Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 Review

October 9, 2014 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is a premium compact camera which incorporates a large Micro Four Thirds sensor. The Panasonic LX100 also features 4K video recording at 25/24fps including the ability to extract high-resolution 8MP images from the 4K video, a 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 Leica lens, high-speed AF in approximately 0.14 seconds, built-in Live View Finder (LVF) with 2764K-dot equivalent high resolution, a 3.0-inch LCD screen with 921k-dot resolution, an ISO range of 100-25600, high speed burst shooting at 11 fps with the mechanical shutter and 40fps with the electronic shutter, aperture and control rings, and integrated Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is available in black or silver for £699.99 / $899.99.

Ease of Use

The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is nominally the successor to the 2-year-old DMC-LX7 camera, but it includes so many technological advances that it's virtually unrecognisable from its predecessor. The main change is the inclusion of the same Micro Four Thirds sensor that's found in Panasonic's GX7 compact system camera. In terms of physical size, the 1.33-inch MFT sensor is significantly larger than the 1-inch sensors used in two of the LX100's principal rivals, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III and the Canon PowerShot GX7, and with 16.84 megapixels onboard, the pixel size is bigger too, all of which promises better image quality. The LX100 actually has a multi-aspect ratio sensor, so that it can capture 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, or 1:1 aspect images while maintaining the same focal length in each ratio, resulting in a 12.8 megapixel 4:3 image.

Another important change is the inclusion of a built-in electronic viewfinder, again borrowed directly from the GX7. If ever there was a reason to end the debate about optical versus electronic viewfinders, this is it. Firstly, it has a staggeringly high resolution of 2764k dots, which translates into a display so good that you would swear it was an optical finder, helped in no small part by the high color reproduction of approximately 100% of the Adobe RGB colour-space, 100% scene coverage and 60fps refresh rate. Secondly, there's a handy sensor which automatically detects when the LX100 is held up to eye-level and even starts auto-focusing, with just the slightest delay until the display is ready. Thirdly, a whole host of information is displayed onscreen - virtually everything that you can display on the rear LCD screen can be shown in the EVF. Suffice to say that we didn't miss having an optical viewfinder when shooting with the LX100.

The LCD screen on the rear is a bright 3-inch model with 921k dot resolution that provides a naturalistic translation of the scene before the lens. However you will still find yourself squinting and cupping a hand around it in bright sunlight, so much so that we shot almost exclusively using the EVF. Also sadly, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 doesn't have a touchscreen and the LCD isn't articulated in any way, two features that the GX7 compact system camera does offer and which we'd have liked to have seen on the LX100.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

As expected at this price-point, both Raw and JPEG files can be committed to SD/SDHC/SDXC or Eye-Fi cards, and conveniently both can be shot in tandem, with write speeds impressive at just two to three seconds. It further boasts a 3.1x optical zoom lens, offering a focal range equivalent to 24-75mm in 35mm terms, optically stabilized to help prevent image blur from camera shake and with a Nano Surface Coating to help prevent lens flare. Best of all is the fast f/1.7 maximum aperture, which in conjunction with the Micro Four Thirds sensor makes it easier to achieve DSLR-like shallow depth of field and out-of-focus backgrounds, whilst also proving invaluable when hand-holding the camera in low-light.

In terms of auto-focusing, the LX100 has a couple of aces up its sleeve. The Full Area AF allows you to set the focus on any part of the 100% field of view, even right at the edges of the frame, while the focus detect area encompasses 49 zones. Furthermore, the Low Light AF system works in -3EV light situations, ensuring that auto-focusing works even in starlight.

Focus Peaking is also new to the LX-series, if not to recent advanced compact cameras. When enabled, it graphically shows the peak of focus in the MF and AF+MF modes by displaying an outline around the subject. The detection level can be set to 'High' or ‘Low’ and a colour can be selected In ‘High’ these are light blue, yellow or green and in 'Low' blue, orange or white can be selected. Pinpoint AF mode is very useful for precisely focusing on a very small area, while, Manual Focus Assist automatically displays a 10x magnification to help you make sure that the subject is in focus in the MF mode.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 weighs a manageable 393g with the battery and card inserted, some 100g more than the LX7. Starting with the lens, there's a slider switch sitting atop the lens barrel for adjusting picture ratios. There's the option of selecting the standard 4:3 digital ratio to the right of the 'dial', with 3:2, 16:9 and, more unusually, 1:1, being the alternatives. Slide your left hand down and to the left of the lens surround and there's a further tactile switch for swapping between auto focus, macro focus and manual focus.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

An intuitive aperture ring additionally surrounds the lens which allows you to quickly change the aperture, with 20 1/3rd exposure steps available running from f/1.7 through to f/16. If you zoom to a focal length that slows down the aperture range, these physical markings obviously don't change - so at 75mm, for example, choosing f/1.7 actually sets the aperture to the fastest available value of f/2.8. Furthermore, changing the ring from f/1.7 to, say, f/2.2 has absolutely no effect on the camera's settings, as those apertures aren't available at 75mm. Other than this unavoidable quirk, the aperture ring is a great addition that further adds to the photographer-friendly feel of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100.

