In summary
Panasonic’s DMC-LX100 joins a growing band of compact cameras designed for serious enthusiasts and, despite having an iAuto button, it’s unlikely to suit point-and-shoot photographers. While not strictly ‘pocketable’ (with respect to shirt or trouser pockets) it is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket and occupies very little space in a camera bag or handbag.
The large sensor provides a quality advantage since the majority of competing cameras have 1-inch type (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensors. Panasonic’s tried-and-proven 12.8 megapixel chip delivers high enough resolution to make excellent A3+ sized prints. The addition of 4K video support plus the new 4K Photo mode (which enables users to extract a still picture with 8-megapixel resolution from a 4K movie clip) puts additional icing on a very nice cake.
The LX100 is not a perfect camera (see full review), however it’s one of the nicest fixed-lens compact cameras we’ve used in the past 12 months and provides an excellent set of features for serious photo enthusiasts.
The menu system is excellent and very similar to the GH4 (and other Panasonic cameras), which makes it an ideal ‘walkaround’ camera for owners of Panasonic’s G-series cameras. The high quality EVF will please anyone who like to shoot outdoors in bright sunlight ““ particularly since it’s usable while shooting movies (an advantage over conventional DSLRs).
Photographers who enjoy recording action will appreciate the fast continuous shooting settings, with up to 11 frames/second available at full resolution, along with a decent buffer memory. They will also value the 4K Photo mode. And they should find no issues with unfocused shots in normal light levels.
Full review
The DMC-LX100 is the sixth-generation model in Panasonic’s line-up of compact, fixed-lens cameras for serious enthusiasts. But it comes with a 4/3-inch (17.3 x 13 mm) MOS chip that is more than four times larger in area than the LX7’s ‘1/1.7-inch type’ sensor and roughly 1.5 times larger than the ‘1-inch type’ chip in its closest competitor, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III. It also offers similar 4K video functionality to the esteemed GH4, including the new 4K Photo mode which was recently added to the GH4 via a firmware update.
Angled front view of the DMC-LX100. (Source: Panasonic.)
The table below compares key features of the LX100 with its predecessor, the LX7 and nearest competitor, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III.
|
|
Panasonic LX100 |
Panasonic LX7 |
Sony RX100 III |
|
Release date |
November 2014 |
July 2012 |
June 2014 |
|
Sensor size |
17.3 x 13 mm |
7.6 x 5.7 mm |
13.2 x 8.8 mm |
|
Effective resolution |
12.8 megapixels |
10.1 megapixels |
20.2 megapixels |
|
Lens focal length (35mm equiv.) Max. aperture; optical zoom |
24-75mm; f/1.7-2.8; 3.1x |
24-90mm; f/1.4-2.3; 3.8x |
24-70mm; f/1.8-2.8; 2.9x |
|
Digital zoom (max.) |
4x |
7.5x |
5.8x (full resolution); 44x (VGA resolution) |
|
Closest focus |
3 cm |
1 cm |
5 cm |
|
Sensitivity range |
ISO 100 – ISO 25600 |
ISO 80- ISO 6400 |
ISO 80- ISO 12800 |
|
Shutter speeds |
60 – 1/4,000 sec (up to 1/16,000 sec with electronic shutter) |
30 – 1/4000 sec |
30 – 1/2,000 sec plus Bulb |
|
Max. burst speed |
40 fps with electronic shutter, 6.5 fps with mechanical shutter |
11 fps with fixed focus, 5 fps with tracking AF |
10 fps with fixed focus, 2.5 fps with AF |
|
Built-in ND filter |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
AF system |
49 area DFD contrast AF |
23 area contrast AF |
25-area contrast AF |
|
Metering system |
1728 zones |
23 area |
Not specified |
|
Viewfinder |
0.38-inch LVF, 2.764m dots |
Optional DMW-LVF2 EVF |
0.4-inch OLED EVF, 1.44m dots |
|
Monitor |
Fixed 3-inch LCD, 921,000 dots |
Fixed 3-inch LCD, 920,000 dots |
Tilting 3-inch LCD, 921,600 dots |
|
Flash |
Bundled separate |
Built-in |
Built-in |
|
Hot shoe |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Aspect ratio settings |
