5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black).

1. I had used this for my visits to LA, New york, Niagara. And the I really love this camera



2. I was so disappointed with the picture quality of this camera during the first few months of use and I did not use it much at all. Then it dawned on me to look for a firmware update. I applied v1.2 update to the TZ5 and that made all the difference. Now I carry this camera with me everyday and use it all the time even though I have several DSLRs. Wow, I also missed a gem.
   
   Panasonic needs to get with the program and get the firmware right in the first place. This is my only grip with Panasonic camera products. It is my understanding that they are not supporting many of their products with firmware updates (about one for the FZ30). Any company should write several firmware updates for every model. Do they think that we are going to throw money at them every year or so just because they have poor support.



3. I have used a lot of digital cameras, this one makes me want to throw it at a concrete wall. I sometimes hit the button and it pauses for one to two seconds then takes the picture. I have missed entire shots. My kids running down the hall, I hit the button and the picture is an empty hall because they moved before it took the picture. I would not pay one dime for this camera, because I can't figure out why it does this. I have tried taking the exact same picture over and over with different settings with no results, and then it will randomly take it instantly when I hit the button.
   
   The Zoom is great, the pictures look nice but I can often not get the shot I wanted. I hit the button this morning and my little girl had looked away before it took the shot. Nice, what a piece of junk.
   
   Panasonic is off my list of quality forever for this $300 nightmare.



4. This camera takes high quality pictures but is very dificult and confusing to operate.
   Too many adjustments needed. I will replace with a Cannon next time as they have been easier to operate in the past. Battery life is okay. My wife dropped it once on our vacation and the lcd screen now has large dark line running diagnol across it. Scrren is exposed and has NO protection form impact. Not very durable.



5. The lens that this panasonic series uses is the best of the best. While I PERSONALLY prefer the Lumix TZ-3 (the older model), for it's manual photography options, this is of similar quality. I bought 2 cameras in this series and they are all exceptional. Panasonic does such a great job with digial cameras. The optical zoom is its best feature.

5 comments about Panasonic DMC FX-150K 14.7MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black).

1. This camera failed me when it counted the most.
   
   I have been using a trusted Casio EX-Z850 for years and it was time to upgrade. The FX150 looked good on paper with a nice resolution and image stabilization, etc.
   
   First day of use, I actually had a need for the camera. I am a pilot and I fly old airplanes. We were supposed to fly in formation with a rare airplane that just got restored. I took the camera in my pocket and managed to get 3-4 shots in difficult conditions. Point and shoot was the name of the game. I knew I was taking a risk for framing but I figured I could crop the image given the high resolution of the camera. My trusted Casio does not have image stabilization so I was hoping the Panasonic would give much better results.
   
   The pictures I got were totally unusable. Framing was ok, but they were blurry, out of focus and low resolution to boot. Although I had played with the camera for a few shots before, the menus somehow got screwed up and the camera unexplicably reverted to a very low resolution. Once back on the ground - and without willingly changing any settings - we were back at full resolution again... Probably operator error. But I consider myself an experienced operator, and if I did this with this camera, it is bound to happen again.
   
   This camera failed me when I needed a mission-critical reliable piece of equipment. I returned it and ordered a Canon S90 that I just received and I am much happier with it.
   
   Very disappointing.



2. Camera worked great on my last trip. Only problem was the screen, it was heard to see the image in day light. Couldn't see anything but my reflections!



3. I bought this camera for the great features, e.g., 14 Mpix, manual exposure mode, and RAW file capabilities. The first one I received produced poorly focused and extremely noisy images. I quickly returned it for a replacement. The replacement was substantially better, but it still exhibited serious noise in the images. I have an SLR camera that produces much cleaner pictures at ISO 3200 than the Panasonic did at ISO 100. Additionally, the manual exposure mode does not allow incremental aperture settings, just maximum and minimum f-stops. I returned this unit for a refund. I don't know if the ones I received were from a bad run, or if they are typical of this model's performance, but I definitely would not recommend this camera. On the plus side, Willoughby's was very responsive to my problems, and were quick to send the replacement unit, and refund my money on the second unit.



