I’m not a photographer.
I’ve been advised to order the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 after seeing the amazing pictures someone took with his LX3 during much of our holidays.
I checked on comparative websites and they also confirmed it was the best compact out there so far (better than the G12).
I’ve shown it to a few SLR users who’ve been amazed by just its quality.
I’m now training myself to learn all the details of this camera. But already the Auto Mode makes pictures worth being framed without having specific knowledge. Amazing! I’d have never though I should have take such great pictures.
If you’re a SLR user looking for a more day to day camera. In case you are a novice wanting to learn photography however is not ready for the SLR price. Or when you’re a novice but want to consider 10 times better pictures than using you’re usual holiday camera. Then this camera is for the best thing.
I went through all the reviews and narrowed my options up to the Lumix LX5, canon S95, Samsung TL500 plus the Olympus XZ-1. I have large hands and being a little weight to my camera so your S95 was eliminated. The Olympus was great in writing but serious smearing problems kept me from going further with it. That left the TL500 featuring super fast F1. 8 lens, gorgeous maneuverable screen and low cost against the LX5 with its slightly longer range, more options, faster place emphasis and processing. As much as I prefer the screen on the TL500 and also lens it’s inability to fire multiple RAW shots on account of slower processing and its sub-par video capabilities I just now had to pull the trigger for the LX5.
I am VERY HAPPY I did so. The menus and options are that easy on this camera that after a few years curiosity should turn even the hardcore auto users into better photographers which will use more of what this gem is providing. The video is amazing for a smaller camera. If you have ultra steady hands or especially for people with a tripod and follow the camera’s place in manual exposure mode it can NEARLY see at nighttime!
You will want to get not less than a class 6 card for this Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. I noticed a slight improvement in speed whenever i installed a class 10 card, so that’s what May very well in there now. However I didn’t notice any boost going from class 10 transcend to the superfast quality 10 samsung extreme. So the cheaper transcend is ideal in my opinion.