4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1 plus Panorama |
4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1 plus Panorama |
4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1 plus Sweep Panorama (Wide/Standard) |
|
Highest movie resolution |
MP4 UHD 4K /30p, 25p, 24p at 100Mbps; FHD 1080 at 60p/50p |
AVCHD 1080 at 28 Mbps at 60p/50p |
XAVC S 1080 at 60p/50p, 30p, 25p, 24p |
|
Wi-Fi & NFC |
Yes; supports remote control from smart devices and GPS tagging |
No |
Yes; supports remote control from smart devices with full exposure controls |
|
Battery/ capacity |
DMW-BLG10 / 300 shots with LCD; |
DMW-BCJ13 / 330 shots |
NP-BX1 / 320 shots with LCD; |
|
Dimensions (wxhxd) |
114.8 x 66.2 x 55.0 mm |
110.5 x 67.1 x 45.6 mm |
101.6 x 58.1 x 41 mm |
|
Weight (with battery & card) |
393 grams |
298 grams |
290 grams |
Who’s it for?
The LX100 joins a growing band of compact cameras designed for serious enthusiasts and, despite having an iAuto button, it’s unlikely to suit point-and-shoot photographers. While not strictly ‘pocketable’ (with respect to shirt or trouser pockets) it is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket and occupies very little space in a camera bag or handbag.
The large sensor provides a quality advantage since the majority of competing cameras have 1-inch type (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensors. Panasonic’s tried-and-proven 12.8 megapixel chip delivers high enough resolution to make excellent A3+ sized prints. The addition of 4K video support plus the new 4K Photo mode (which enables users to extract a still picture with 8-megapixel resolution from a 4K movie clip) puts additional icing on a very nice cake.
Raw file support is, naturally, included and if like us you would rather not use the bundled software, the LX100 is supported in Adobe Camera Raw 8.7 and also the latest version of Raw Therapee (accessible free of charge via http://rawtherapee.com/downloads).
Lens Comparisons
The LX-100’s Leica-branded DC Vario-Summilux lens consists of 11 elements arranged in eight groups and includes five aspherical and two dual-sided aspherical elements with ED (extra-low dispersion) capabilities. Its versatile zoom range is equivalent to 24-75mm in 35mm format, which is ideal for general usage and suitable for landscapes, portraits and street photography.
The illustration above shows the light path through the DC Vario-Summilux lens. (Source: Panasonic.)
It’s a similar design to the lens in the LX7, which is also has 11 elements. These are arranged in 10 groups and include five aspherical and two ED elements, one of the latter aspherical, giving a total of nine aspherical surfaces, compared with eight in the LX-100’s lens.
Sony’s Cyber-shot RX100 III comes with a Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, comprised of 10 elements in nine groups (with nine aspheric surfaces, including a double-sided element made by combining two advanced aspherical elements ). It also features the Zeiss T* coating.
Build and Ergonomics
The classic rangefinder-style body looks and feels very solid. Its front panel is dominated by the lens, which is not interchangeable. There are no controls on this panel ““ or on either side panel.
Front view of the DMC-LX100. (Source: Panasonic.)
The grip moulding on the front panel is just deep enough to provide stability and its rubber-like cladding makes the camera comfortable to hold. A similar cladding is applied to the generous thumb rest on the rear panel.
Unlike many enthusiasts’ cameras, the LX100 lacks a dedicated mode dial and less experienced photographers may find it challenging to operate. As in a traditional film camera, apertures are set with a ring on the lens and shutter speeds are adjusted with a dial on the top panel.
To shoot in P (programmed auto exposure) mode, you set each dial to the red A mark. The A mode is selected by setting the shutter speed dial to the A mark and turning the aperture ring on the lens. Setting the S mode involves moving the aperture ring to the A mark and turning the shutter speed dial.