By default the new control ring quickly accesses stepped focal range settings of 24, 28, 35, 50, 70 and 75mm, although it can be reconfigured as a stepless zoom ring if you prefer, or to set the ISO speed, white balance or filter mode. While the zoom ring is a very welcome addition, it is a little on the narrow side, so much so that we occasionally found ourselves moving the aperture ring at the same time - an annoying consequence of the camera's small size.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's grip may not be particularly large but its leather-effect rubber padding further prevents the camera from feeling like it will slip from your grasp in a strong wind. Overall it comes across as a compact and elegant solution, with the body proportions measuring a manageable 114.8 x 66.2 x 55.0 mm, a little wider and deeper than the LX7. This therefore is a camera that will slip readily into a jacket or small bag, but not a trouser pocket.

The MOS sensor greatly increases the camera's burst shooting options, with a fastest setting of 11 frames/sec when using the mechanical shutter or an incredible 40 full-resolution images when using the electronic shutter (focus and exposure fixed at the first frame). Slower modes of 6.5 frames/sec and 2 frames/sec complete with AF Tracking are also available.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

With the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 we have other Lumix family regulars making a re-appearance. Selected via a dedicated button on top of the camera, there's the subject recognising and performance optimising intelligent Auto (iA) mode for point and shoot simplicity, with another button accessing an extensive range of Creative Control in-camera effects. Users also get access to six customisable Photo Style modes via the on-screen menu when the camera is in a creative mode, such as program, aperture priority, shutter priority or manual.

There's a choice of auto and intelligent auto ISO settings, with a range that extends from ISO 100 up to ISO 25600 at full resolution, a nod to the sort of spec to be found on a semi-pro DSLR, so to be welcomed at a compact level. Also present and correct is the time saving 'Q.Menu' (Quick Menu) button on the backplate. Press this and a toolbar of essential shooting functions appears on screen that the user can tab through and make selections from courtesy of the cross keys and central 'set' button on the camera back.

It's undoubtedly these familiar elements that will appeal to anyone trading up from say a FS-series Lumix compact, and soften any perceived learning curve from what otherwise outwardly appears a more sophisticated proposition. A flick of the top-mounted on/off switch and the LX100 powers up in two seconds. The LCD fades into life and the lens extends from within its protective housing to maximum 24mm-equivalent wideangle setting. Generally the camera is as fast and responsive as one could wish for.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

It's from the front and top that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 most shows its enthusiast targeting mettle, large (for a compact) 24mm wide angle Leica-branded lens staring you in the face as you tease the camera from its packaging. Unlike cheaper Panasonic compacts there's no automatic sliding lens cover to protect the glass when not in use, just a separate lens cap of the clip-on variety that may quickly get lost in a pocket. With the aspect ratio adjustment and focus mode sliders, aperture ring and focus ring encircling the lens surround as previously mentioned, above the lens and to its left is an AF assist/self timer lamp.

On top we get that vacant hotshoe protected out of the box by a piece of plastic that also envelops the accessory port nestling just left of centre of the LCD, in front of which are the stereo microphones. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 doesn't have a pop-up flash - instead there's a small external flash supplied in the box which has a guide number of 7, seemingly an inevitable compromise to ensure that the LX100 remains so compact.

Nestling next to the hotshoe is a dedicated shutter speed dial, which in conjunction with the aperture ring makes it a cinch to use the LX100 in full manual mode. Adjacent to this dial is the aforementioned on/off switch, and continuing the enthusiast-friendly design is another dedicated dial for setting the exposure compensation. The raised shutter release button is ergonomically encircled by a rocker switch for operating the zoom. As indicated the zoom glides fairly leisurely through its range, taking just over three seconds to get from maximum wideangle to extreme telephoto. Tabbing back and forth it's possible to be reasonably accurate with your framing.