4. This camera offers many features not found in other pocket cameras of it's size and price. For the beginner all the typical point-and-shoot automatic modes are available. As this beginner advances in capability the camera offers many additional simple controls that he/she can experiment with to improve their photos.
   
   For the advanced photographer the camera offers choices like manual settings along with an ability to record photos in RAW. Additionally Panasonic includes SILKYPIX a software program that works very well in editing RAW photos. It has been my experience that these features are very important for an advanced/professional photographer yet are rarely available in pocket cameras.
   
   Couple the above features with a LEICA lens and image stabilization and 14megapixels and you have one heck of a camera for the size and cost. This is truly a professionals pocket camera.



5. This is the second Panasonic camera that I have purchase from Amazon.com. The first camera I brought was DMC-FX100 digital camera and I used it to take out pictures for my job and also for my hobbie and it give me great pictures, so when I saw Amazon advertised the DMC-FX150 I told myself I have to purchase that! and I did not regret, it has a little more features than the DMC-FC100 and the opertion is similar to the DMC-FC100. From my exprience with the DMC-FX100 I know the DMC FX150 will not let me down.
   
   Curtis Barry
   
   Trinidad & Tobago

2 comments about Panasonic DMW-LC55 55mm Close Up Lens for Panasonic FZ7, FZ30, FZ18, and FZ50 Digital Cameras.

1. This lens is fairly inexpensive and the reason for that is while it definitely lets you get really close and the image is definitely larger than without it, the fact is the FZ7 and the FZ30 macro settings are already so good that the image is perhaps 15% or so bigger than without it. If I can I'll post a couple flower images to permit comparison with and without the lens. The camera I have is a FZ7. Because I want as large an image as possible of my focus I am very happy.



2. Finally i got the lens.
   The review of the other reviewer is misleading.
   The magnifictication increase you can get is mind blowing.
   
   Instead of the closest shooting distance of 1.00m of the Panasonic FZ7's standard macro zoom position (432mm) you can now get as close as 33 cm with this lens.
   Have a look at my photo samples and you will understand was is going on.
   
   I did not buy the orignal (expensive) adapter for the FZ7 .... i used a step up ring 52 - 55 mm for 2.00-3.00 $
   
   With another step down ring 58 - 55 mm i use the phantastic lens on my Canons 20D/40D and the Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS lens with great test results.
   As with the Panasonic, also here the minimum shooting distance decreased a big deal (see the sample)
   
   all sample pictures i reduced to the half Pana 2816 > 1408 Canon 3888 > 1944
   
   if you are in macro / close up photography and you don't want to buy an expensive macro lenses get this one.
   
   You will not regret it
   
   see some of my photos (copy the link in your browers address field) at [...]

5 comments about Panasonic DMW-LT55 55mm Tele Conversion Lens for Panasonic FZ7, FZ30, FZ18, and FZ50 Digital Cameras.

1. If you have an an FZ50, this is your only telephoto option. Optically, it works quite well, with good sharpness across the entire lens, but some of the mechanical aspects of it could have been better done. The main problem with it is that since the FZ50 has a fixed lens, the tele-converter attaches to the camera lens by screwing onto the filter thread. These are very fine and delicate but the size of the converter makes it quite easy to accidentally damage them by cross-threading if the user is not very careful when attaching it.
   
   That said, this is a worthwhile upgrade. The optical quality is much better than a typical tele-converter and the boost in focal length it provides it startling. Be sure to check your camera's manual again before using it the first time--there are some menu settings you will want to change for best results but there's no mention of that in the documentation that comes with the converter.



2. My wife finds this so quick and easy to fit to her FZ50. Really does get that much closer.



3. A word of advise to anyone considering a no name or knock off version of this lens thinking you'll save some money; don't do it. I wasted my money on getting the non Lumix version of this lens, and was plagued by chromatic aberrations, severe blurring all around the edges, and over all poor quality.
   
