Panasonic DMC-LX1

Reviewed March 2006

Characteristics

Selection of the aspect ratio that the camera will record is made using a switch on top of the lens barrel (see the Ergonomics section of the review). Set to a 4:3 or a 3:2 aspect ratio, the camera does not use the sides of the CCD to record the image, while when the LX1 is set to 16:9 the full image area of the CCD is used. This process is unlike other cameras that offer a 16:9 format, a process that usually involves cropping the top and bottom of the image captured by a 4:3 aspect ratio CCD.

CCD sensitivity starts at 80 ISO, but can be manually increased to 100, 200, or 400 ISO when the camera is set to P, A, S, or M mode. In all other capture modes, the CCD sensitivity is automatically controlled by the camera, ranging from 80 to 200 ISO and 100 to 400 ISO when the flash is used.

The LX1 is equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 4X optical zoom with a focal length range that covers from 6.3 to 25.2 mm, the 35 mm equivalent of a 28 - 112 mm when the camera is set to capture a 16:9 aspect ratio image. Composed of 9 elements in 8 groups, the zoom incorporates 3 aspherical surfaces to correct optical distortions. Apertures start at f2.8 when the zoom is set to the widest angle and f4.9 at the maximum telephoto setting, closing down to f8 for both.

And, as with all LUMIX cameras the LX1 includes a built-in optical image stabilization system called Mega O.I.S.

Panasonic takes advantage of the DMC-LX1's high resolution CCD to offer a digital zoom that does not interpolate. Called somewhat confusingly "Extended Optical Zoom," the digital zoom is useable when the selected image size is inferior to the maximum size. In use the camera uses the entire image area of the CCD and then crops the image down to produce an field of view similar to what a longer focal length would capture, the "magnification" power of the digital zoom increasing as the image size is diminished. Image resolutions that allow the use of the Extended Zoom are identified with the initials EZ.

In addition, the LX1 also offers a standard digital zoom, the kind that interpolates the cropped centre portion of the image to the currently selected image size, causing a progressively greater degradation of the image quality as the zoom's power is increased. By default the digital zoom is set to Off, and it must be turned On in the menu to be available.

The shutter speed range of the LX1 covers from 1/2000 to 60 seconds overall, but with some restrictions on that range depending on the shooting mode in use, and the longest exposure time is only available if the camera is set to Manual or the Starry Sky scene mode.

Because it offers 3 aspect ratios, the LX1 is capable of capturing images using any one of eleven image sizes:

4:3 Aspect Ratio	3:2 Aspect Ratio	16:9 Aspect Ratio
6M: 2880 × 2160 4M : 2304 × 1728 3M : 2048 × 1536 2M : 1600 × 1200 1M : 1280 × 960	7M: 3248 × 2160 4.5M : 2560 × 1712 2.5M : 2048 × 1360	8M: 3840 × 2160 5.5M : 3072 × 1728 2M : 1920 × 1080
= 5.6X max.	= 5.1X max.	= 5X max.

Whatever the image size used, the camera offers three image formats:

• TIFF: images are recorded without any compression and a JPEG copy is also saved using Standard compression.
• JPEG: can be set to either of two compression levels:
  • Fine applies the least compression and offers the highest image quality.
  • Standard applies a stronger compression, making it possible to store more image within a given memory size at a lower image quality.
• RAW: records the data coming from the CCD without any processing. Camera settings for such things as exposure compensation, white balance, etc. are recorded with the image, however, and can be applied — or modified — when the image is interpreted using the software included with the camera. Then, once processed, the image can be saved as JPEG or TIFF. (See the Interface and Software section of the review for more information about the software included with the DMC-LX1.)

The DMC-LX1 has a shortcut menu that is displayed when the joystick is pressed in vertically for more than a second.

The menu appears as a line at the top of the monitor, consisting of 4 settings if the camera is set to P, A, S, or M, allowing fast changes to White Balance, , Sensitivity, Image Size, and Image Format.

While with all other capture modes, only 2 options are shown: image size and format.

All menus are accessed by pressing the button at the centre of the 4-direction control. Menus are composed of two sections, each identified by a tab at the top of the display. The first tab contains the options that are related to the current camera mode, the other is an access to the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review for details on the Setup menu). In the capture mode, the most extensive set of options is available when the LX1 is set to P, S, A or M:

• W. Balance allows setting the white balance according to the ambient light source: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Halogen (incandescent), White Set 1, White Set 2, and White Set which serves to set the white balance under ambient light that does not fit one of the preset, and store the setting as White Set 1 or White Set 2.

• Sensitivity: Auto (reserved for the Auto shooting mode or the Scene modes) and 80, 100, 200, or 400 ISO when the camera is set to P, A, S or M.
• Pict. Size: serves to select the image size (see above).
• Quality: serves to select the image format (TIFF, or either one of two JPEG compression levels, or RAW).
• Audio Rec.: allows recording a 5-second sound bite that will be associated with a JPEG image immediately after capture.

• Metering Mode offers three choices: Multi, Centre-weighted or Spot.
• AF Mode selects the number of focus point the autofocus uses: 9-Area-Focusing uses 9 AF points grouped near the middle of the frame, 3-Area-Focusing uses 3 AF point aligned horizontally middle of the frame, 1-Area-Focusing (High Speed) uses the centre of the frame and a narrower focus range to speed the focusing, 1-Area-Focusing simply focused on the subject at the centre of the screen using the entire focusing range of the camera, Spot-focusing focuses on a narrow area at the precise centre of the frame.
• Cont. AF: controls the Continuous AF mode and operates when the focus mode is set to 1-area-focusing (High Speed), or 1-area-focusing, or spot-focusing.

