Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

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ABOVE: SilkyPix Developer Studio and Panasonic's own PHOTOfunStudio organizer are two of the software applications included with the LX3.

Software

Like most digital cameras, the LX3 ships with software for organizing and editing digital images. Applications on the CD-ROM include:

SilkyPix Developer Studio (Windows/Macintosh), intended primarily for developing images that have been saved in RAW format. (If you're using a recent version of Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or Adobe Lightroom, you may prefer to use the Adobe Camera RAW converter. Adobe added support for the LX3 in ACR 2.2, which was announced in December, 2008.) For product information, see the SilkyPix Developer Studio Web site.

Panasonic PHOTOFunStudio (Windows only), which is similar to programs like Google's Picasa that many amateur photographers already use. It will transfer JPEG (not RAW) images from the camera to your computer and allow basic editing; you can also use it for e-mailing pictures to family or friends.

ArcSoft Media Impression (Windows/Macintosh), another organizer and editor. The ArcSoft suite also comes with Panorama Maker 4, a tool for stitching together multiple images into widescreen photos.

The LX3's bundled applications are useful (and free), but you may not need to install them if you already have organizing and editing software that supports JPEG images or the LX3's RAW2 format.

Accessories

A number of hardware accessories are available for the LX3. The most important ones include:

DMW-VF1 external viewfinder, an expensive optical viewfinder that slides into the camera's hot shoe. (Most people won't consider it necessary, but the viewfinder might be useful for photographers whose working habits go back to the rangefinder era.)

DMW-LW46 wide-angle lens adapter, which requires the DMW-LA4 conversion adapter. With the lens adapter in place, the LX3 has an ultrawide-angle focal length of 18mm (35mm equivalent) instead of the default 24mm.

CGA-S005A1B Lithium Battery. If you plan to shoot a lot of photos, or if you like to review images on the LCD during the day, it's well worth spending US $50 or so for an extra battery.

Memory cards. The LX3 accepts SD and SDHD memory cards. (During my week-long field test, I used a SanDisk Ultra II 8Gb card, which performed flawlessly and never required changing.)

Next page: A traveler's field test, Web links

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