   The use of this proper Lumix OEM telephoto lens reduced the chromatic aberrations by 90%, and gave me clear, crisp photographs.
   
   I heartily recommend this lens to any and all FZ30 and FZ50 owners.



4. I'm very pleased with the way this Tele Conversion lens works with my Lumix FZ18. I just spent a week bird watching and got some great results. Even in low light I was able to get very clear photos. I could not be happier.



5. This is my first conversion lens. I am a novice photographer. I am vhappy with the adapter but I wish I could use my UV filter with it.

5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black).

1. I had a panasonic luminix in the past. I love the zoom in a small camara. The pic quality is not always consistant. And theres a lag between shots



2. I have been taking digital for a few years..and sell my shots. Since developing essential tremors...had a bit of a problem. This camera really, really helps stabilize...love it...



3. You don't need to do much to get a good picture just click the button and it Takes great pictures 99% of the time. The zoom is great also,has come in handy many times. The only down side to this camera is that it is kinda bulky to just stick in your purse, but that's about it.



4. I used to have the FX01 and everyday that I used it, which was close to every day, I would say how much I loved this camera. Then it fatally broke and I "upgraded" to the TZ4. Every other day that I use this camera, I say how much I hate it!!!
   
   I know I should give it 3 stars because for outdoor shots it is 5 stars but candid indoors a 1 star might be too generous.
   
   I feel as though I was ripped off by several hundred dollars. When I first got the camera 2 years ago, I took tons of outdoor pictures of Chicago buildings in the bright summer sunlight. The zoom would take a clear picture over 50 stories high (check out my Jetsons Chicago video on Youtube ruthejp13). But once I brought the camera indoors after it was too late to return it, I discovered the horrible flaws. People in the corners and background of bad lighting shots looked like they were Coneheads. If the main subject wasn't blurred, which was often the case, the further depth subjects looked like something in a carnival house of mirrors. Now I don't even carry the camera with me anymore because I hate it so much. One of the reasons I liked my first Panasonic is because I could do so much with it. I knew all the settings and best way to capture what I wanted. With this camera it doesn't matter what setting, it won't take good pictures of moving kids indoors. I know, I've tried everything for the past two years.
   
   They upgraded the firmware once for better focusing and it helped but not enough. I would love to compare it to an old fashion film camera because I think the processor is messing up the pictures instead of improving them. What good is a "image stabilization" if round-faced baby looks like her head was pulled to a point with forceps? It might be a nice clear picture but not accurate by any means.
   
   I'm thinking about getting something without image stabilization or focus just so if the picture is bad, I know it's my fault. Not really but that's how bad it is. Seriously though, one picture the kid was in the upper corner and the next picture that same kid was in the center. You could not tell he was that same child and the picture was taken a second later. When framed artwork in a background corner looks curved, you know there is something wrong.



5. I own a Nikon 5600 point and shoot and was satisfied with it... Later I upgraded to an entry level SLR (Nikon D60)..
   However, it was not possible for me to take the D60 everywhere and so was in need of a point n shoot that could give me good pictures and a good optical zoom in any lighting conditions..
   After reading a lot of reviews about the Tz4K I finally bought one...
   I am very satisfied with the purchase

5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black).

1. I've always been a photographer at heart, from the time I was very young. I had been begging my parents for an SLR or DSLR for years so I could advance in my photography (at that point, I had only a point-and-shoot), but unfortunately, they couldn't afford one.
   A little over a year ago, when I was sixteen, they gave me this camera for Christmas. I have never looked back.
   This camera is simply amazing, and I've been using my sister's DSLR beside it. I can tell you, there is a difference between the two, for example the solid quality of the photos and the number of features/options, but this is as close to a DSLR you can get without actually spending the hundreds of extra dollars.
   
   I'm too lazy to go into more detail than that, but rest assured that this is a very good camera.



