Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1

Incorporating a fully manual feature set and a back-to-basics automatic setting, the Lumix DMC-LX1 seems like a good cross between a point-and-shoot and a prosumer--without the hefty body. Other than the vertical pop-up flash getting in our way occasionally and the lens cap which dangles to and fro when the camera is in use, the matt-black finish of the LX1 should attract both genders alike with its feature-packed body. Now, if only Panasonic could replace the lens cap with a built-in slide in/out cover.

Design
With its matt-black finish, the LX1 looks great in anybody's hands. Measuring 106 x 56 x 26mm and weighing 220g, the only gripe we have is the protruding lens which presents itself as an awkward bulge in the pants. Right above the Leica lens is a three-way selector switch which allows users to choose between aspect ratios 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 (Panasonic claims this is the world's first wide-angled compact camera with a CCD lens). A quarter circle to the left of that switch are the autofocus, macro and manual focus options. The lens of the LX1 is protected by a removable cap which we found cumbersome during our test as it hangs dangling when the camera is powered on.

There is simply no space for an optical viewfinder on this wide-angle compact shooter.

Three diagonally aligned concentric circles--Mode dial, zoom lever with shutter release and Panasonic's optical image stabilization button--line the top right of the compact shooter. Other main functions including the On/Off switch, speaker/microphone and a pop-up flash unit occupy the remaining space.

The aspect ratio selector is easily reached on the top of the Leica lens.

A 2.5-inch LCD screen sits squarely at the back, dominating the rear of the camera. The rest of the controls are bunched to the right of the display which consists of an AF/AE lock, a joystick similar to the pointing sticks on IBM ThinkPads, four-directional buttons, Menu, Display/power LCD and resolution/delete options.

To the right, a snap-on cover protects the digital AV-out and DC-in connectors. The bottom edge hosts both Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCards (MMC) and a 1150mAh Lithium-ion battery pack. The tripod socket with metallic threads is found on the same edge, to the left.

The AV-out and DC-in connectors are well hidden behind a snap-on cover.

You press up on the directional button to access exposure (2EV in 0.3EV steps) and bracketing settings and down to preview images. Right cycles between the various flash modes and left activates the timer function. The most common options can be adjusted by holding down the joystick: White balance, ISO (80 to 400), resolution (1 through 6 megapixels) and compression ratios (TIFF, JPEG Standard/Fine and RAW). The same stick also allows you to scroll through the pictures on your memory card during playback.

Even though the LX1 doesn't have an even weight distribution, general use of the camera should require two hands in order to have a firmer grip which would eventually balance out the difference.

Features
The LX1 will please amateurs turning enthusiasts with its host of manual settings. Its 4x optical zoom operates over the 28mm-to-112mm (35mm equivalent) range. The good news is the manual zoom works well from a close 5cm to a distant 5m.

You can choose multi-segment, center-weighted or spot metering and the camera will automatically select shutter speeds from 8 seconds to 1/2,000 of a second and F-stops between F2.8 and F4.9 (W).

As with all other cameras in the Lumix series, the LX1 sports the Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.). Users can select between Mode 1 which turns on this feature continuously and helps in photocomposition; or Mode 2 where the stabilization kicks in only when the shutter captures the image. Generally, Mode 1 consumes more power although it assists in framing pictures, but from our tests, Mode 2 delivers clearer images.

The user-selectable aperture (F2.8 to F8.0) and shutter speed (8 seconds to 1/2,000 seconds) settings can be adjusted to desired figures by shifting the joystick either up/down or left/right. A radical departure from using the directional buttons to adjust these settings, the LX1 offers the user a more intuitive approach with the joystick.

A variety of 14 scene modes (portrait, sports, food, scenery, night portrait, night scenery, baby, soft skin, candle light, party, fireworks, snow, starry sky and self-portrait) pamper general photographers. The scene mode option sports a user-friendly interface by remembering the last selected scene and help information is easily accessible.

For budding movie-makers, the LX1 is capable of recording motion images at a maximum resolution of 640 x 480, 30 frames-per-second (fps). Approximately 560 seconds of movie can be recorded on a 1GB SD card at this setting. However, users have to take note that the zoom function is disabled and only Mode 1 for the O.I.S. is available during movie recording.

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