Panasonic LX100

Panasonic LX100 Review – The latest incarnation of Panasonic’s advanced compacts, the LX100 manages to stay near the front of the leading pack in the market because not only it is keenly priced but also it’s generously specified, handles well and is capable of taking a cracking image.

The LX100 has the same 16.84MP Micro Four Thirds sensor used inside the excellent Lumix GX7. However, because the imaging circle from the LX100’s fixed 24-75mm zoom is smaller than that of regular MFT lenses the LX100’s effective resolution maxes out at 12.8MP when shooting in 4:3 aspect. The trade-off for this is that the LX100 produces the same diagonal field-of-view whether it’s shooting in 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 or 16:9 aspect.

The camera can shoot continuously at 12fps with focus locked on the first frame, or 6.5fps with continuous AF. The LX100 also supports 4K video capture alongside a range of 1080p Full HD and 720p HD options. Sadly, there’s no external microphone socket. Panasonic’s innovative 4K Photo Mode feature is present though, allowing you to extract 8MP still images from 4K footage in the camera’s Playback menu.

On the back is a 0.38in, 2,764k-dot EVF. While colours can go a little awry it remains impressively sharp, and with a refresh rate of 60fps there’s no untoward stuttering when viewing fast-moving action through it. While the 3in, 921k-dot rear LCD lacks the touchscreen functionality of the Canon G7 X and Leica Q it remains sharp enough to comfortably compose and review images with.

Build quality is excellent and the metallic body lends it a premium feel. There’s a generous range of body controls too, including a +/-3EV exposure compensation dial and a shutter speed dial that ranges from 60-1/4000sec plus Bulb mode. On the front you’ll find separate aperture and manual focus rings around the front of the lens, which is a nice touch.

Verdict

The LX100’s excellent build quality and intuitive controls make it a joy to use. Things get even better after you’ve started to shoot with it and just like us, you’ll be eager to get back to base to view the quality and fine level of detail that’s resolved by the large Four Thirds chip. The EVF is slightly lacking in its specification and it’s not as small as some rivals but it delivers excellent images.

It’s Best For

• Great image quality
• Budding movie-makers due to the excellent video quality
• Low light shooting due to the fast maximium aperture

Pros

• Fantastic handling
• 4K video capture
• Quality EVF

Cons

• A little large
• Resolution not the highest

Panasonic LX100 Specifications

• SENSOR 16.84MP Micro Four Thirds sensor
• LENS 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8
• SENSITIVITY ISO 200-25,600 (exp. to ISO 100)
• FILE FORMATS JPEG, Raw, JPEG + Raw
• EVF 0.38in, 2,764k dots
• REAR DISPLAY 3in, 921k-dot LCD
• WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY Wi-fi, NFC
• DIMENSIONS 114.8 x 66.2 x 55mm
• WEIGHT 393g include battery and card