The Filter button houses the expanded and renamed Filter modes which give vent to the interior auteur. There are eight screens’ worth of digital effects on board selectable in this mode. These range from our particular favourite of the saturation boosting ‘Expressive’ colour through the sepia tinted ‘Retro’ and the more white-ish if slightly clumsily named ‘Old days’, and include the more self explanatory High Key, Low Key, a slightly unnecessary ‘Sepia’ (given the previous Retro and Old Days options), Monochrome, more high contrast Dynamic Monochrome and grainy film-like Rough Monochrome, Silky Monochrome, the high dynamic range ape-ing ‘Impressive Art’, a separate High Dynamic setting, Cross Process, a vignetting Toy Effect, a more luridly saturated Toy Pop, Bleach Bypass, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, ‘Fantasy’ – bathing everything in a light blue-ish wash (a it like we’ve left the camera on ‘daylight’ setting) – plus Star Filter, One Point Colour and Sunshine setting – the latter of which mimics a burst of sunshine intruding from the top of your frame, so enlivening rather dull shooting conditions with the haze of a summer’s evening.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
Top of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

On the rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is the electronic viewfinder with diopter control, and alongside that a dedicated button for toggling between the LCD screen and the EVF. Alongside is the wi-fi button lets you use your smartphone to change the camera settings (focus setting, exposure compensation, ISO, WB and Photo Styles) and even fire the shutter button remotely (including interval video recordings), while the auto transfer function automatically backs up your photos onto a tablet. You can also use GPS data from your smartphone to record the shooting location onto your images. The LX100 is also one of the few compact cameras to feature NFC (Near Field Communication) technology (the same technology that's used for mobile payments), which allows you to connect it to a compatible internet enabled device or another NFC-enabled camera by simply tapping them together.

Just right of this we have the recessed 'one touch' video record button that very usefully allows the user to be up and shooting video in a thrice no matter what other (non video) mode they might have selected on the adjacent dial. The LX100 offers both AVCHD video capture and MP4. Interestingly, if you want to shoot the maximum 4K video – i.e twice as high quality as Full HD – then a switch to MP4 mode is required before you can implement that setting on the Panasonic, with the choice 25 or 24 frames per second capture speed. In other words 4K shooting is not available with AVCHD compression. You can also extract a still image from a 4K sequence, ending up with the equivalent of an 8 megapixel photo at 30fps - impressive!

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is an intriguing prospect for would-be videographers, providing access as it does to the same creative exposure P,A,S,M modes selectable when shooting stills. You also get access to all the Photo Style and Creative Control modes when shooting video. ISO settings, white balance and AF tracking are also all accessible when shooting movies. The normal bugbear of exterior location shoots is also dealt with thanks to a wind cut option among the four screen's worth of menu settings in motion picture mode. Happily, the full extent of the smooth and steady optical zoom can be accessed when shooting video, its mechanical operation quiet and minimally intrusive.

The LX100's Intelligent Auto mode works for movies as well as for still photos. Simply select the iA shooting mode on top of the camera, then the Movie Record button. The Intelligent Scene Selector automatically determines the most suitable Scene mode from five options - Portrait, Scenery, Low Light and Close-up or Normal modes. Face Detection automatically detects a face in the frame and adjusts the focus, exposure, contrast, and skin complexion. Intelligent Exposure continually checks the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure setting as conditions change to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. The Image Stabilizer helps prevent blurring from hand-shake when using a compatible lens or via the camera body.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 with the Flash Attached

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 has a time lapse function in which you can set the time interval and the number of images to take, plus a multi-exposure option that lets you combine up to four exposures in a single frame, while the Stop Motion Animation mode allows you to create unique stop motion videos.

Completing the row of buttons above the LCD screen is the enthusiast enticing giveaway of an AF/AE lock button. Underneath is the Quick Menu button and self-explanatory Playback button, and just below this a quartet of cross keys for tabbing through and selecting menu options, or scrolling through captured images, with a central menu/set button falling under the thumb in their midst. The top key of the quartet is marked ISO, which provides quick access to the extensive ISO range of 100-25600. To the right, at three o'clock, the next key is given over as a shortcut to accessing White Balance settings on the fly. The bottom key is for the LX100's burst shooting and self-timer options. At nine o'clock we get a button providing instant access to the AF Area settings.

Beneath this again we get the final two buttons on the camera back, for self explanatory Display - a press of which turns of the operational icons or brings up a nine-zone compositional grid - and the Fn1 button.

While that's it for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's backplate, the right hand side of the camera - when viewed from the back - features a terminal door covering both HDMI (cable optional) and AV/USB out ports. There are also vacant lugs on the left and right hand flanks of the camera for attaching the provided wrist strap. The base of the camera meanwhile features an off-centre screw thread for attaching a tripod, the other under-side feature being the compartment housing the battery, good for around 350 shots from a single charge, and SD/SDHC/SDXC or Eye-Fi media cards.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 12.8 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5Mb.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 produced images of outstanding quality during the review period. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 dealt extremely well with chromatic aberrations, with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations. The supplied external flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and adequate exposure. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 60 seconds allowing you to capture plenty of light.

Anti-shake is a feature that sets this camera apart from its competitors and one that works very well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. Macro performance is very good, allowing you to focus as close as 3cm away from the subject (although it's difficult to get the lighting correct at such a close distance). The images were a little soft straight out of the camera at the default sharpening setting and ideally require further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting if you don't like the default results.