One consequence of this arrangement is that there’s no dedicated movie mode. Movie recordings must be triggered and switched off by pressing the button on the rear panel.
Close-up view of the LX100’s top panel showing the shutter speed and exposure compensation dials. (Source: Panasonic.)
An exposure compensation dial is located on the top panel, close to the shutter button. Also on the lens barrel are selectors for setting the aspect ratios for images and the focusing modes.
The aspect ratio selector on the LX100. (Source: Panasonic.)
The focus mode switch on the LX100. (Source: Panasonic.)
The lens has inner and outer barrels which extend as the zoom lever is turned towards the right. The review camera was supplied with the optional DMW-LFAC1 auto lens cap, which has three blades that open automatically when the camera is switched on. (The camera is normally sold with a clip-on lens cap and a tether to attach it to the shoulder strap.)
Top view of the LX100 with the zoom lens fully extended. (Source: Panasonic.)
In addition to the shutter speed and exposure compensation dials, the top panel carries a hot-shoe for attaching the bundled external flash or an optional optical viewfinder. To its left, where a pop-up flash would normally be found is a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) housing.
The EVF housing, showing the dioptre adjustment slider on the right hand side and the Fn3 function button, which is set by default to switch between the monitor and EVF. (Source: Panasonic.)
The viewfinder is identical to the GX7’s and has a resolution of 2.764 million dots and magnification of 0.7 times. Panasonic claims it provides accurate colour reproduction and covers the full field of view of the sensor, with the selected aspect ratio indicated by greying out cropped areas.
An eye sensor automatically switches between the monitor and EVF when the camera is raised to the eye. If Eye Sensor AF in the Custom menu is set to On, the camera automatically sets the focus when you look through the viewfinder. (Continuous re-adjustment is not supported.)
Sprinkled on the top and rear panels are dedicated buttons for accessing filter effects and movie recording plus enough programmable function buttons to satisfy users who like to configure the camera to their own requirements.
The rear panel on the LX100 showing the monitor and button controls. (Source: Panasonic.)
The monitor screen measures 71 x 42 mm and has a 3:2 aspect ratio plus a resolution of 921,000 dots. It’s fixed in place and (surprisingly) not touch sensitive, although Panasonic seems to be drifting away from touch-screens if recent releases are evidence of trends.
To the right of the screen is a standard suite of controls, including an arrow pad with directional buttons for accessing ISL, white balance, drive and AF modes plus a central Menu/Set button. Surrounding it is a control dial, which is used for selecting adjustments and changing settings. Four buttons (Q. Menu, Playback, Display, and Fn1/Delete) surround the arrow pad.
Lined up along the top of the monitor are four more buttons, the two at the left being programmable Function buttons. The default settings for these are the monitor/EVF switch and the Wi-Fi connection. To the right lies the movie button, which has a red dot and the AF/AE lock button.
A tiny NFC (near field communication) antenna is embedded in the lower section of the left hand side panel, while the HDMI and AV Out/Digital sockets are situated beneath a lift-up cover on the right hand side panel. The battery and memory card share a compartment in the base of the camera, alongside a metal-lined tripod socket. A speaker grille is located near the left hand end of the base plate.
The battery is charged in a separate charger supplied with the camera. It’s CIPA rated capacity is 300 pictures with the rear monitor or 270 pictures with the EVF when flash is used. With the flash off, this increases to 350 pictures with the rear monitor or 320 pictures with the EVF.
Sensor and Image Processing
The LX100’s sensor is the same 16-megapixel chip as in the GX7 but only uses 12.8 megapixels to produce the largest image, because of the cropping strategy Panasonic uses to produce different aspect ratios (see table below). The sensor is coupled with the latest quad core Venus Engine processor, which enables the camera to record 4K movies and supports continuous shooting speeds of up to 11 frames/second at full resolution.