2. I love this camera! I purchased it a year ago because I was looking for a good camera to take photos of my son's baseball and football games. The 18X zoom, excellent reviews, and the amount of features the camera offered for the price convinced me to buy it. I haven't been disapointed.
   
   Previously I owned a pretty basic point and shoot camera that was about 5 years old, so this camera was a big improvement for me. The picture quality and colors are excellent. The long zoom allows me to take nice close-up pictures from the stands at baseball and football games. The Burst Mode is great for capturing multiple action photos and makes it possible to review pitching mechanics or capture great shots of the bat making contact with the ball. The battery lasts long enough to take 100's of photos during a double header or a full football game.
   
   The camera has plenty of automatic settings that make it easy for an amateur to use, but it becomes a bit more complex if you want to take advantage of all the features. I consider myself pretty advanced when it comes to figuring out technical products, but I still haven't used more than half of the features available on the camera. The User Manual does a fairly good job of explaining the features and it's pretty easy to experiment with different settings to see what they do, but for a novice photographer it still takes a while to figure out when and why to use different settings. On the plus side, with so many more things to learn, it will be a while before I need to replace this camera with something more advanced.
   
   Positives:
   * 18X Zoom
   * Burst Mode
   * Picture Quality
   * Value (Features/Price)
   
   Negatives:
   * Won't fit in my pocket.
   * Advanced features aren't exactly simple to master.



3. I'm an avid amateur. I've owned 5 Fuji's, including a F30, F40fd, F200EXR, nikon D40, and the Lumix FZ 28.
   The FZ 28 was a fun camera with great specs and great features. I loved it. I took it on a trip to England, foregoing my D40 and Fuji.
   Unfortunately, despite all the hype and excitement and legitimate pros of this camera, the pictures were mediocre. Very soft. Resolution was very limited compared to all my other cameras. And if you don't have sharp pictures with good contrast and excellent color rendition, you are just deluding yourself about the quality of the camera.
   So I sold mine to someone on Ebay, and bought a Canon G10. My girlfriend had a G10, and for a year i always marvelled at the marvelous, sharp, detailed pictures as well as the package. And there is just no comparison whatsoever. You want a fun camera with mediocre pictures? Enjoy the Lumix. You want a real solid camera with great features and great pictures, buy the G10 or G11. That is what I recommend to every enthusiast I know, and they've never been disappointed.



4. At my age (over 70) I am unable to hold steady a regular weight SLR. So I was pleased to find a camera that has so many controls - and yet weighs so little - even with the battery installed. I am looking forward to using it often.



5. I have never owned a digital camera, and being a college student certainly didn't have a lot of money to spend (the price has been raised since my purchase); so after spending A LOT of time reading reviews I decided to go with the Lumix DMC- FZ28 and couldn't have been happier with my purchase. The first time I used the camera was at a hockey game between the Bruins and Sabres. Granted I didn't have awesome behind the bench seats, but with the Lumix I was able to get right on the ice. Seats: [...]
   
   I was highly impressed with the clarity of the pictures and also the details they provided. The camera itself is very light and is small yet not so small its uncomfortable to take pictures with like some cameras. There is not hotshoe, but the flash is more than substantial and can easily light up an item nearly 18ft away.
   
   The video is pristine and amazing for recording concerts, so much detail and the quality is simple outstanding. It records at 30fps 720p which basically means if you want to do a lot of recording you're going to need a memory card. The internal memory for the camera is weak for videos and really doesn't hold many pictures so definitely look into a memory card.
   
   Overall, the Lumix is very versatile in allowing users to customize settings, provides crisp clear pictures, and has easy to use functions. If I had the opportunity to buy it again I would as it has been a great little camera for beginning a transition into the digital world (on a small budget).
   
   However, having owned the camera nearly two years I have now noticed that Scene Mode (High Speed Burst) setting does not work nearly as good as it used to. Such as with the hockey pictures it picked up the players in action quite well, but as of late it is slow and sluggish (I have done nothing differently so I am not sure what could cause this problem, but it's something to consider).

5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5S 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver).