• AF Assist Lamp: turns On or Off the lamp that helps the camera focus when the ambient light is too low, and has an effective range of 1.5 m (4.92 ft).
• AF/AE Lock: selects the way the AF/AE button operates, locking the autofocus only, the exposure only, or both.
• Digital Zoom: controls the 4X standard digital zoom.
• Col. Effect allows changing the colour tone of images: Off (default) records standard colours, Cool, Warm, B/W, and Sepia.

• Picture Adj. controls the image processing done by the camera prior to the image being saved: Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation as well as Noise Reduction, can be increased or decreased.
• Flip Anim.: allows capturing an animated sequence up to 20 seconds long and composed of up to 100 images.

Unlike with the more advanced modes (P, A, S and M) when the LX1 is set to the Auto shooting mode the menu presents only three options: Image Format, Quality and Digital Zoom, each offering the same settings as listed above.

Set to the Motion Picture mode, the menu contains options that are slightly different and which omit options that are not related to the Motion Picture mode. The options are spread out over 2 screens.

Pict. Mode replaces the image size and quality options of the still modes, and serves to select the frame size and frame rate of the movie: with the aspect ratio switch set to 4:3, the choices are 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 pixels at either 30 or 10 frames per second. With the aspect ratio set to 16:9, choices are 848 x 480 pixels at either 30 or 10 frames per second. Worth noting, movies cannot be captured if the aspect ratio switch is set to 3:2.

When the DMC-LX1 is set to the Playback mode the menu provides options to adjust images, or set printing parameters. The playback mode options are spread out over three screens:

• Slide Show: allows selecting photos to be included in a slide show, all or only those that have been selected as Favorites (). In addition the on-screen time for the photos included in the show time can be specified (1, 2, 3 or 5 seconds) and should a sound be associated with an image, it can be allowed to play or not.

• Favorite: serves to select images so that only those marked with will appear in a slide show.
• Rotate Disp.: serves to display images captured vertically the correct way up.
• Rotate: allows rotating images in 90° increments to the left or right.
• DPOF Print: serves to select which photos will be printed on a DPOF or PictBridge compliant printer, or by a printing service. The number of prints to make of each photo can be specified, as well as whether or not the date will be superimposed on the photo.

• Protect: allows selecting and tagging images so they cannot be accidentally erased.

• Audio Dub: makes it possible to add a voice annotation lasting up to 10 seconds to any still image, unless it has been protected. Audio cannot be added to images captured with the TIFF or RAW formats.
• Resize: allows resizing down an image to another size available in the same aspect ratio, and saving it over the original, or as a new image. The option is not available for photos captured as TIFF, RAW, or which have an associated sound recording.

• Trimming: serves to crop an image and either over-write the original with the cropped version, or save it as a new image. Images that have an attached sound, as well as those that have been captured using the TIFF or RAW formats cannot be trimmed.
• Aspect Conv.: allows converting 16:9 format images and converting them to the 3:2 or 4:3 aspect ratios. Once again, this cannot be done with RAW or TIFF format images.
• Clean Up: defragments the SD card so that it can be better utilized and have a faster access time. This option cannot be used with MMC cards.
• Format: serves to format the memory card.

The LX1 is compatible with both SD (Secure Digital) and MMC (MultiMedia) memory cards, but offers better performance when used with SD cards. The card slot is located underneath the body, behind a door that also covers the battery compartment.

In North America the camera is retailed with a 32 MB SD card which, when the file size of 8.4 megapixel images is considered, as well as the fact that the camera is capable of saving images as RAW and TIFF, makes the acquisition of a greater capacity card necessary.

The chart below gives an idea of the number of images that can be stored using the 32MB card and an optional 1 GB card.

Memory	32 MB				1 GB
Format	TIFF	Fine	Standard	RAW	TIFF	Fine	Standard	RAW
16:9 Aspect Ratio
8M	1	7	14	1	36	230	460	52
5.5M	1	11	22	—	57	360	710	—
2M	4	28	54	—	145	910	1720	—
3:2 Aspect Ratio
7M	1	8	17	1	43	270	540	53
4.5M	2	13	27	—	69	440	860	—
2.5M	3	21	41	—	1025	680	1310	—
4:3 Aspect Ratio
6M	1	9	19	1	48	310	610	53
4M	2	15	29	—	76	480	940	—
3M	3	19	37	—	96	610	1180	—
2M	4	30	59	—	155	970	1880	—
1M	7	46	86	—	240	1470	2740	—

The Lumix DMC-LX1 is powered by a Lithium-Ion (CGA-S005A) rechargeable battery. The battery is maintained in place by a spring loaded catch so it will not slide out when the memory card is extracted. The camera is supplied with a charger (DE-A11B) which is able to recharge a fully depleted battery in approximately 130 minutes.

At the top, and gold-plated, is the combination Digital (USB 2.0 Full Speed) and A/V Out (NTSC or PAL) connection, the type of connection being determined by the cable in use, either USB or AV. At the bottom is the DC-IN jack, designed to accommodate the optional AC Adapter (DMW-AC5) which makes it possible to run the camera off of regular household current.