Panasonic's LX series has long been at the forefront of the expert compact camera sector. Today, this market is a fierce battle between many of the leading camera brands. Canon, Fujifilm and Sony regularly launch their beautifully designed cameras with intuitive controls. Panasonic's 2012 flagship compact camera Lumix DMC-LX7 arrived 2 years after its predecessor LX5, and a lot has changed in that time.
Power of light
The main change seems to be the use of a better image sensor. The larger sensor provides, among other things, greater light collection capability, better low-light performance, and more control over depth of field, making it easier to blur backgrounds. Surprisingly, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7's image sensor is actually smaller than that of its predecessor and some of its direct competitors such as the Olympus XZ-1. The difference in sensor size between these models is negligible: LX7 uses a sensor7.6x5.7mm, compared to 8.1x6mm for the XZ-1. However, there are compact cameras with significantly larger image sensors, including the Fujifilm X10, Canon PowerShot G1 X, and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100.
So why use a smaller sensor? The main reason is that Panasonic aims to build on the strengths of the LX series - fast optics in a compact body - rather than pushing the next model into new areas. The LX5 used f/2, and now the LX7 has class-leading f/1.4 24-90mm 2.3 Leica optics. To work with such wide apertures, the model has a built-in 3-stop ND filter, thanks to which the f/1.4 setting can be used in bright sunlight. Needless to say, the lens is the standout feature of this model, but it's still interesting how it found its way into the camera and how it compares to the competition.
Panasonic Lumix LX7: description of the camera
This is the fifth in the LX series of compact cameras and features remarkable design solutions. Each model in the lineup was built to last, with ideal focal lengths for everyday use and a wide aperture for shooting in low light. Outwardly, little has changed in this model, and to some extent the same can be said about the specification, although this is by no means a bad thing. However, there are some key improvements that have brought the model to the fore.
Like its LX5 predecessor, the LX7 containsmulti-aspect sensor, which means that it is designed to maximize the number of pixels involved, used in different aspect ratios. On an area of 7.6 × 5.7 mm, 12.7 million pixels are placed, of which up to 10.1 million are used. To make it easier to use the 3:2, 4:3, 1:1, and 16:9 aspect ratios (of which 4:3 uses the most pixels), there is a separate switch on the camera lens that allows you to easily change them. What is new here is that the sensor type is not CCD, but a highly sensitive MOS unit. Such a matrix typically consumes less power, which is useful given the higher resolution of a power-hungry LCD display. A change in sensor size as well as a wider maximum aperture means the lens has also been resized.
The LX7's continuous shooting is a big improvement over previous models. Capable of capturing 12 frames at maximum resolution at 11 fps with fixed focus and exposure (compared to 2.5 fps in the LX5). Continuous shooting at 5 fps enables continuous AF tracking, and up to 60 fps is achieved with an image size of 2.5 megapixels.
Other shooting modes include a creative menu with 16 powerful graphic effects such as impressionism and a scene mode menu with 16 options including HDR and 3D. The camera's intelligent iAuto function uses various presets to set automatic exposure. In addition, the possibility of time-lapse shooting has been added, for which you canset the start date and time, and set the interval between shots (up to 30 minutes), the total number of which can be up to 60 shots.
The Panasonic Lumix LX7 has a strong feature set from its predecessor, but other manufacturers have made more progress over the past few years. Some features are missing that could help the model stand out from the crowd, such as GPS, Wi-Fi, swivel or at least a touch screen. In addition, some find the resolution of 10.1 megapixels relatively low, which produces 32 x 23 cm 300 dpi prints, which is too modest to print. However, many users find this to be sufficient for this type of camera, which allows A3 prints.
Comparison of Panasonic LF1 and Lumix LX7 highlights the following advantages of the latter:
- much larger viewing angle - 24mm vs 28mm;
- high-speed video recording capability;
- greater dynamic range;
- wider aperture - f/1.4 vs f/2;
- longer battery life - 330 shots vs 250;
- external flash support.
At the same time, the LF1 is 50% smaller and 40% lighter, has a digital viewfinder and has a 20% higher resolution (12MP vs. 10MP).
Optics
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 lens is a key enhancement to the camera. A sensor crop factor of 4.55x means thatthe focal length must now be 4.7-17.7mm to achieve an effective 24-90mm. It is identical to the LX5 and is ideal for many situations.
The Panasonic Lumix LX7 lens consists of 11 elements, including five aspherical elements, two ED elements and one with a nano-coated surface to reduce flare and ghosting. The 24mm focal length gives a maximum aperture of f/1.4 and shrinks to f/1.9 at 50mm and f/2.3 at 90mm.
However, a 4.55x crop factor sensor doesn't provide adequate control over depth of field. Aperture f/1.4 is equivalent to f/6.3 on a 35 x 114mm full frame camera, and 90mm f/2.3 is equivalent to f/11. So while the amount of blur achieved with a wide aperture is sufficient, the real benefit is the increased light coming through the lens, which enhances low-light shots by allowing low ISO settings.