The large number of Creative Controls and Photo Styles allow you to quickly and easily customise the look of the camera's JPEG images. We struggled to see any differences between the Intelligent Resolution settings, but Intelligent D-range is an effective feature for capturing more detail in the shadows and highlights, as is the new HDR mode. The clever Panorama mode allows you to take panoramic images very easily by 'sweeping' with the camera, with the ability to apply one of 15 different creative filters.

And then we come to the LX100's low light performance. It produces noise-free images at ISO 100 to 1600, with limited noise starting to appear at ISO 3200. ISO 6400 exhibits quite visible noise and loss of fine detail, and the fastest settings of ISO 12800 and 25600 are even noisier but still usable for small prints and web use.

Noise

There are 9 ISO settings available on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW file formats:

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)
iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg
   

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)
iso25600.jpg iso25600raw.jpg

Focal Range

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's 3.1x zoom lens offers a fairly versatile focal range, as illustrated by these examples.

24mm

75mm

focal_range1.jpg focal_range2.jpg

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft at the default sharpening setting. You can change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

File Quality

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 has 2 different JPEG image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

Fine (6.25Mb) (100% Crop)

Standard (2.92Mb) (100% Crop)

quality_fine.jpg quality_standard.jpg
   

RAW (14.7Mb) (100% Crop)

 
quality_raw.jpg  

Chromatic Aberrations

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 handled chromatic aberrations excellently during the review. There's very slight purple fringing between areas of high contrast, but it's only noticeable on really close inspection, as shown in the examples below.

Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations 2 (100% Crop)

chromatic1.jpg chromatic2.jpg

Macro

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 offers a macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 3cm away from the camera when the lens is set to 24mm wide-angle. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro

Macro (100% Crop)

macro1.jpg macro1a.jpg

Flash

The flash settings on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 are Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (24mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (24mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Flash Off - Telephoto (75mm)

Flash On - Telephoto (75mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are a couple of portrait shots. Neither the Forced On or Auto/Red-eye Reduction options caused any amount of red-eye.

Forced On

Forced On (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg
   

Auto/Red-eye Reduction

Auto/Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's maximum shutter speed is 60 seconds, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds at ISO 200.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Image Stabilisation

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 has an antishake mechanism which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with the stabilizer turned off, the second with it turned on. As you can see, with image stabilisation turned on, the images are sharper than when it's turned off.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length

Image Stabilisation Off (100% Crop)

Image Stabilisation On (100% Crop)

1/8th / 24mm antishake1.jpg antishake1a.jpg
     
1/8th / 75mm antishake2.jpg antishake2a.jpg

Intelligent Resolution

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's Intelligent Resolution feature e makes a standard image look like a higher resolution one by processing the contour areas, texture areas and smooth areas individually, with three different strengths available and an Extended setting which extends the zoom range.

Off

Low

intelligent_resolution_off.jpg intelligent_resolution_low.jpg
   

Standard

High

intelligent_resolution_standard.jpg intelligent_resolution_high.jpg
   

Extended Off

Extended On

intelligent_resolution_extended.jpg intelligent_resolution_extended1.jpg

Intelligent Dynamic

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's Intelligent Dynamic setting adjusts the exposure setting to record more detail in the highlights and shadows, with three strengths available - low, standard and high.

Off

Low

intelligent_drange_off.jpg intelligent_drange_1.jpg
   

Standard

High

intelligent_drange_2.jpg intelligent_drange_3.jpg

HDR

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's HDR setting automatically akes and combines three differently exposed shots to record more detail in the highlights and shadows, with three EV strengths available.

Off

+1EV

hdr_off.jpg hdr_1.jpg
   

+2EV

+3EV

hdr_2.jpg hdr_3.jpg

Aspect Ratios

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 offers four different aspect ratios.

4:3

1:1

aspect_ratio_4.jpg aspect_ratio_1.jpg
   

16:9

3:2

aspect_ratio_2.jpg aspect_ratio_3.jpg

Multiple Exposure

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100's Multiple Exposure mode combines two or three different pictures to create one composite image.

Multiple Exposure

multiple_exposure.jpg

Photo Styles

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 has 6 preset Photo Styles, with Standard as the default setting. The contrast, sharpness, saturation and noise reduction can be individually set for each picture style, and there is also a Custom style so that you can create your own look.

Standard

Vivid

photo_style_01.jpg photo_style_02.jpg
   

Natural

Monochrome

photo_style_03.jpg photo_style_04.jpg
   

Scenery

Portrait

photo_style_05.jpg photo_style_06.jpg

Filters

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 has an extensive range of creative Filters with 22 different options on offer.

