Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

A wide-angle zoom camera for travelers

ABOVE: The compact LX3 comes in two colors: black and silver (not shown).The camera's most distinctive feature is its f/2.0-2.8 zoom lens, which works exceptionally well in low light. INSET BELOW: The LX3's flash pops up at the press of a button.

by Durant Imboden

In more than a dozen years of editing Web sites about Europe, I've taken thousands of pictures--from walrus colonies in the Arctic to beaches in the Mediterranean. Over the years, I've learned several things about cameras from a traveler's (as opposed to a professional photographer's) point of view:

• When choosing a lens for European travel, wide-angle coverage is more important than telephoto "reach."

• Good low-light performance is essential--not just in gloomy northern climates, but also in churches, museums, and other places where flash isn't allowed and wouldn't be effective if it were.

• A compact camera in your pocket is more useful than a bulky camera in your hotel room.

• There are times when it's better to look like an ordinary tourist than a member of the paparazzi or a wannabe Magnum photographer.

• Unless photography is the main purpose of your trip, it's nice to have a camera that will make instant photographic decisions for you--especially if you're traveling with friends or family, or if you're pressed for time.

As much as I like the images from my Olympus DSLR (which I used for our Fisheye Venice photo gallery), I'd much rather travel with a small camera than with a heavy, bulky kit. Unfortunately, no compact camera has had a sufficiently wide-angle lens or good enough low-light performance to compete with a DSLR--until the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 was announced in 2008. This camera immediately earned a spot on my "crave list," and I was fortunate enough to borrow an LX3 for hands-on testing during a 20th anniversary "Fall of the Wall" trip through Eastern Germany in March, 2009.

On the following pages, I'll tell you about the LX3, point you to more detailed technical reviews, and show you an album of 16 captioned travel images in three sizes that will help you judge whether the LX3 is worth considering as a camera for your next trip.

Next page: LX3 design and features

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Photos copyright © Panasonic.

 

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