Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 - Easy Camera Review

If you have a wide-screen television and want pictures and videos that fit it perfectly, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 may be the camera for you. It has a unique image sensor shaped to the wide-screen format instead of the traditional 4:3-formatted sensor found on most digital cameras. The LX2 comes with an extraordinary 10.2 megapixels, an optically stabilized 4x lens, and, at $499, rubs elbows with some of the most expensive compact cameras.

The Panasonic LX2 has a huge range of modes and options, from manual everything to completely automatic. If the 60 to1/2000 of a second shutter speeds, RAW file shooting, and vast white balance selection doesn’t sound appealing, take comfort in knowing there are 18 Scene modes that automate everything except the click of the shutter button. And if you occasionally want to print a picture that isn’t shaped like your wide-screen TV, you can crop pictures to 4:3 or 3:2 formats in the Playback menu.

Pictures look great: accurately colored, clean, and focused. But will subjects look great after a 0.6-second shutter lag? You push the button to take the picture and by the time the picture is recorded all your subjects have turned their heads and closed their eyes! This can be frustrating. The LX2 is great for taking portraits and other non-timely pictures, but candid shots are nearly impossible because you will often miss the magic moment.

If you really don’t want to miss the moment, you can continuously record with the camera’s Movie mode. The Panasonic LX2’s video resolution is excellent at 1280 x 720: perfect for wide-screen televisions. However, the frame rate is a choppy 15 frames per second (fps). This makes a runner look jerky and a speaker resemble an old foreign film with a bad voiceover. There is a lower resolution 848 x 480-pixel option, however, that shoots at a smoother 30 fps while still fitting on the wide-screen television.

It’s easy to frame pictures and videos on the wide-screen 2.8-inch LCD. The screen can be seen from almost anywhere, and its brightness boosted when outdoors. The only drawback to the otherwise enormous LCD is the sub-par 207,000-pixel resolution. Most other digital cameras have slightly smaller 2.5-inch screens, but with a better resolution of 230,000 pixels: this makes pictures look much smoother.

The LX2’s design is simple and the body comes in silver and black colors. It measures a mere 4.2 x 2.2 x 1-inch, but isn’t as easy to stuff in a pocket as some other cameras. The 4x optical zoom lens protrudes outward just enough to make it a chore to slide the camera in a tight spot.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is a great camera, but its price will be a hindrance to many consumers. The LX2 was brand new in fall 2006, but its price hasn’t dropped much since – possibly because it’s one of very few cameras that has true wide-screen capabilities. The LX2 has some frustrating aspects, such as the lag time between when the shutter is released and the picture is captured. But for those who want wide-screen slide shows and movies, this digital camera is probably still your pick. 

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 - THE BOTTOM LINE.... Rating: 375.07

Likes

- Native 16:9 aspect ratio image sensor - Logical menu design - Extensive manual control options - New image processor - Quick Burst mode - Low noise levels - Wide zoom lens - Optical image stabilization

Dislikes

- Images heavily sharpened - 0.6-second shutter lag - Long startup time - Choppy 15 fps for highest video resolution - Flash must be opened manually - Easily lost non-tethering lens cover - Joystick interface made manual adjustments a hassle

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 Rating: 300.01	Canon PowerShot SD800 IS Rating: N/A	Casio Exilim EX-S770 Rating: 347.39	Olympus Stylus 1000 Rating: 326.83	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Rating: 349.73
Better	Better	Better	Better	Better
- More accurate colors - 0.33-second shutter lag	- Wider 28-105mm lens - Face detection technology - Smaller and lighter - Less expensive with $399 retail - Optical viewfinder - My Colors picture effects - More stylish design	- Much cheaper at $299 - Lighter at 4.5 ounces - Skinnier at 0.7 inches - Burst mode with flash - Larger f/2.7 max aperture - Past Movie mode - More accurate colors - Hardly any shutter lag - LCD has 230,000 pixels - Designated movie button - 34 Scene modes - Data Transport feature	- All-weather housing - 28.5 MB of internal memory - 24 Scene modes - About $200 online - Perfect Fix function in Playback mode - ISO extends to 6400 when resolution reduced - Better 230,000-pixel LCD resolution - Comes in four cool colors - Add frames and labels in Playback menu	- Better looking camera body - Sturdier and more compact - 3-inch LCD screen - One-touch slide show button - Slide shows with music - Find it online for about $350 - Much more accurate colors - Less noise in images - Less shutter lag at about 0.17 seconds - Better 230,000-pixel LCD resolution - 58 MB of internal memory - 420 shots per charge on battery
Equal	Equal	Equal	Equal	Equal
- 4x optical zoom lens - Optical image stabilization - Widescreen-formatted image sensor - 4:3 and 3:2 cropping in the Playback mode - Similar functional design - No optical viewfinder - Same LCD resolution of 207,000 pixels - Same rickety flash unit - Same measurements - 848 x 480-pixel movies at 30 fps - Same 3 fps Burst mode	- Optical image stabilization - Manual ISO up to 1600 in full resolution - Widescreen images - 207,000-pixel resolution on LCD screen - Compatible with SD cards	- 2.8-inch widescreen-formatted LCD screen - 3 fps Burst mode - +/- 2 exposure compensation range - Similar white balance and metering options	- 10 megapixels - Manual ISO to 1600 at full resolution - 0.6-second shutter lag - No optical viewfinder - 175 shots per charge on battery	- Widescreen pictures - Optical image stabilization - Originally retailed for $499
Worse	Worse	Worse	Worse	Worse
- Original retail price was $599 - 8.4 megapixels - 2.5-inch LCD screen - More noise in images - Not as good in low light - ISO maxes out at 400 - 240-shot battery	- 7.1 megapixels on 4:3-formatted image sensor - 3.8x optical zoom lens - 2.5-inch LCD - No RAW files - No widescreen movies - Shorter 15-1/1600 shutter speed range - Slower 1.7 fps Burst mode - Top video resolution is 640 x 480 at 30 fps - 270-shot battery	- 7.2 megapixels - 3x optical zoom lens - Not very many manual controls - Only 6 MB internal memory - Noisier images - Awful in low light - No optical image stabilization - 704 x 384-pixel widescreen movies aren’t as high-resolution - ISO tops out at 800 - Horrible included software - 200-shot battery	- 3x optical zoom lens - Digital image stabilization only - No manual focus - Minimal white balance control - Slowest shutter speed is 4 seconds - 2.5-inch LCD screen - Poor color reproduction - Colors only got worse in low light - No custom white balance	- 7.2 megapixels - 3x optical zoom lens - No widescreen movies - Not as many manual controls - Poor performance in low light - Slow Burst mode - Requires Memory Stick Duo Pro card for 30 fps videos - Nine Scene modes - Manual ISO range of 80-1000