As usual, the LX100 supports both JPEG and RW2.RAW file formats, including RAW+JPEG. Typical file sizes and resolutions for the four aspect ratio options are shown in the table below.
|
Aspect ratio |
Image Size |
Pixels |
Resolution |
Quality Setting |
|
||
|
Fine |
Standard |
|
|||||
|
4:3 |
RAW |
4112 x 3088 |
12.7MP |
14.6MB |
|
||
|
L |
4112 x 3088 |
12.7MP |
7.4MB |
3.7MB |
|
||
|
M |
2976 x 2232 |
6.6MP |
4.3MB |
2.2MB |
|
||
|
S |
2048 x 1536 |
3.1MP |
2.5MB |
1.3MB |
|
||
|
3:2 |
L |
4272 x 2856 |
12.2MP |
7.2MB |
3.6MB |
|
|
|
M |
3120 x 2086 |
6.5MP |
4.3MB |
2.2MB |
|
||
|
S |
2112 x 1408 |
3.0MP |
2.5MB |
1.3MB |
|
||
|
16:9 |
L |
4480 x 2520 |
11.3MP |
6.9MB |
3.5MB |
|
|
|
M |
3840 x 2160 |
8.3MP |
5.4MB |
2.7MB |
|
||
|
S |
1920 x 1080 |
2.1MP |
1.1MB |
0.6MB |
|
||
|
1:1 |
L |
3088 x 3088 |
9.5MP |
5.6MB |
2.8MB |
|
|
|
M |
2240 x 2240 |
5.0MP |
3.2MB |
1.7MB |
|
||
|
S |
1536 x 1536 |
2.4MP |
1.3MB |
0.7MB |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Continuous shooting options are quite complex, with four speeds settings available: Super High, High, Medium and Low. But the speeds available depend on whether you opt for continuous autofocusing or set the focus on the first frame in a burst. The highest speed is only supported for JPEG capture at a reduced size (3M). The table below shows the differences between the settings.
|
|
Speed setting |
Max Speed |
Max. image size |
Max burst |
|
|
JPEG |
RAW |
||||
|
AF fixed on first shot in burst |
Super High |
40 fps |
3 MP |
60 |
n.a. |
|
High |
11 fps |
12 MP |
To card capacity |
20 |
|
|
Medium |
7 fps |
20 |
|||
|
Low |
2 fps |
20 |
|||
|
Continuous AF |
Super High |
Not available. |
|||
|
High |
6.5 fps |
12 MP |
To card capacity |
20 |
|
|
Medium |
6.5 fps |
20 |
|||
|
Low |
2 fps |
20 |
|||
In addition to the standard continuous shooting modes, the 4K Photo Mode setting allows users to extract 8-megapixel (3840 x 2160) images from movie footage recorded in 4K resolution at either 25 or 30 frames/second (depending on whether you use NTSC or Pal format). And this setting supports continuous autofocusing and is available for all four aspect ratios.
Video
Movies can be recorded in either AVCHD or MP4 format, although only the latter supports 4K resolution. Options available are mostly the same as those provided by the GH4, which we reviewed in May 2014, although without the professional CineD and CineV colour profiles. Full-HD (1920 x 1080) recordings can be made with a top scanning resolution of 50p in AVCHD Progressive (MPEG-4 / H.264) format or MP4 at 50p.
As with the GH4, the LX100 provides full manual control over exposures and supports continuous autofocusing, which allows the lens to be zoomed while a clip is being recorded. However, there are no provisions for connecting an external microphone or headphone jack, which limits the use of this camera for professional video recordings.
Focusing and Exposure
The LX100’s AF system is contrast-based, with a 49-point sensor array that supports multi-area, centre, group (4, 6 or 9 points) and Pinpoint modes. Users can choose between single, and continuous focusing and tracking AF. The system has a normal range of 50 cm to infinity, plus close-up focusing to three centimetres in macro mode.
Face detection is also available and the camera includes the DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology that was introduced with the GH4, which reduces the time required to acquire focus. Panasonic claims a lock-on time of 0.14 second.