According to user feedback, the camera shows a greater ability to convey image details due to increased sharpness in the center of the frame. Edge details also retain good clarity. The features of subjects close to the camera appear crisp and clear. Distortion is more noticeable when there are buildings and straight lines in the frame. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7's wide-focus photos show the usual cylindrical distortion, as well as slight distortion at 50mm, but at 90mm the camera shoots without visible distortion.
Design and control
On a cursory acquaintanceThe Panasonic Lumix LX7 has the same size and build quality as the LX5. But diving a little deeper reveals some key changes.
Designers have tried to meet the needs of photographers by adding an aperture ring to the lens that covers the entire range of f/1, 4 - f/8 apertures at 1/3 EV steps. This is great for those who frequently shoot in aperture priority or manual exposure. The ring is manually tuned, although this can also be done electronically. For example, f/1.4 is not available at 90mm, so it changes to a maximum of f/2.3. In this case, it takes four clicks of the aperture ring to start closing down from f/2.3.
As with the LX5, the lens ring on the LX7 also includes aspect ratio and focus mode. With this vantage point on the camera, users report that they switch between different aspect ratios more often than before, and are now less likely to crop the frame to the desired size after taking the picture.
A separate cap is included to protect the lens. If it remains on the optics when the camera is started, a message appears to remind you to remove it before shooting, although image playback and menu navigation remain available. The message is necessary because the lens extends out of the cap while in shooting mode. The owners note that even after many days of using the camera, the need to constantly do such a procedure is annoying, as many other compactcameras have a built-in cover that retracts when turned on.
Shutter lag is negligible, but the LX7 isn't the fastest camera to start shooting right after launch. From the moment of switching on to photographing, a little more than 5 seconds pass. In Fujifilm X10, for example, where a manual zoom lens is used, this time is less than two seconds.
Another new addition to the LX7 is the ND focus control button, which, when pressed in shooting mode, sets or removes the ND filter. Given that the camera's maximum shutter speed is 1/4000s, f/1.4 passes too much in bright sunlight, so an ND filter is vital. The same applies to the minimum f/8 aperture, which provides too much aperture for long exposures in daylight. Switching left or right controls manual focus, and activates focus zoom. In playback mode, this switch doubles as a control dial for switching between images.
Like its predecessor, the Panasonic Lumix LX7 has a hot shoe that accepts the DMW-LVF2 (EVF) electronic viewfinder or an external flash. Next to the mentioned connector is a stereo microphone - a novelty for this line of cameras. The pop-up flash attaches to a robust spring mechanism and is well away from the lens when raised. Conventional manual flash control is possible, which includes an adjustment of ± 2EV,front and rear shutter sync, plus auto and red-eye reduction.
Although the battery capacity is unchanged at 1250 mAh, the battery life of the LX7 is 330 shots compared to 400 for the LX5. This is most likely due to the high resolution of the camera screen. Overall, the controls and menus (including the shortcut menu) are intuitive to use.
White balance and color
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 has six color modes, and users who tried them were satisfied with the results of the standard one, in which the tones are very vibrant and realistic. On a bright sunny day, the blue of the sky and the green of the fields are good without additional processing. However, when using creative or scene modes, the saturation becomes too strong to be believable. Of course, in each case, you can change the contrast, saturation, sharpness and noise reduction level to your taste by creating individual settings. Owners who tested the camera and shot the color chart across the entire ISO range under the same lighting conditions were impressed by the color processing, which kept tones vibrant despite the presence of noise at higher settings.
One of the direct controls on the back is the white balance button, which allows you to choose between automatic adjustment (AWB), five presets and two custom. The AWB setting works as you would expect from a camera of this caliber, is not always accurate, and often results in a reduction in color tones resulting in a neutral result. To keep the warmth of the sunset or the greenery of the forest, users recommend applying the appropriate preset.
Autofocus
Similar to the LX5, the Panasonic Lumix LX7 uses a 23-point multi-segment measuring system. Whether it's bright daylight or low-contrast light, the camera quickly focuses on the subject. When the light is really low, the AF assist lamp is used to help focusing, which will be useful for subjects at close range.
For more control over autofocus, spot focus can be used, the size of which can be adjusted to any of four settings. The largest fills the frame as much as possible, and the smallest covers about 3%, which ensures fine tuning. In the case of the smallest size, any of the 713 parcels can be selected using the navigation keys. According to users, a touch screen would be more suitable here, as is done in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30, since touch autofocus makes it extremely fast to select the desired point.