1. I had used this for my visits to LA, New york, Niagara. And the I really love this camera



2. I was so disappointed with the picture quality of this camera during the first few months of use and I did not use it much at all. Then it dawned on me to look for a firmware update. I applied v1.2 update to the TZ5 and that made all the difference. Now I carry this camera with me everyday and use it all the time even though I have several DSLRs. Wow, I also missed a gem.
   
   Panasonic needs to get with the program and get the firmware right in the first place. This is my only grip with Panasonic camera products. It is my understanding that they are not supporting many of their products with firmware updates (about one for the FZ30). Any company should write several firmware updates for every model. Do they think that we are going to throw money at them every year or so just because they have poor support.



3. I have used a lot of digital cameras, this one makes me want to throw it at a concrete wall. I sometimes hit the button and it pauses for one to two seconds then takes the picture. I have missed entire shots. My kids running down the hall, I hit the button and the picture is an empty hall because they moved before it took the picture. I would not pay one dime for this camera, because I can't figure out why it does this. I have tried taking the exact same picture over and over with different settings with no results, and then it will randomly take it instantly when I hit the button.
   
   The Zoom is great, the pictures look nice but I can often not get the shot I wanted. I hit the button this morning and my little girl had looked away before it took the shot. Nice, what a piece of junk.
   
   Panasonic is off my list of quality forever for this $300 nightmare.



4. This camera takes high quality pictures but is very dificult and confusing to operate.
   Too many adjustments needed. I will replace with a Cannon next time as they have been easier to operate in the past. Battery life is okay. My wife dropped it once on our vacation and the lcd screen now has large dark line running diagnol across it. Scrren is exposed and has NO protection form impact. Not very durable.



5. The lens that this panasonic series uses is the best of the best. While I PERSONALLY prefer the Lumix TZ-3 (the older model), for it's manual photography options, this is of similar quality. I bought 2 cameras in this series and they are all exceptional. Panasonic does such a great job with digial cameras. The optical zoom is its best feature.

5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ8K 8MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black).

1. Bought this camera to replace an older Panasonic model. The actual resolution is better than that of the newer, more expensive models (read more megapixels & zoom) which seem to have added noise (graininess). Would recommend this model for a small,light point and shoot.
   
   Shutter lag is not bad if you use a good brand class 6 SDHC card. The read and write speeds of lower (2 & 4) class and plain SD cards is just not sufficient for high megapixel cameras.



2. This camera was fantastic for the 7 months that it worked. It completely stopped working in early January after not having been dropped and receiving no rough handling. I am giving this product 2 stars in order to alert consumers to buy NOTHING from Panasonic. I was instructed to ship everything to their service center in McAllen, TX, which I did. Thank goodness I used UPS and had the package insured. Panasonic has no record of the case number they generated for my problem, cannot find me in the system when I call, and when I give them the model number information for this camera they inform me that this model cannot be received into the system because it's no longer in production. I had been told I would receive a replacement within 10 days of their receipt of my unit, but I don't expect to ever receive a thing at this point. My phone calls are met with rudeness and when I ask to speak to a manager I'm informed that they're all "in a meeting." I demanded a new camera be shipped to me and was informed that since my camera hasn't technically been received by them, regardless of tracking information, they will send me nothing.
   
   Seriously. Buy nothing from this company. I just ordered a low end Cannon so I won't miss anymore weeks of my 9 month old son's life.



3. I bought this camera as my husband's Christmas present. He intends to take it on hikes, but it has only been backstage with him so far. It seems to take good pictures, but we haven't yet put it through the paces.



4. Pros :
   > lots of features and full manual control.
   > very good LCD display.
   > good pictures when used in the program mode and the settings tweaked.
   > solid construction quality.
   > uses AA batteries.
   
   Cons :
   > LCD screen is very glossy and scratches easy ( get a screen protector).
   > long shot delay with flash.
   > very noisy pictures when in any of the auto/scene modes.
   > poor resolution in sizes above 3MP.
   