When manual focusing is selected, focus is adjusted by turning the ring on the lens. Focus options include a peaking display and magnification of the selected focus area between three and 10 times.
Two shutter options increase the range of exposure levels the LX100 can handle. The default mechanical shutter covers exposures from 60 seconds to 1/4000 second, while the electronic shutter has a maximum of one second (but only with ISO settings of 3200 or lower) and a minimum exposure of 1/16000 second. It is used when the Super High continuous shooting and Silent modes are selected.
There are three settings in the menu: Auto (which switches automatically between the mechanical and electronic shutters), MSHTR (mechanical) and ESHTR (electronic). The sound of the electronic shutter can be muted with the Shutter Vol control, but the mechanical shutter isn’t adjustable.
The standard multi, centre and spot metering settings are available, along with exposure compensation of +/- 3EV in 1/3EV steps. Dynamic range adjustments include a highlight/shadow control, an automatic i.Dynamic function and a multi-shot HDR mode, all available in the iAuto, P, A, S and M shooting modes and JPEG only. The HDR mode records three frames across a three EV range and combines them to produce a single exposure. Multiple exposures, interval shooting (time-lapse) and stop-motion animation are also supported in the iAuto, P, A, S and M shooting modes.
Other in-camera functions for JPEG shooting include a panorama mode and 22 filter effects. most of which are usable when recording movie clips. You can also record two frames with and without a filter if you’re uncertain about the end result. Simultaneous recording isn’t available for movies or the continuous shooting, bracketing and time-lapse modes.
Wi-Fi
The LX100 supports both Wi-Fi and NFC (near field communication) and the default setting for the Fn2 function button is for operating the Wi-Fi connection. Connecting the camera to an Android device with NFC capabilities is straightforward as you simply bring the two devices together.
You’ll need to install the Panasonic Image App (a free download) on the smart device beforehand to use the NFC function and it will also be required if you want to operate the camera remotely. Once the connection is made, images captured with the camera will be displayed on the device’s screen. You can register up to 20 smart devices in the camera.
Remote control of the camera gives you the advantage of using the smart device’s touch screen for selecting the focus area and triggering the shutter. Other functions that can be adjusted remotely include ISO, white balance, aspect ratio, resolution, compression, metering mode, drive mode, photo style and movie quality. You can’t adjust exposure levels, however, even if the aperture and shutter speed controls are set to A.
The camera also reduces the resolution of the images it sends to the smart device, although you can configure it to send full-resolution JPEGs. It takes roughly 20 seconds to transfer each image with this setting.
Wi-Fi functions are only usable when recording JPEG images. You can’t save raw files, AVCHD movie clips or 4K MP4 movies. But you can upload pictures from the camera to social networks and geotag images with location data from a connected smart device. You can also send pictures to wireless printers or back-up images on computers connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Performance
Test shots from the review camera contained plenty of detail, an attractive (although slightly warm biased) colour balance with the default Standard photo style and accurate exposure metering. Imatest confirmed our subjective assessments and showed the camera to be capable of meeting resolution expectations for both JPEG and RW2.RAW files.
The resolution differences between JPEG and RAW files were slightly less than we expected at low ISO settings but increased a little as sensitivity was increased. The graph below compares the results of the two file types across the camera’s ISO range.
Our Imatest tests revealed the lens showed some edge and corner softening at wider aperture settings, particularly with the shorter focal length settings. Highest resolution was recorded at f/2.8, although centre-of-frame resolution remained relatively high up to f/8, where diffraction took effect. The graph below plots resolution across the camera’s aperture range for four focal length settings.
Lateral chromatic aberration varied between negligible and low, creeping into the ‘low’ band at the shorter focal lengths and smallest aperture settings. We found very little evidence of coloured fringing in test shots. In the graph below showing the results of our Imatest tests, the red line marks the border between ‘negligible’ and ‘low’ CA.