Expressive

Retro

filter_01.jpg filter_02.jpg
   

Old Days

High Key

filter_03.jpg filter_04.jpg
   

Low Key

Sepia

filter_05.jpg filter_06.jpg
   

Monochrome

Dynamic Monochrome

filter_07.jpg filter_08.jpg
   

Rough Monochrome

Silky Monochrome

filter_09.jpg filter_10.jpg
   

Impressive Art

High Dynamic

filter_11.jpg filter_12.jpg
   

Cross Process

Toy Effect

filter_13.jpg filter_14.jpg
   

Toy Pop

Bleach Bypass

filter_15.jpg filter_16.jpg
   

Miniature Effect

Soft Focus

filter_17.jpg filter_18.jpg
   

Fantasy

Star Filter

filter_19.jpg filter_20.jpg
   

One Point Color

Sunshine

filter_21.jpg filter_22.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 camera, which were all taken using the 12.8 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Panasonic RAW (RW2) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840 x 2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 181Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840 x 2160 pixels at 24 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 180Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920 x 1080 pixels pixels at 50 frames per second. Please note that this 15 second movie is 55Mb in size.

Product Images

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Turned On

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Flash Attached

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Image Displayed
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Turned On
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Quick Menu
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Main Menu
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Wi-fi Connection
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Rear of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 / Effects Menu
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Top of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Bottom of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Front of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Memory Card Slot
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100
Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 is the most capable compact camera that we've ever reviewed, offering a mouth-watering combination of cutting edge technology, excellent image quality, and intuitive handling. There are still a few downsides - most notably the lack of a touchscreen or articulated LCD and a rather narrow control ring - but the new LX100 manages to pull off the trick of being both a technological tour-de-force and a camera that's a veritable joy to shoot with.

The move to a Micro Four Thirds sensor instantly gives the LX100 the image quality edge over its main 1-inch sensor rivals, as does the excellent 24-75mm Leica lens - this is a winning combination that definitely sets this camera apart from its peers. It does come at the cost of making the LX100 bigger and heavier than the likes of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100, although that camera doesn't have the manual controls offered by Panasonic's take on the premium compact. And while the LX100 is actually bigger than a compact system camera like Panasonic's own GM5 or Sony's A5100, for example, you'd struggle to find a comparable lens quite like the Leica DC Vario-Summulix 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 in terms of size and quality. And we haven't even mentioned 4K video recording, the excellent electronic viewfinder, fast burst shooting and excellent AF system.

Priced at £699.99 / $899.95, the LX100 is another high-end model that further blurs the line between compact and larger-sensor cameras both in terms of price level and capability. Consumers have never had so much choice at this price-point - premium compact, mid-range compact system camera with MFT or APS-C sensors, and even entry-level DSLRs are all available. None of those offer everything that the LX100 does though, so if you mostly shoot in the 24-75mm focal range, this camera should be right at the top of your list despite only being a humble "compact" camera.

Two years on from the previous excellent LX7 model (which will continue to be sold), the LX100 raises the bar considerably and leaps right to the top of the burgeoning premium compact market, even making a strong case as a serious alternative to CSC and DSLR models if it suits your outlook on the world. Sony may have had things mostly to themselves with the RX-series in recent times, but Panasonic have definitely shaken things up with the exciting new Lumix DMC-LX100.

5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 5
Features 5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 5
Value for money 4.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is a serious compact camera with a large 1.5-inch image sensor and fast 5x zoom lens. The G1 X Mk II also offers built-in wi-fi/NFC connectivity, 1080p HD video at 30fps with stereo sound, a 3 inch tilting touchscreen LCD, dual lens control rings, RAW files and a full range of manual shooting modes. Read our Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II review to find out if it's worth the £799 / €949 / $799.99 asking price...

Fujifilm X30

The Fujifilm X30 is a brand new premium compact camera with a large 2/3-type 12 megapixel sensor, fast 4x optical zoom lens, electronic viewfinder, tilting LCD screen, built-in wi-fi and a 60p movie mode. Read our Fujifilm X30 review, complete with full-size sample JPEG and raw images, videos and more...

Leica X2

The Leica X2 is a pocket camera for professionals, offering a 16 megapixel APS-C sensor, fast f/2.8, 36mm lens, improved autofocusing and the usual superlative Leica handling and build quality. Is that enough to justify the Leica X2's £1575 / $1995 price tag? Read our in-depth Leica X2 review to find out...

Nikon Coolpix A

The Nikon Coolpix A is a new pocket camera for professionals. The Nikon A features the same 16 megapixel APS-C sensor as the D7000 DSLR, a 28mm f/2.8 lens, full manual controls, 1080p HD video recording, a high-resolution 3-inch LCD screen and 4fps burst shooting. Read our in-depth Nikon Coolpix A review to find out if this justifies the £999.99 / $1099.95 price-tag...