   I noticed as the picture size goes up the more a picture is compressed resulting in loss of detail. I have found the best resolution is obtained when picture size is kept at 3MP or below.



5. It was at first an OK camera for the price, BUT the screen cracked spontaneously after less than 6 weeks of light use, and neither the seller nor Panasonic would repair, replace or refund it.
   I searched on line, and found picture after picture of similar cracks on various lower end Lumix cameras, typically starting from the lower half of the right edge of the screen. This seems to be a consistent problem, and when we called Panasonic customer service they specifically asked if it was a cracked screen and said they would replace the camera for a price that was more than the retail price.
   
   The camera was not dropped or whacked or abused and I'm sure by now Panasonic knows this is happening. I hope they man up and take care of this but in the mean time I would caution very strongly against buying any of this line of cameras.

5 comments about Panasonic DMC-LX3S 10.1MP Digital Camera with 2.5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver).

1. I've had my LX3 for over a year now and really enjoy it. I love the fact that you can change the aspect ratio by simply adjusting a switch. Its LCD is gorgeous, macro and low light ability sensational. It still though has a smaller sensor than 4/3 or traditional SLR so don't expect miracles. Its colors do tend to be a bit saturated and have a somewhat flat or canned feel to them but this can be tweaked.
   
   Even though its marketed as having high def video, its not really very that good and you would be impressed if you saw it on your big screen TV. Its best to use jpeg despite the fact that it has raw because the in camera processing when shooting jpegs takes compensates for some of the distortion caused by the wide angle lens. You can do this in post production but why bother and I didn't notice much of a benefit when shooting Raw.
   
   So to conclude, this is a fun compact camera that gets the job done and is very versatile. The low light performance will allow you to get shots that normally with other cameras you wouldn't attempt.
   I also have a Sigma DP1 that is far less practical and much more finicky but produces stunning images in day light, in almost every other situation though the LX3 is a far superior camera



2. I, like many others who have written a review, wanted a good point and shoot for those times when my Canon xTi(still a wonderful camera) or 40D with lenses, are too much to bring along. Additionally, I have arthritis in my hands, and sometimes I simply cannot handle my 40D.
   I had read many reviews of the Leica D-Lux 4, but I could not justify the price-even if I got the Leica name and leather case!. But seriously, I then did some research on the Lumix /country cousin of the Leica. I read ever review I could locate...pro and con. I realized that what I wanted, and what would suit my purpose was a compact w/ a wide angle..and the Leica lense in the Lumix would suit me. I went to the camera store and I held both cameras. Honestly, the Lumix is a little work of art. I liked it better than the Leica. It felt like the first Minolta my parents gave me in 1968; sturdy. At any rate, I was impressed with the packaging, with the in box equipment, and the sheer beauty of this little gem. I have been shooting for years w/ SLRs and for the past four years with DSLRs, and to be completly honest, the picture quality (4x6) even at a higher ISO is void of noise. The shots are crisp and clear with detail I could not have expected from a point and shoot (but of course, there is the Leica lense). I know some reviewers are not happy with shooting results in RAW, but I did not purcahase the camera to get creative in this manner/I have the aforementioned cameras for this purpose. I have not tried RAW yet, but again, for my purposes, the camera is so far working well. Now, for the technical issue I have with Lumix: In my opinion, the instruction book was written by someone whose first language is not English. If this camera is purchased by someone who has never owned a digital of any kind, I imagine there will be some frustration with plodding through the book. I have purchased many camera instruction books over the years to complement those that have come with my other camreas, and someone could write one for this camera. I figured out most of the menue selections because of being familiar with the Canon system, but I had to go on-line to locate some answers to a few of my questions. This being said, I recommend this camera as a suburb buy at under $450. I just love it.