We were particularly impressed by the speed and accuracy of the review camera’s AF system. In our tests, the camera locked-onto moving subjects almost instantly and was able to keep them in focus, thanks to effective tracking. We had a couple of missed focus shots in our tests, but only with subjects in relatively low light levels. Overall performance was excellent.
The auto white balance setting produced close-to-neutral colours with both fluorescent lighting and flash but, as expected, failed to eliminate the orange cast that characterises incandescent illumination. There’s no pre-set for fluorescent lighting but tungsten pre-set came close to correcting the warm colour cast. Manual measurement produced neutral colours under all three types of lighting.
The camera also supports Kelvin temperature settings and provides adjustments for fine-tuning colours on the amber/blue and green/magenta axes. White balance bracketing is also available across three shots.
Little noise could be seen in long exposures at ISO settings up to about ISO 3200 but granularity and coloured speckling became noticeable at ISO 6400 and noise increased rapidly thereafter. Shots taken at the top setting of ISO 25600 were granular, blotchy and slightly soft, with some loss of colour intensity.
The supplied GN7 flash was too weak to illuminate a subject taken with the lens at the 34mm position at ISO settings up to 1600 and, even then, the influence of ambient lighting was apparent in test shots. Over-exposure occurred at the two highest sensitivity settings, although the camera’s AE system appeared able to adjust both shutter speed and aperture to compensate ““ at least to some extent.
Video quality was generally impressive, although not quite as good as we obtained from the GH4. Unfortunately, the built-in microphone tended to pick up the sounds made by the camera’s autofocusing and stabilising systems and also the sounds made when the lens was zoomed in or out.
You can adjust the sensitivity of the microphone with the Mic Level Adj setting in the movie menu. But you can’t set the camera for silent recording. A wind-cut filter is also available, with five settings, including auto and off.
The new 4K Photo Mode delivered on its promises, producing printable 8-megapixel (3840 x 2160) frames from movie clips during playback. It was particularly useful for grabbing action shots from movie recordings.
Our timing tests were carried out with a 16GB Panasonic Class 10 UHS SDHC card with a rated read speed of 90 MB/s and write speed of 45 MB/s. The review camera took just over one second to power up and roughly the same time to close down, without the automatic lens cap and about half a second linger with the automatic lens cap in place.
Capture lag was effectively negligible and averaged less than 0.1 seconds. It was totally eliminated by pre-focusing. Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.6 seconds. There’s no indicator to show how long single files take to process but the live view display resumed after approximately 2.5 seconds after each shot was taken, regardless of whether it was a Large/Fine JPEG, RW2.RAW file or RAW+JPEG pair.
The continuous shooting modes performed to specifications. When focus and exposure were set on the first frame in a burst, the top speed of 11 frames/second (fps) was maintained for 90 Large/Fine JPEG shots, which were captured in seven seconds, after which slight slowing occurred. It took 11.8 seconds to process this burst.
With RW2.RAW files, we were able to record 24 frames in 2.4 seconds, indicating a slight slowing of the capture rate and reduced buffer capacity. It took 7.5 seconds to process this burst. Changing to RAW+JPEG capture, we found the capture rate slowed after 22 frames, which were recorded in 2.2 seconds. It took roughly 17.2 seconds to process this burst.
When using the Super High speed burst setting, the camera recorded a burst of 60 reduced-size JPEGs in 1.6 seconds and then stopped completely. It took roughly ten seconds to complete the processing of this burst.
Conclusion
Panasonic’s DMC-LX100 is not a perfect camera; there’s no built-in flash, the monitor isn’t touch-sensitive and doesn’t tilt, it lacks a built-in ND filter and you can’t adjust exposures via Wi-Fi. The lens displays edge and corner softness at wide apertures and short focal lengths and focusing and exposure noises tend to be recorded on movie soundtracks.
