The Greatest Performers Make It Look Easy
Performance matters - EVERYTHING MATTERS
The New Lumix LX3
Featuring a F2.0 24mm ultra-wide angle Leica DC Vario Summicron lens, the new Lumix DMC-LX3 from Panasonic offers the performance of an SLR with the convenience of a compact. Now professionals and enthusiasts alike can capture stunning images whenever inspiration strikes, even in low light.
Designed for easy, creative shooting, the new LX3 comes two years after its predecessor, the LX2, which earned an enthusiastic following among both professional photographers and serious amateurs for its exquisite image rendering, superior operating ease, and unique triple-wide system comprising wide-angle lens, 16:9 CCD and LCD.
Simply put, the LX3 smashes all previous perceptions about the limitations of a digital compact camera, setting a lofty new standard in performance, quality and creative capabilities.
F2.0 Extraordinary Bright 24mm Ultra-Wide-Angle* High Quality LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON Lens with Minimum Distortion
The fantastic step up is represented by the newly developed F2.0 24mm equivalent ultra-wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens in the LX3. The F2.0 lens is about twice as bright as the F2.8 lens, itself generally considered a bright lens. With the new F2.0 lens, the LX3 can shoot at higher shutter speeds and capture stunningly clear, sharp, blur-free images in lower lighting situation. This advanced lens also makes it easy to produce beautiful photos with pleasing soft background focusing thanks to the shallow depth of field provided by the extra light.
In addition, the 24mm ultra-wide-angle lens – rare on a compact camera – gives photographers a wider range of composition possibilities. The super-high-quality LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMICRON lens minimizes distortion at the wide end, so users can get stunning, true-to-life images with outstanding resolution and detail. The LX3 captures approx.213% larger viewing space compared to that of a normal 35mm camera, and even approx.136% larger compared to what a 28mm wide-angle lens can do.
*35mm film camera equivalent: 24-60mm
The LX3 is also equipped with Panasonic's advanced image processing LSI, the Venus Engine IV. This high-speed high-performance imaging engine makes it possible to capture clean, beautiful, low-noise photos even when shooting at high sensitivity settings. Separating chromatic noise from luminance noise and low-frequency noise from high-frequency noise, and applying the optimal noise-reduction processing to each, the Venus Engine IV provides superior noise control and minimization of colour bleeding.
The LX3 boasts a large 3.0-inch LCD with a 3:2 aspect ratio and high 460,000-dot resolution. Performance is outstanding for both shooting and viewing. A new LCD panel provides bright, easy-to-see images over a wider viewing angle. The Intelligent LCD function, standard on all Lumix models, assures comfortable viewing in virtually all conditions by automatically adjusting the backlighting of LCD as the ambient light level changes.
At the heart of the LX3 is a key component that distinguishes it from all other compact cameras: a 1/1.63-inch 10.1-megapixel CCD. Boldly defying the trend to cram in the most pixels possible, Panasonic limited the LX3's large 1/1.63-inch CCD to 10.1 megapixels. This made it possible to make each pixel around 45% larger than those in ordinary 10-megapixel cameras. As a result, both sensitivity and saturation is around 40% higher than in ordinary models, giving the LX3 exquisite image quality with both excellent sensitivity and a wide dynamic range.*
Whilst the LX2 featured a large CCD – its 1/1.65" CCD was just slightly smaller than the LX3's 1/1.63" unit – which maximises the size of the photodiode size to boost sensitivity by around 19% and saturation performance by around 15%. Panasonic have also minimized noise generation in the LX3 by using newly designed circuits around the CCD that improve the power supply process and provide a layered structure. The CCD was also given a large output buffer to further stabilise the signal and cut noise generation to a minimum. These enhancements combine to improve the S/N ratio by 3 dB. The LX3 also provides dramatically improved colour reproduction in low lighting, where noise is typically a problem.
Normally, to produce an image of 3:2 or 16:9 aspect ratio, a 4:3 picture will be cropped, so the picture does not retain the best resolution. However, the CCD in DMC-LX3 can reproduce images shot with the lens set from 24mm to 60mm in any of three aspect ratios; 4:3, 3:2 or 16:9, so you can always capture dynamic, richly expressive shots with a wide perspective. The newly added Multi Aspect mode allows the camera to take an image in all three aspect ratios simultaneously for the photographer to choose the one that best takes the advantage of the scene after shooting.
*Compared with Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX35 with 1/2.33” CCD.
Expandability as a System Camera
Superb expandability is also a major feature which makes the LX3 literally a “system camera”. Mounting the optional Wide Conversion Lens (DMW-LW46)* brings the maximum wide angle all the way to an incredible 18mm. Optional equipment such as the ND Filter (DMW-LND46)* and new PL Filter (DMW-LPL46)* also broaden image-creating possibilities. The high-end aluminium External Optical Viewfinder (DMW-VF1) provides bright, clear viewing without wearing down the battery. And the optional GN22 Compact Flash mounts to the hot shoe which is newly added to the camera unit.** These and other accessories let users build around the LX3 to create a powerful, versatile camera system that can take them as far into photography as they want to go.
DMW-LW46 Wide Conversion Lens*
DMW-LND46 ND Filter*
DMW-LPL46 PL Filter*
DMW-LMC46 MC Protector*
DMW-LA4 Conversion Lens Adaptor
DMW-VF1 External Optical Viewfinder (24mm* *35mm Equiv.)
DMW-CLX3 Leather Casing
DMW-CZ18 Camera Bag
DMW-HDC2 HD Component Cable
CGA-S005 Battery
*Requires an lens adaptor DMW-LA4.
**Flash unit (GN22) will be introduced soon.
The full range of LX3 accessories will be available from October 2008.
Other Features
While the DMC-LX3 allows full manual control for more advanced photography, the camera also allows users to take perfect shots with outstanding ease. This is made possible by Panasonic Lumix’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode. In iA mode the camera does all the work, activating Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), Intelligent ISO Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, Face Detection, and Intelligent Exposure. This leaves the user free to simply compose the shot and press the shutter button, with the assurance that the image will be clear, beautiful and properly exposed.
The LX3 offers a total of 23 scene modes, including the new Pin Hole and Film Grain modes that adds unique, film-camera-like effects and ambiences to images. This wide range of modes lets the LX3 respond easily to any shooting situation. The actual effects of the scene modes can be viewed on the LCD before taking the shot. Now the flash has 1st curtain and 2nd curtain synchro settings to add effective nuance according to the scene.
Image Leveling is another function that improves post-shooting convenience. When a recorded image “leans” to the right or left because the camera was held at a slight angle, the Image Leveling function rotates the image to straighten it and crops the unnecessary edges*. The USB port supports the 2.0 HS standard and the internal memory has been increased to approx. 50 MB – two further enhancements that add to the convenience and fun of using the LX3.
Drawing on its vast expertise in consumer electronics, Panasonic is committed to creating a new photographic culture by introducing innovative, high-performance cameras and other advanced digital imaging products.
*Resolution decreases.
The Lumix LX3 - a pleasure to own. A joy to use! Click here for more info.
