The highly anticipated Panasonic LX5, successor of the LX3, was released in July 2010 and has gained largely favorable responses since. Notable features of the premium compact camera include its impressive focal length of 24-90mm, wide 2.0-3.3 aperture, and improved processor for better performance and dynamic range.
Besides being compared to the LX3, which was released only two years ago, the LX5 has also been compared to premium compacts of competing brands, such as Canon’s Powershot S90.
LX3 vs LX5: a quick comparison
The LX5 has gained largely positive reviews for its improvements over the LX3.
A quick glance of both cameras’ basic specifications can be found in the table below.
Aspects Panasonic Lumix LX3 Panasonic Lumix LX Camera Effective Pixels 10.1 megapixels 10.1 megapixels Minimum Aperture f/2.0-f/2.8 f/2.0-f/3.3 Maximum Aperture f/8
f/8 Lens LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON
24-60mm (35mm equivalent)
2.5xLEICA DC BARIO-SUMMICRON
24-90mm (35mm equivalent)
3.8xISO Sensitivity ISO 80-3200 ISO 80-12800 FPS (continuous shooting) 2.4fps 2.5fps Shutter speed 60-1/2,000 sec 60-1/4,000 sec Battery life 380 shots 400 shots
On the surface, the LX5’s improvements in specifications would be what some have labeled “incremental”, but according to Panasonic, the company has implemented various tweaks and changes to the LX5 that are subtle but significant.
Changes include:
The LX5 does seem to be a vast improvement from the LX3 in terms of specifications and ergonomic tweaks but there have also been bemoans about a couple of things, particularly the changed battery from its predecessor and Panasonic’s continued inclusion of a lens cap in the model.
- Newly added video button dedicated for movie clips playback
- LX3’s joystick has been replaced by a control wheel
- Added plastic cover that conceals and protects hotshoe and accessory port from dust
- New port under hotshoe (fits Panasonic’s DMW-LVF1 electronic external live viewfinder)
- Improved 1.63” lens with larger bilayered microlenses which improves noise levels and dynamic range
- Improved image processing with LX5’s Venus Full HD image engine (better noise suppression)
- Faster autofocus speed with Panasonic’s newly added “Sonic Speed” autofocus technology (promising 0.3 seconds AF speed)
- Improved image stabilization with “Power OIS” (“Mega OIS” in LX3)
- Improved startup time (estimated 0.2seconds now compared to ~1second for LX3)
- Video recording with space-saving AVCHD Lite format
- Ability to use My Colour function, full manual exposure and optical zoom during movie recording allowing greater creative control
- Compatible with SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) cards that allows up to 128GB of storage
Firstly, Panasonic’s choice to change the battery meant that old LX3 batteries (which are the same as those used in the Ricoh GRD/Ricoh GX100 and GX200 compact cameras) cannot be utilized anymore.
Next, the inclusion of a lens cap in the LX5 has also brought frustration to photographers. Since the lens thread size has also been changed from the LX3, Ricoh’s LC1 ‘exploding’ lens cap (that attaches to the lens without owners needing to worry about losing their lens cap) that proved extremely handy can also no longer be used.
Fortunately, JJC, a Chinese company has released a third party ‘exploding’ lens cap that would work for the LX5 (see more at http://www.wirefresh.com/lumix-lx5-a...p-get-one-now/), which will hopefully placate users who are really annoyed about the lens cap.
A basic setup that compares noise levels between the Lumix LX3 and LX5 has also been carried out, as can be seen below:
Which is the premium compact top dog? Panasonic LX5 vs Canon Powershot S95
The Lumix LX5 has been fiercely compared to Canon’s Powershot S95 since its release in August 2010, in terms of ergonomics, functions and specifications. Here we take a comparative look between the two compact cameras:
At a glance, the LX5 has a slight edge over the S95 in terms of specifications, seeing that it has a slightly larger sensor, wider angle, faster shutter speed, longer battery life, and a true hot shoe that affords the usage of an external electronic viewfinder.
Aspects Panasonic LX5 Canon Powershot S95 Image Resolution 10.1 megapixels 10.1 megapixels ISO Sensitivity ISO 80-12800 ISO 80-12800 Sensor size 8.3 x 6.2mm 8.3 x 6.2mm Lens LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON
24-90mm (35mm equivalent)
3.8xLEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON
24-90mm (35mm equivalent)
3.8xShutter speed 60-1/4,000 sec 15-1/1,600 sec Video format AVCHD Lite H.264 Quicktime MOV + Linear PCM (Stereo) Hot Shoe Yes No Battery life 400 shots 200 shots Weight 227g 193g Measurements 109 x 65 x 42 mm 99 x 58 x 29 mm
On the other hand, the S95 is much lighter and compact and has received rave reviews for its ability to accurately capture images even under low-light conditions. Another impressive aspect of the S95 is the Control Ring, that allows users to adjust settings such as ISO, shutter speed, aperture, focus and exposure compensation manually, offering full control during image capture for users.
Both cameras are comparable to each other and offer users high image quality at a compact size, which would definitely appeal to consumers who are concerned about portability. Whether the sleek and futuristic looking S95 or trusty old school appearance of LX5 would win over the heart of a consumer, is still largely dependent on what one is looking for while shopping for a premium compact camera (battery life, affordance to add on external accessories via hotshoe, ability to shoot at wider angles, etc).
The S95 is priced approximately at $669, the LX5 is priced at a slightly higher price of $699.
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