Nevertheless, it’s one of the nicest fixed-lens compact cameras we’ve used in the past 12 months and provides an excellent set of features for serious photo enthusiasts, albeit at a slightly higher local RRP. Australian buyers who shop around are likely to find it at prices that are similar to (or less than) the US prices when currency and shipping costs are accounted for.
The menu system is excellent and very similar to the GH4 (and other Panasonic cameras), which makes it an ideal ‘walkaround’ camera for owners of Panasonic’s G-series cameras. The excellent EVF will please anyone who like to shoot outdoors in bright sunlight ““ particularly since it’s usable while shooting movies (an advantage over conventional DSLRs).
Photographers who enjoy recording action will appreciate the fast continuous shooting settings, with up to 11 frames/second available at full resolution, along with a decent buffer memory. They will also value the 4K Photo mode. And they should find no issues with unfocused shots in normal light levels.
SPECS
Image sensor: 17.3 x 13.0 mm High Sensitivity MOS sensor with 16.84 million photosites (12.8 megapixels effective)
Image processor: Venus Engine IX
Lens: Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9 – 34mm f/1.7-2.8 zoom (24-75mm in 35 mm format)
Zoom ratio: 3.1x optical, up to 4x digital or 6.2x intelligent zoom
Image formats: Stills – JPEG (DCF / Exif 2.3), RW2.RAW, RAW+JPEG; Movies – AVCHD, MP4
Image Sizes: Stills – 4:3 aspect: 4112 x 3088, 2976 x 2232, 2048 x 1536; 3:2 aspect: 4272 x 2856, 3120 x 2086, 2112 x 1408; 16:9 aspect: 4480 x 2520, 3840 x 2160, 1920 x 1080; 1:1 aspect: 3088 x 3088, 2240 x 2240, 1536 x 1536; Movies – MP4 format: 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 24/25p 100 Mbps, 1920 x 1080 at 50p/28 Mbps, 1920 x 1080 at 25p/ 20 Mbps, 1280 x 720 at 25p/10 Mbps, 640 x 480 at 25p/4 Mbps; AVCHD format: 1920 x 1080 at 50p/28 Mbps, 1920 x 1080 at 50i/17 Mbps, 1920 x 1080 at 50i/ 24 Mbps, 1920 x 1080 at 24p/24 Mbps
Shutter speed range: Approx. 60 – 1/4,000 sec (mechanical shutter); 1 – 1/16,000 sec (electronic shutter); Time (Approx. 120 sec); minimum 1/25 second for movies
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay plus 10 sec (3 images)
Image Stabilisation: POWER O.I.S.
Exposure Compensation: +/- 3EV in 1/3EV steps
AE Bracketing: 3, 5, 7 frames in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 EV Step, Max. +/-3 EV
Focus system/range: 49-point contrast-based AF with multi-area, centre and selective single point modes; single/continuous and tracking AF; range: 50 cm to infinity; macro to 3 cm; face detection available
Exposure metering/control: Intelligent Multiple, Centre Weighted, Spot
Shooting modes: P, A, S, M (by Aperture Ring and Shutter Speed Dial)
Creative Control modes: Expressive, Retro, Old Days, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Monochrome, Dynamic Monochrome, Rough Monochrome, Silky Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Toy Pop, Bleach Bypass, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Fantasy, Star Filter, One Point Colour, Sunshine (22 filters)
Photo Style: Standard, Vivid, Natural, Monochrome, Scenery, Portrait, Custom
Picture Adjustments: Contrast, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Saturation, Colour Tone, Filter Effect
ISO range: Auto / i.ISO / 100 (Extended ISO) ISO 200 to 25600 adjustable in 1/3EV steps
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, Flash, White Set (x4), Colour Temperature; 2-axis Adjustable
Flash: Bundled GN7 ISO100/m flash
Flash modes/range (ISO auto): Auto*, Auto/Red-eye Reduction*, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off (* For iA mode only); range: 0.6 – 14.1m (Wide / ISO Auto), 0.3 – 8.5m (Tele / ISO Auto)
Sequence shooting: Max. 40 frames/second (JPEG only) with electronic shutter; 6.5 frames/sec with mechanical shutter
Buffer memory depth (based on tests): JPEGs, raw files, RAW+JPEG
Storage Media: Single slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards
Viewfinder: 0.38-inch LVF (Live View Finder) with 2,764,000 dots, approx. 100% Field of View
LCD monitor: 3-inch TFT Screen LCD Display (921,000 dots), AR Coating
Interface terminals/communications: Wi-Fi (EEE 802.11b/g/n, 2412 MHz – 2462 MHz [1-11 ch], WPA / WPA2); NFC ISO/IEC 18092, NFC-F (Passive Mode)
Power supply: Li-ion Battery Pack (7.2V, 1025mAh, 7.4 Wh), CIPA rated for approx. 300 shots/charge with the rear monitor or 270 shots with the EVF
Dimensions (wxhxd): 114.8 x 66.2 x 55.0 mm
Weight: 351 grams (without battery and memory card)
TESTS
Based on JPEG files straight from the camera.