Nikon Coolpix P340

The Nikon Coolpix P340 is a new compact camera for the keen enthusiast. The Nikon P340 features a 12.2 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, full manual controls, lens control ring, 1080p HD video recording, a 5x wide-angle zoom lens with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, a high-resolution LCD screen, built-in wi-fi and 10fps burst shooting. Read our in-depth Nikon Coolpix P340 review to find out if it's the perfect pocket camera...

Olympus XZ-2

The new Olympus XZ-2 is a serious compact that's aimed at the enthusiast and professional user looking for a small yet capable camera. A 12 megapixel 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor, fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, high-res 3-inch tilting touch-screen LCD, and a full range of manual shooting modes should be enough to grab your attention. Read our expert Olympus XZ-2 review, complete with full-size JPEG, RAW and movie samples.

Pentax MX-1

The Pentax MX-1 joins the growing list of premium compact cameras aimed at advanced users. Offering a large 1/1.7" 12 megapixel sensor, fast f/1.8 4x zoom lens, tilting 3-inch LCD screen and an appealingly retro design, does the Pentax MX1 offer enough to compete in this increasingly competitive market? Read our detailed Pentax MX-1 review to find out...

Ricoh GR

At first glance the Ricoh GR looks like a street photographer's dream camera. With a fixed focal length 28mm wide-angle lens, 16 megapixel APS-C sensor, high-res 3 inch LCD screen, flash hotshoe, wealth of customisable controls and a fast auto-focus system, does the pocketable Ricoh GR live up to its promise? Read our in-depth Ricoh GR review complete with full-size image samples to find out...

Samsung EX2F

The Samsung EX2F is a new pocket camera for serious photographers, sporting a super-bright f/1.4, 3.3x zoom lens, sensible 12 megapixel sensor and a swivelling 3 inch AMOLED screen. 1080p video, RAW shooting, ISO 80-12800, 10fps burst shooting, image stabilisation and full manual controls complete the EX2F's star attractions. Read our Samsung EX2F review to find out if this is the advanced compact camera for you...

Sigma DP2 Quattro

The Sigma DP2 Quattro is a new serious compact camera featuring an intriguing 39 megapixel APS-C sensor from Foveon and a fixed 45mm equivalent lens with a fast aperture of f/2.8. Read our in-depth Sigma DP2 Quattro review to find out what this unique camera is capable of...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II

Last year's RX100 premium compact camera proved to be a runaway success for Sony - can the new Mark II version improve on the original? Read our expert Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II review to find out...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

Big sensor - check. Fast lens - check. Built-in viewfinder - check. Tilting LCD screen - check. Wi-fi and NFC - check. Advanced video options - check. Is the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III the ultimate compact camera? Read our expert Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II review to find out...

