The Lumix DMC-LX1 introduces a
new functionality for a Panasonic camera, but one which has
been used and continues to be used by other manufacturers:
the shortcut menu. With the LX1 set to one of the more advanced
modes, the shortcut menu provides a fast and very efficient
access often needed basic settings such as the sensitivity,
white balance, and image size and quality. The menu is displayed
by pressing in, and holding, the joystick, itself also a new
development for a Panasonic compact camera.
The remainder of the user interface for the DMC-LX1 is easy
on the eyes, and quite functional. By default information
is superimposed on the large monitor in a clear characters,
and understandable icons. Moreover, the level of detail presented
by the camera is easily changed using the DISPLAY button.
Similarly, menus are well-organized and are very legible through
the use of a large upper-case font that can be deciphered
outdoors, and colours that stand out.
All menus provide an access to the Setup options which
encompass all the most basic camera settings:
Monitor: serves to adjust the brightness of the
monitor over 7 steps (± 3 values).
Auto Review: To choose whether or not the image
is displayed immediately post-capture, and for how long
(Off, 1 or 3 seconds, or Zoom). When Zoom is selected the
image appears full-screen for 1 second, and then zoomed
to 4X for an additional 1 second so that its sharpness can
be checked. The option is not available with images captured
with the Burst or Bracketing modes, or that contain audio.
Power Save: selects the time delay after which
the camera turns off if it is unused (1, 2, 5, 10 minutes
or Off).
MF Assist: decides whether or not the centre portion
of the image is magnified as a help during manual focusing,
and whether the magnified section occupies only the centre
part of the image, or fills the monitor.
Beep: serves to adjust volume or even if the camera
produces any sounds during operations (Off, Soft or Loud).
Shutter: serves to set the volume of the shutter
sound (Soft, Loud or Off).
Volume: serves to adjust the playback volume for
audio recordings or movies over a range of 7 steps.
Clock Set: allows setting the time and date on
the LX1.
No. Reset: selects whether photo files will be
incremented, or reset to 1, when the card is formatted or
a new card is inserted.
Reset: returns all menu options, with the exception
of the date and time and the folder name, to their original
factory settings.
USB Mode: controls the USB protocol. PC
is to communicate with a personal computer; PictBridge
is to print photos when the camera is connected directly
to a PictBridge compatible printer.
Highlight: decides whether or not potentially overexposed
areas of an image are displayed as blinking when the camera
is in Playback mode, or Review mode.
Video Out (Playback mode only) decides the video
out signal: NTSC or PAL.
TV Aspect (Playback mode only): allows setting
the output aspect to either 4:3 or 16:9, depending on the
TV to which the camera is connected.
MF m/ft: selects whether distances are shown in
metres or feet when the camera is set to manual focus.
Scene Menu: decides whether or not the scene menu
is shown when the Mode dial is set to SCN1 or SCN2.
Alternatively, pressing the Menu button once displays the
Scene menu.
Language serves to select the interface language:
English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, or Japanese.
The DMC-LX1 is accompanied by a thin printed manual which is
nevertheless very complete and which covers all the options
and functions available on the camera. The manual is well-written
and easy to read, making it easy to become familiar with the
camera.
Software
This North American model of the
Panasonic DMC-LX1 is supplied with a single CD containing Lumix
Simple Viewer, PHOTOFunSTUDIO Viewer, QuickTime,
Acrobat Reader, the USB drivers for older operating systems,
ArcSoft's PhotoImpression 5, Panorama Maker 3
and PhotoBase 4.5.
Lumix Simple Viewer is,
as its name indicates, primarily an image viewer and does not
allow any image editing. The program starts by presenting a
menu which offers options to Acquire Images to PC, View, Print,
or Send by E-mail. To view images, these must be "registered"
with the program first, a process that involves either importing
photos from a memory card or the camera while it is connected
to the computer, or from the hard disk.
Once imported, images can be viewed
easily, either in the presentation shown above, or in a slide
show-like mode that even allows seeing the image at 100% scale.
PHOTOFunSTUDIO Viewer
is also an image browser, but one with additional functions
such as the ability to convert RAW format images captured
with the DMC-LX1, necessary as their proprietary format is
not commonly used.
Regrettably, the conversion process is entirely automatic,
and the program only offers JPEG — with no control over
the compression level — as an output format, effectively
negating the advantage of the RAW format.
Therefore, any serious use of the
RAW format requires the use of more powerful and full-feature
software, able to provide control over the RAW images of the
LX1.
PhotoImpression 5 allows retouching photos using tools
to sharpen, brighten images, or change their contrast, saturation,
or colour tone. The program can also be used to resize images,
or add frames and text, and is capable of performing automatic
red-eye correction. Finally it can also be used to create
photo albums, and offers a wide range of templates.
PanoramaMaker 3 is
designed to stitch together a series of contiguous photos
so they can be assembled into a single large image horizontally,
vertically or as a mosaic.
PhotoBase 4.5 is intended to organize still images
and video clips, and manage them through a database.
QuickTime is to view the video clips recorded with
the DMC-LX1.
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Interface & Software