One of the advantages of the small Panasonic Lumix LX7 matrix reviews is the presence of a centimeter macro mode when the camera is set to the widest focal length - 24 mm. Its switch can be found on the lens. Manual focusing comes in handy with the new ND/FOCUS lever on the back of the camera. movingpushing it left or right will provide easy viewing of the focus point.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7's tracking autofocus performance is considered satisfactory by users for everyday photography, but is unacceptable for shooting fast or erratic movements in most sports. Fortunately, AF tracking is available in 5fps high-speed continuous shooting, and also continuously while recording movies.
If you are having difficulty setting up the Panasonic Lumix LX7, the “Improvement Instructions” supplied with your camera will help you find a way out.
Metering exposure
Whether it's spot, center-weighted or evaluative mode, the metering system is linked to the active AF points. Evaluative metering is both reliable and predictable. This means that when photographing one thing you have to think less. When shooting in iAuto (intelligent auto) mode, exposure settings are controlled by the camera based on the scene it detects. Owners who use cameras in auto mode find iAuto reliable for most scenes.
With the same resolution of 10.1 million pixels as its predecessor, the improvement in camera performance is impressive. According to user feedback, the sharpness in the center has increased, and the camera shows the greatest clarity in RAW format when set to ISO 100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC LX7 aperture is optimally set. Examples of photos in the formatJPEGs show a noticeable drop in sharpness at ISO 400, where the brightness of the noise becomes apparent and noise reduction kicks in.
During the two years of the LX5's existence, the market for expert compact cameras has greatly improved in terms of resolution. For example, Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has an image sensor that is twice the size of the LX7 sensor (116mm2 vs. 49mm2) and has twice as many pixels, providing a much higher level of detail and allowing for 2x larger prints.
According to user feedback, the LX7's resolution and noise control is highly dependent on the selected aperture and ISO setting. For crisp detail, the best setting for the new Leica lens is f/2.8-f/4.
Similarly, to avoid fuzzy image detail due to low brightness and color noise, users recommend using the ISO 800 setting. streaks and spots appear in shadows and mid-tone areas of the image.
LCD, viewfinder and video
In all but bright, direct sunlight, the Panasonic Lumix LX7's 3-inch TFT LCD display offers a clear and easy-to-view image. The screen resolution has been increased to 920,000 dots, but it remains fixed with no way to change its position. Almost unexpected (and, of course,disappointing) is the lack of touch functionality, especially since this technology has already been used in Panasonic's compact cameras.
Given the size of the camera, there is no room for a built-in viewfinder. However, thanks to the presence of the shoe for accessories, it is possible to use the EVF. The LX7 is compatible with the same manufacturer's external electronic viewfinder DMW-LVF2 EVF, which has a clear display and a resolution of 1.44 million pixels.
For a camera of this caliber, 1080p progressive AVCHD video capture at 50 fps is impressive. In addition, stereo sound is available, although the two microphones on the top panel are too close.
Dynamic Range
Based on photographs of landscapes in both sunny and overcast conditions, the Panasonic Lumix LX7 is capable of capturing a wide range of tones. Cloud and sky details are reproduced with maximum fidelity. Similarly, you can enhance the detail in shadow areas by increasing the exposure by 1-2 EV before shadow noise becomes a problem. Thanks to this, the LX5 held its own against the competition for two years and the LX7 is doing the same today.
For scenes where the range of tones is beyond the recording capabilities of the camera, the model offers HDR in the scene mode menu, which takes three consecutive frames and combines them to create a wider dynamic range. In addition, automatic exposure bracketing at ± 3EV is available. Of all the scene modes, users find HDR the most useful,because it improves the level of detail and keeps images relatively "real".
Competitors
Two years before the introduction of the LX7, in a crowded market, the Panasonic Lumix LX5 proved to be the best in every way. Now the competition has intensified even more. Samsung's EX2F is an obvious competitor as both cameras feature a lens with the same aperture and focal length range. The LX7 is slightly smaller, although the EX2F has Wi-Fi and a hinged LCD screen.
One of Sony's best pocket cameras, Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has twice the sensor size, twice the resolution of the LX7, and is smaller in size. Both cameras are comfortable and have aperture rings. Another highly manageable compact camera is the stylish Fujifilm X10, which offers a more intuitive manual zoom lens and optical viewfinder.
Verdict
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 Black compact camera does not have such high performance as the best analogues of Fujifilm and Sony competitors, but nevertheless it is an excellent camera: the aperture ring and the new lens will impress the "right" photographers. In addition, the video modes have been greatly improved and are best in class.
But users note that Panasonic missed its chance with this model. Two years after the introduction of the LX5, competitors have advanced significantly, and the progress of the LX7 has been negligible. If with a small sensor size and relatively low camera resolutionThis level can still be tolerated, then users would like to see in the camera some of the technologies used by the manufacturer in the Lumix G series, especially the touch screen with touch autofocus and shutter. For those looking to take a compact with them every day, the LX7 is a great choice, but there are other models to consider first.