Specifications

Metrics Dimensions (W x H x D) 114.8 x 66.2 x 55.0 mm/(4.52 x 2.61 x 2.17 inch)
Weight Approx. 351 g without Battery and SD Memory Card (0.77 lb)/Approx. 393 g with Battery and SD Memory Card (0.86 lb)
Pixels Camera Effective Pixels 12.8 Megapixels
Sensor Sensor Size / Total Pixels / Filter 4/3-type High Sensitivity MOS Sensor / Total Pixel Number 16.84 Megapixels / Primary Color Filter
Lens Aperture F1.7 - 2.8 / 9 Diaphragm Blades (F1.7 - 16.0 (W), F2.8 - 16.0 (T))
Optical Zoom 3.1x
Focal Length f = 10.9 - 34mm/(24 - 75mm in 35mm equiv in 4:3, 3:2, 16:9)/(28 - 88mm in 35mm equiv. in 1:1)/(28 - 87mm in 35mm equiv. in 4:3 in 4K Photo recording)/(27 - 84mm in 35mm equiv. in 3:2 in 4K Photo recording)/(26 - 81mm in 35mm equiv. in 16:9 in 4K video / 4K Photo recording)/(32 - 101mm in 35mm equiv. in 1:1 in 4K Photo recording)
Extra Optical Zoom (EZ) 4.3x (4:3 / 6.5M (M)), 6.2x (4:3 / 3M (S))
Intelligent Zoom 6.2x
Lens LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMILUX/11 elements in 8 groups/(5 Aspherical Lenses / 8 Aspherical Surfaces / 2 Dual-sided Aspherical Surface ED Lenses)
Optical Image Stabilizer POWER O.I.S.
Digital Zoom Max. 4x (When Digital Zoom is used simultaneously with Intelligent Zoom, you can only increase the zoom ratio up to 2x.)
Conversion Lens Compatibility -
Focus Focusing Area Normal: 50 cm - infinity/AF Macro / MF / Intelligent Auto / Motion Picture: Wide 3 cm - infinity / Tele 30 cm - infinity
AF Assist Lamp Yes (On / Off)
Focus AFS (Single) / AFF (Flexible) / AFC (Continuous) / MF/Normal / AF Macro, Quick AF On / Off (on in Intelligent Auto), Low Light AF, AF/AE Lock Button, AF Area Select, AF Tracking, Eye Sensor AF, Focus Peaking, One Shot AF (Set the Fn button in custom menu to AF-ON)
AF Metering Face/Eye Detection / Tracking / 49-area / Custom Multi / 1-area (flexible / scalable) / Pinpoint
Finder Viewfinder 0.38" LVF (Live View Finder) (2764k dots equivalent), Field of View: Approx. 100%/Magnification: Approx. 1.39x / 0.7x (35mm equiv.), Eye Sensor
Shutter Shutter Speed Still Image:/Approx. 60 - 1/4,000 sec (Mechanical Shutter)/Approx. 1 - 1/16,000 sec (Electronic Shutter)/Time (Approx. 120 sec)/Motion Picture:/Approx. 1/25 - 1/16,000 sec/Approx. 1/2 - 1/16,000 sec (M Mode / MF Mode)
File File Format Still Image: JPEG (DCF/Exif2.3) / RAW, DPOF/Motion Picture: AVCHD, MP4
Recording Modes Filter (Creative Control) Expressive, Retro, Old Days, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Monochrome, Dynamic Monochrome, Rough Monochrome, Silky Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Toy Pop, Bleach Bypass, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Fantasy, Star Filter, One Point Color, Sunshine (22 filters)
Still Image Scene Mode / Scene Guide (Panorama mode can be selected in drive mode.)
Mode Dial / Mode Button Intelligent Auto (by iA Button)/P, A, S, M (by Aperture Ring and Shutter Speed Dial)
4K Photo Mode Yes (4:3 / 3:2 / 16:9 / 1:1 are selectable)
Continuous Shooting Mode (Approx.) [AFS] SH: 40 frames/sec*, H: 11 frames/sec, M: 7 frames/sec (with Live View), L: 2 frames/sec (with Live View)/[AFC] H: 6.5 frames/sec, M: 6.5 frames/sec (with Live View), L: 2 frames/sec (with Live View)/* Electronic shutter only.
Motion Picture Recording (*2) 4K Video 3840 x 2160 pixels, 25p (4K: 100Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps) (AAC)/3840 x 2160 pixels, 24p (4K: 100Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 24fps) (AAC)
HD Video 1920 x 1080 pixels, 50p (FHD: 28Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 50fps) (Dolby)/1920 x 1080 pixels, 24p (FHD: 24Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 24fps) (Dolby)/1920 x 1080 pixels, 25p (FHD: 24Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 25fps) (Dolby)/1920 x 1080 pixels, 50i (FHD: 17Mbps / AVCHD) (Sensor Output is 50fps) (Dolby)/1920 x 1080 pixels, 50p (FHD: 28Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 50fps) (AAC)/1920 x 1080 pixels, 25p (FHD: 20Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps) (AAC)/1280 x 720 pixels, 25p (HD: 10Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps) (AAC)
STD Video 640 x 480, 25p (VGA: 4Mbps / MP4) (Sensor Output is 25fps) (AAC)
High Speed Video -
Continuous recordable time (motion pictures) AVCHD Approx. 120 min (FHD/50p), Approx. 125 min (FHD/50i)
MP4 Approx. 90 min (4K/25p), Approx. 120 min (FHD/50p)
Actual recordable time (motion pictures) AVCHD Approx. 60 min (FHD/50p), Approx. 60 min (FHD/50i)
MP4 Approx. 45 min (4K/25p), Approx. 60 min (FHD/50p)
Exposure Parameters Exposure Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Exposure Compensation 1/3 EV step, +/-3 EV
Auto (AE) Bracketing 3, 5, 7 frames in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 EV Step, Max. +/-3 EV
Light Metering Intelligent Multiple / Center Weighted / Spot
ISO Sensitivity Auto / i.ISO / 100 (Extended ISO) / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200/ 6400 / 12800 / 25600/(Changeable to 1/3 EV step)