3. Virtually Identical to the Leica Digilux 4 but at 2 to 300 less. I had the DLUX 4
   sold it bought the LX3 and I needed a zoom so I also got the zs3 both for the same price I sold the Dlux4 for.
   The LX3 is expandable with filters and excellent add on lenses like the dmw-lw46
   I use the dmw-lw52 ( it also fits the Digilux 2 and Sigma dp cameras ).
   Best compact ever made macro to 1cm -great lens -super wide with the lw52 very low light with a 2.0 lens. Many have found this camera to be almost as good as the Leica M8 at thousands less.Look for pros on the internet who use the Dlux4 and check out the pics .This is what this camera is capable of.The manual is much easier to read also.
   Plus the firmware has been updated giving you a better EV adjustment then Leica especially when taking bracketed shots. So also great for HDR photos.The micro 4/3rds cameras may beat this one out but at 2 to three times the price and thats with one lens.The JPG output is many times better then what you can do with the RAW.
   Add one point of saturation and one of contrast and you have the Leica equivalent of what they claim makes the Dlux4 better.See the dpreview tag elsewhere it says it all. Shoot raw and JPG in dynamic B+W and get a great B+W and if you need a color version use the raw image.



4. Couldn't be happier. The trade off for giving up zoom is well worth it. Living in Kauai allows me to do all sorts of fun stuff, and the landscape is other-worldly and surprisingly varied. There's this one cave on the north shore that is particularly dark. Going to Aperture priority and just setting the camera on a rock allowed the most beautiful shots. Video is great. Camera is easy to use. Photo quality outstanding. I am an amateur photographer, so I'm sure there are some nits I could pick, but I'm too dumb to know what they are. I'm a happy customer.



5. I've been using a black LX3 for a little year now, and I highly recommend it. I primarily take photos of my pets (dog and cats), friends, and family. The camera really excels indoors in low light conditions where the F/2 lens really shines. You can take sharp photos in places where there was previously not enough light. The wide angle end of the lens is great for group shots in tight spaces or for getting an interesting perspective. The telephoto side (60mm equivalent) is nice for portraits.
   
   I primarily use the raw files, and finally Apple software supports the LX3's raw file in iPhoto.
   
   If I am going to be somewhere inside or dark, this is the camera I want with me.
   
   It's a little bulkier than your standard point and shoot. It definitely doesn't go into my jeans pocket, but I can put it in my cargo pocket or in a jacket pocket. The size does make me take it less places than I like. The interface is a bit complicated, but the features and customizability is one of the reasons I love the LX3. For instance, I love that you can take 1:1 aspect ratio photos.
   
   This is a camera that I've grown photographically with over the past year, and I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Panasonic DMC-LX3 10.1MP Digital Camera with 24mm Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black).

1. I've had my LX3 for over a year now and really enjoy it. I love the fact that you can change the aspect ratio by simply adjusting a switch. Its LCD is gorgeous, macro and low light ability sensational. It still though has a smaller sensor than 4/3 or traditional SLR so don't expect miracles. Its colors do tend to be a bit saturated and have a somewhat flat or canned feel to them but this can be tweaked.
   
   Even though its marketed as having high def video, its not really very that good and you would be impressed if you saw it on your big screen TV. Its best to use jpeg despite the fact that it has raw because the in camera processing when shooting jpegs takes compensates for some of the distortion caused by the wide angle lens. You can do this in post production but why bother and I didn't notice much of a benefit when shooting Raw.
   
   So to conclude, this is a fun compact camera that gets the job done and is very versatile. The low light performance will allow you to get shots that normally with other cameras you wouldn't attempt.
   I also have a Sigma DP1 that is far less practical and much more finicky but produces stunning images in day light, in almost every other situation though the LX3 is a far superior camera



