Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

cropped cat photo uncropped cat photo

ABOVE LEFT: This cropped photo of a cat in Wernigerode, Germany was plucked from an unedited 10-Megapixel JPEG image (shown at right in a reduced size). With this kind of cropping performance, it's easy to see why Panasonic decided that wide-angle coverage was more important than a long telephoto lens.

A traveler's field test

I received a black Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 a few days before leaving on my trip to Germany. The instructions were missing, but I downloaded the manual in Adobe PDF format and browsed it before customizing the setup menus. (See link below.) For the most part, I just stuck with the defaults, though I did make a few changes such as:

Date and time (including separate date and time settings for the period of my trip);

Image size and quality (except for RAW, which defaults to 10MP, the camera allows separate settings for each);

Custom settings for two of the scene modes, "Night" and "Snow," where I selected RAW instead of fine-quality JPEG. (Being able to choose custom settings for different scene modes is a real plus, and it makes the scene modes more useful than they are in most digital cameras).

Because I didn't have time to become an expert with the LX3, I mostly relied on IA (Intelligent Automatic) mode during the trip and let the camera make the exposure and focus decisions. Performance was exemplary, and the LX3 proved to be a better photographer than I was. (I did use exposure compensation a few times--a process that was much easier than on most pocket-size cameras--and I could have easily switched to P, S, A, one of the many specialized scene modes, or video recording if I'd had more time to think about photography instead of traveling and note-taking.)

Compared to other cameras that I've used--which have ranged from P&S cameras to "bridge" cameras to DSLRs--the LX3 was both a traveler's and a photographer's delight with its compact size, wide-angle zoom, and decent low-light performance.

The LX3 offers nearly as much control versatility as you'd get with a much larger and heavier DSLR, but you can trust the camera to make good decisions when you're too busy to worry about details, and you won't have a sore neck or shoulder at the end of the day. What's more, the f/2.0-2.8 zoom is something that you won't find on most other cameras, including amateur and semipro DSLRs. The light-gathering and wide-angle capabilities of the f/2.0 24-60mm lens are two good reasons why the LX3K has earned a place on my personal photographic shopping list.

For in-depth technical evaluations, click these links, all of which point to LX3 reviews:

Digital Photography Review

Camera Labs (includes "video tour")

Digital Camera Review

For sample photos (with technical observations) from my Germany trip with the LX3, continue on to page 5 of this review.

Next page: Sample LX3 photos from Germany

In this archived review:

Panasonic Lumix LX3 - Introduction

LX3 design and features

Software and accessories

A traveler's field test, Web links

Sample LX3 photos from Germany