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I read a lot of reviews on this camera before buying. The reviews were right on. I have a Nikon D300 and needed a quality point and shoot. I have not been disappointed.
Excellent low light camera, slightly bulkier than most P&S cameras but I found it easy to use and very portable. Tack sharp lens, very low noise sensor, this is a perfect camera for travel or for use in bar or night photography. but regular photos turn out fine. Highly recommended.
It is not a problem. I decided the cost difference was not worth it. The LX3 is delightful. Some have expressed concern about the lens cap. I am low on the RAW learning curve, so I have little to say about RAW capture.I must add that I also bought the G1 last spring so as to use my Leica M lenses on a digital body [with the Cosina Voiglander M adapter]. Too much fiddling gets in the way of the joy of photography.I am enjoying the camera very much. The ability to quickly change formats is handy. It is charming to use black and white at a wide angle and fill the frame with an interesting composition, such as people interacting in a room.
The 24mm view is a very attractive feature. I generally use the aperture priority setting.Just as with my M6TTL, I can just go out with my little camera and make lovely pictures without getting wrapped up in the technology. Great results. The camera is portable and fun to use.
It reminds me of my Hasselblad days. The OIS feature is very effective. Then I had to wrestle with whether to buy the D-Lux 4 instead. It invites low light photography. I was held back initially by the outer limit of the lens [about 60mm]. So is the f/2.0 wide aperture. I enjoy the square format option.
I don't use the tether since it just gets in the way. So is my wife. After much internal debate, I finally bought the LX3 last December. Of course, with the LX3, I can quickly change the film or the format. I tend to do less fiddling and concentrate on the image, not the technology. I miss my tripods, but find the OIS lets me get along without them in most cases.
I put the cap in my pocket or in a camera bag, just as I have done with other cameras. I have been chiefly using jpegs and like what I see. I am very pleased with the results. The LX3 is easy and fun to use. Virtually all of my cameras (Canon, Nikon, Leica, Hasselblad) have had lens caps, not built-in lens covers. It is great fun to use the different film modes with this little camera.
Of course that is so with the M6, too. A great combination.
The VIDEO mode really is pretty miserable. I have returned to the US and sent it in to Panasonic ($11 in shipping paid by me) and am waiting for its return.2. I returned to my home computer to find that about 50% of the photos I shot in RAW format were out of focus. One has to be very careful about what exactly the camera is focusing on. What about that image stabilizer that worked so well in the TZ3 and ZS3. WHAT.
It is also a very attractive package when coupled with the Leica leather case. I bought the LX3 after about a year of salivating for this camera and not being able to find it in stock. Within a few days of being in Thailand, the sensor developed a sizable black spot in the lower right hand corner.mostly visible in the 16:9 mode shooting zoomed in at a bright subject. We all know that at the outset, but I found myself using my travel companion's Lumix ZS3 b/c of its extraordinary zoom capability.5. But if you're NOT going to shoot in RAW, don't waste your money. At first I was so in love with the camera that I practically took it to bed with me. I'm a professional photog who grew up shooting in medium format. It does it abruptly so you have these SUDDEN shifts in exposure which are jarring.What good I will say about the camera is that the f2.0 lens is great.
The remaining unfocused shots were camera shake at 1/40. 4. I examined them all carefully and can see that in some cases the auto focus didn't grab my intended focal point.it grabbed something like a shirt color instead of a nose. The zoom really does suck. Chalk that up to user error, but still, it was disappointing.
My last Lumix never produced a single out-of-focus shot. BUT, then I headed out for a month of trekking (not wanting the weight of a DSLR) in Thailand and Laos and the camera began to fail:1. If you use Lightbox or Bridge, OK. I knew that. It won't zoom. Enough when using the camera in not-so-bright settings to ruin the shot.
I think the stabilizer is not adequate.3. The wide capapbilities are great. I have been a photo for 35 years. But it doesn't do it gradually or elegantly. BUT, what I didn't know is that the camera adjusts its aperture on the fly as you're panning from a bright to dark subject. The sharpness and sensitivity of the sensor when shooting in RAW are better than any compact I've ever seen or used.
Get the ZS3, an overall better camera for the good amateur. That is a BIG DRAG. VERY, VERY annoying for a professional photog. So if you can haul around a mono or tripod to ensure sharpness and you take the time to make SURE you're focusing correctly, and if you're not really into shooting video, go ahead and get this camera. What. The LX3 is not supported in RAW format on iPhoto.
That alone makes this cranky camera worth the investment. Very retro and styling.
At least when I bought it, this was definitely the best digital camera available. I have printed up to around 16x20 with excellent clarity. A great camera. Lots of great features.
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