2. I, like many others who have written a review, wanted a good point and shoot for those times when my Canon xTi(still a wonderful camera) or 40D with lenses, are too much to bring along. Additionally, I have arthritis in my hands, and sometimes I simply cannot handle my 40D.
   I had read many reviews of the Leica D-Lux 4, but I could not justify the price-even if I got the Leica name and leather case!. But seriously, I then did some research on the Lumix /country cousin of the Leica. I read ever review I could locate...pro and con. I realized that what I wanted, and what would suit my purpose was a compact w/ a wide angle..and the Leica lense in the Lumix would suit me. I went to the camera store and I held both cameras. Honestly, the Lumix is a little work of art. I liked it better than the Leica. It felt like the first Minolta my parents gave me in 1968; sturdy. At any rate, I was impressed with the packaging, with the in box equipment, and the sheer beauty of this little gem. I have been shooting for years w/ SLRs and for the past four years with DSLRs, and to be completly honest, the picture quality (4x6) even at a higher ISO is void of noise. The shots are crisp and clear with detail I could not have expected from a point and shoot (but of course, there is the Leica lense). I know some reviewers are not happy with shooting results in RAW, but I did not purcahase the camera to get creative in this manner/I have the aforementioned cameras for this purpose. I have not tried RAW yet, but again, for my purposes, the camera is so far working well. Now, for the technical issue I have with Lumix: In my opinion, the instruction book was written by someone whose first language is not English. If this camera is purchased by someone who has never owned a digital of any kind, I imagine there will be some frustration with plodding through the book. I have purchased many camera instruction books over the years to complement those that have come with my other camreas, and someone could write one for this camera. I figured out most of the menue selections because of being familiar with the Canon system, but I had to go on-line to locate some answers to a few of my questions. This being said, I recommend this camera as a suburb buy at under $450. I just love it.



3. Virtually Identical to the Leica Digilux 4 but at 2 to 300 less. I had the DLUX 4
   sold it bought the LX3 and I needed a zoom so I also got the zs3 both for the same price I sold the Dlux4 for.
   The LX3 is expandable with filters and excellent add on lenses like the dmw-lw46
   I use the dmw-lw52 ( it also fits the Digilux 2 and Sigma dp cameras ).
   Best compact ever made macro to 1cm -great lens -super wide with the lw52 very low light with a 2.0 lens. Many have found this camera to be almost as good as the Leica M8 at thousands less.Look for pros on the internet who use the Dlux4 and check out the pics .This is what this camera is capable of.The manual is much easier to read also.
   Plus the firmware has been updated giving you a better EV adjustment then Leica especially when taking bracketed shots. So also great for HDR photos.The micro 4/3rds cameras may beat this one out but at 2 to three times the price and thats with one lens.The JPG output is many times better then what you can do with the RAW.
   Add one point of saturation and one of contrast and you have the Leica equivalent of what they claim makes the Dlux4 better.See the dpreview tag elsewhere it says it all. Shoot raw and JPG in dynamic B+W and get a great B+W and if you need a color version use the raw image.



4. Couldn't be happier. The trade off for giving up zoom is well worth it. Living in Kauai allows me to do all sorts of fun stuff, and the landscape is other-worldly and surprisingly varied. There's this one cave on the north shore that is particularly dark. Going to Aperture priority and just setting the camera on a rock allowed the most beautiful shots. Video is great. Camera is easy to use. Photo quality outstanding. I am an amateur photographer, so I'm sure there are some nits I could pick, but I'm too dumb to know what they are. I'm a happy customer.



5. I've been using a black LX3 for a little year now, and I highly recommend it. I primarily take photos of my pets (dog and cats), friends, and family. The camera really excels indoors in low light conditions where the F/2 lens really shines. You can take sharp photos in places where there was previously not enough light. The wide angle end of the lens is great for group shots in tight spaces or for getting an interesting perspective. The telephoto side (60mm equivalent) is nice for portraits.
   
   I primarily use the raw files, and finally Apple software supports the LX3's raw file in iPhoto.
   
   If I am going to be somewhere inside or dark, this is the camera I want with me.
   
   It's a little bulkier than your standard point and shoot. It definitely doesn't go into my jeans pocket, but I can put it in my cargo pocket or in a jacket pocket. The size does make me take it less places than I like. The interface is a bit complicated, but the features and customizability is one of the reasons I love the LX3. For instance, I love that you can take 1:1 aspect ratio photos.
   
   This is a camera that I've grown photographically with over the past year, and I highly recommend it.