Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

Please note that in addition to this collaborative review, we have also produced a 6-page hands-on preview of the LX7, which contains plenty of additional information. You can find that preview here.

The ($499) is the long-awaited replacement to the very popular DMC-LX5. The LX5 (and its predecessors) was well known for its low light ability, and Panasonic has improved on that in two ways. First, there's the LX7's lens: with a maximum aperture range of F1.4 - F2.3, it lets in way more light than what you'd find on a compact camera. The fast aperture range also allows for better background blurring than what you'll find on nearly every fixed-lens camera on the market. In addition, the LX7's sensor and image processor have both been improved, allowing for less noise at high sensitivities.

Other new features on the LX7 include a manual aperture ring, higher resolution LCD display, neutral density filter, 11 fps continuous shooting, HDR capability, and the ability to record movies at 1080/60p (with stereo sound).

For the full breakdown of what separates the 2010's LX5 and the new LX7, take a look at this chart:

  Lumix DMC-LX5 Lumix DMC-LX7 Street price $359 $499 Sensor resolution (size / type) 10.1 MP (1/1.63' CCD) 10.1 MP (1/1.7' MOS) Lens max aperture range F2.0 - F3.3 F1.4 - F2.3 Lens focal range (zoom power) 24 - 90 mm (3.8X) ND filter No Yes Aperture ring No Yes AF system Sonic Speed AF Light Speed AF LCD size/resolution 3-inch / 460k dots 3-inch / 920k dots Burst rate (full resolution) 2.5 frames/sec 11 frames/sec ISO range (full resolution) 80 - 3200

View the Original article