Based on RW2.RAW files converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
Auto white balance with flash lighting.
10.9mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/8.
34mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/160 second at f/8.
4x digital zoom, 34mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/160 second at f/8.
30-second exposure at ISO 100, 17mm focal length, f/4.
13-second exposure at ISO 1600, 17mm focal length, f/5.6.
9-second exposure at ISO 6400, 17mm focal length, f/6.3.
5-second exposure at ISO 12800, 17mm focal length, f/9.
3-second exposure at ISO 25600, 17mm focal length, f/11.
Flash exposure at ISO 200, 34mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/2.8.
Flash exposure at ISO 1600, 34mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/2.8.
Flash exposure at ISO 6400, 34mm focal length, 1/100 second at f/2.8.
Flash exposure at ISO 12800, 34mm focal length, 1/160 second at f/2.8.
Flash exposure at ISO 25600, 34mm focal length, 1/100 second at f/5.6.
4:3 aspect ratio with 11mm focal length; ISO 640, 1/60 second at f/11.
1:1 aspect ratio, 11mm focal length; ISO 640, 1/60 second at f/11.
16:9 aspect ratio, 11mm focal length; ISO 800, 1/60 second at f/11.
3:2 aspect ratio, 11mm focal length; ISO 640, 1/60 second at f/11.
Close-up; 34mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/5.
Close-up; 34mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/2.8.
11mm focal length; ISO 100, 1/40 second at f/8.
Crop from the above image enlarged to 100% to show very little coloured fringing.
34mm focal length with 2x digital zoom; ISO 1000, 1/125 second at f/8.
24mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/200 second at f/5.6.
Environmental portrait; 34mm focal length, ISO 1600, 1/25 second at f/3.2
Close-up portrait; 34mm focal length; ISO 1600, 1/40 second at f/2.8.
11mm focal length; ISO 1600, 1/10 second at f/1.7.
12mm focal length; ISO 25600, 1/60 second at f/3.5.
Multiple frames from a high-speed burst; 33mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/2000 second at f/2.8.
Still frame captured with the 4K Photo mode; 21mm focal length; ISO 200, 1/1300 second at f/2.8.
Still frame from MP4 4K video clip recorded at 24 fps.
Still frame from MP4 Full HD video clip recorded in 50p mode.
Still frame from MP4 Full HD video clip recorded in 25p mode.
Still frame from MP4 HD video clip recorded in 25p mode.
Still frame from MP4 video clip recorded with VGA resolution at 25p/4 Mbps.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) video clip recorded in 50p/28M mode.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD video clip recorded in 50i/17M mode.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD video clip recorded in 50i/24M mode.
Still frame from AVCHD Full HD video clip recorded in 24p/24M mode.
Rating
RRP: AU$1199; US$900
- Build: 8.8
- Ease of use: 8.0
- Autofocusing: 8.8
- Image quality JPEG: 8.8
- Image quality RAW: 8.5
- Video quality: 9.0