Picture Quality Picture Adjustment Contrast, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Saturation*, Color Tone**, Filter Effect**/* Except for Monochrome mode. ** For Monochrome mode only.
Photo Style Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, Scenery, Portrait, Custom
Image Quality RAW / RAW+Fine / RAW+Standard / Fine / Standard
Still Picture Recording [4:3] 4112x3088 (12.5M) (L) / 2976x2232 (6.5M) (M) / 2048x1536 (3M) (S)/[3:2] 4272x2856 (12M) (L) / 3120x2086 (6.5M) (M) / 2112x1408 (3M) (S)/[16:9] 4480x2520 (11M) (L) / 3840x2160 (8M) (M) / 1920x1080 (2M) (S)/[1:1] 3088x3088 (10M) (L) / 2240x2240 (5M) (M) / 1536x1536 (2.5M) (S)
White Balance Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Incandescent / Flash / White Set1 / White Set2 / White Set3 / White Set4 / Color Temperature/(2-axis Adjustable)
Other Digital Red Eye Correction (Red-Eye Removal) Yes (On / Off)
GPS -
Wi-FI IEEE 802.11b/g/n/2412 MHz - 2462 MHz (1-11 ch)/WPA / WPA2/Infrastracture Mode / WPS / Wi-Fi Direct/Wi-Fi Button
NFC ISO/IEC 18092, NFC-F (Passive Mode)
Zoom in Motion Picture Yes
Self Timer 2 sec / 10 sec / 10 sec (3 images)
Self Shot Mode -
Display Playback Mode All, Slideshow, Filtering Play (Picture Only, Video Only, Category Selection, Favorite), Calendar
Thumbnails / Zoomed Playback 12,30-thumbnails / Yes
Calendar Display / Dual- Image Playback Yes / No
Set Favorites / Rotate Image Yes / Yes
Show Histogram Yes
Show Highlights Yes
DPOF Print Setting / Set Protection Yes / Yes
Edit RAW Processing Yes
Retouch No
Resize / Cropping / Aspect Conv. / Leveling Yes / Yes / No / No
Copy / Title Edit / Text Stamp No / Yes / Yes
Cut Animation Yes
Video Divide Yes
PictBridge Support Single / Multi / All / DPOF / Favorites
Setup OSD language Japanese, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish
Monitor Rear Monitor 7.5cm (3.0") TFT Screen LCD Display (921k dots), AR Coating/Field of View: Approx. 100%, Wide Viewing-angle
Flash Flash (Bundled) GN7 ISO100・m / GN10 ISO200・m/Auto*, Auto/Red-eye Reduction*, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off * For iA mode only./Flash Synchro: 1st / 2nd Slow Sync./Synchronization for flash dimming and exposure compensation/0.6 - 14.1m (Wide / ISO Auto), 0.3 - 8.5m (Tele / ISO Auto)
Media Recording Media SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card/(Compatible with UHS-I UHS Speed Class 3 standard SDHC / SDXC Memory Cards)
Built- in- Memory -
Audio Microphone / Speaker Stereo / Mono
Interface Remote Input -
External Microphone Input -
Interface microHDMI, AV Output (PAL / NTSC), USB (AV/USB Multi)
Power Power Li-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 1025mAh, 7.4 Wh) (Included)/AC Adaptor (Input: 110 - 240V AC)
Battery life (approx.) 350 pictures (rear monitor) / 320 pictures (LVF) (when not using flash), 300 pictures (rear monitor) / 270 pictures (LVF) (when using flash, CIPA Standard)*1
Standard Package Included Software PHOTOfunSTUDIO 9.6PE/SILKYPIX Developer Studio/LoiLoScope (trial version)/Adobe Reader
Standard Accessories Battery Charger, Battery Pack, AC Cable, USB Cable, Lens Cap, Lens Cap String, Hot Shoe Cover, External Flash, Flash Storage Bag, Shoulder Strap, DVD
NOTE *1
NOTE Recording conditions by CIPA standard
NOTE - Temperature: 23 oC (73.4 oF) / Humidity: 50%RH when LCD monitor is on.
NOTE - Using a Panasonic SDHC Memory Card
NOTE - Using the supplied battery.
NOTE - Starting recording 30 seconds after the camera is turned on. (When the optical image stabilizer function is set to [ON].)
NOTE - Recording once every 30 seconds with full flash every second recording.
NOTE - Rotating the zoom lever from Tele to Wide or vice versa in every recording.
NOTE - The number of recordable pictures varies depending on the recording interval time.
NOTE - If the recording interval time becomes longer, the number of recordable pictures decreases.
NOTE - CIPA is an abbreviation of [Camera & Imaging Products Association].
NOTE *2
NOTE - These are standard times taken at a temperature of 23 oC (73.4 oF) and a humidity of 50%RH.
NOTE - The time available for recording varies depending on the environment, the interval between recordings, and the manner of use.
NOTE - Actual recordable time is the time available for recording when repeating actions such as switching the power supply [ON] / [OFF], starting/stopping recording, zoom operation etc.
NOTE - Use a card with SD Speed Class with "Class 4" or higher when recording motion pictures.
NOTE - Use a card with SD Speed Class with "UHS-I Speed Class 3 (U3)" when recording motion pictures with [MP4] in [4K].
NOTE (SD speed class is the speed standard regarding continuous writing.)
NOTE - Maximum time to record motion pictures continuously with [AVCHD] is 29 minutes 59 seconds.
NOTE - Maximum time to record motion pictures continuously with [MP4] in [4K] is 15 minutes.
NOTE - Maximum time to record motion pictures continuously with [MP4] in [FHD] [HD] [VGA] is 29 minutes 59 seconds or up to 4 GB.

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