reasonable return policy that the best bet is to test the camera in question out - take some shots in different lighting and see how it works for you. Just remind yourself of your time limits and the store's return policies. B&H here in NYC, has a very good policy - but always read the fine print on anyone's site.

P.S. Welcome ScorroPhotog!

 

[SocorroPhotog]

Ray, You will be better served by a wide margin with the LX5. It's the fastest point and shot I've used. The wider lens and the ability to shoot 16x9 may also be something you find useful.

A side note on the colors. While the LX5's daytime color reproduction is lacking, it's very low light colors are sometimes bordering on amazing. I shot a color chart in a pitch black room (60sec shutter, iso 3200, f2) and It was able to reproduce the colors fairly well.