In summary
Buy this camera if:
– You’re looking for a pocketable digicam with a wide range of user-adjustable controls.
– You need good performance in low light levels.
– You want Full HD movie recording.
– You want effective image stabilisation for movies and still pictures.
– You’d like fast autofocusing.
Don’t buy this camera if:
– You’re looking for a significant update to the previous model. (The improvements aren’t enough to justify the investment.)
– You want the ability to zoom in and out rapidly.
– You require in-camera red-eye reduction processing.
Full review
Announced two years after its predecessor, the LX5, Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-LX7 fits into the same market slot but now comes in a white body as well as traditional black. Its 10.1-megapixel sensor has the same resolution as the LX5’s but it’s a new CMOS chip, instead of CCD, which was used in the LX5. The Venus Engine processor has also been updated, promising better imaging performance. The 3.8x optical zoom lens is a new and faster model.
Angled front view of the LX7 with the pop-up flash raised. (Source: Panasonic.)
Panasonic has also increased the internal memory in the LX7 to 70MB, which is almost double the internal memory of the LX5. It’s enough for a couple of raw files or roughly 14 high-resolution JPEGs but won’t support movie recording.
The LX7 is Panasonic’s flagship compact camera and reflects this position in its build quality and features. However, it’s competing in an increasingly crowded market sector where manufacturers are introducing larger sensors to provide better image quality and add-ons like touch screens and Wi-Fi interfaces.
Currently, the LX7’s main competitors in the ‘pocketable’ sector of the enthusiast digicam market include Canon’s PowerShot S110, Fujifilm’s XF1, the Olympus Stylus XZ-2 and the Sony Cyber-shot RX100. These cameras all support raw file capture and provide P/A/S/M shooting modes. The table below compares basic features of each model.
|
|
Dimensions |
Weight |
Sensor area |
Zoom range (35mm equiv.) |
Monitor |
|
Panasonic LX7 |
110.5 x 67.1 x 45.6 mm |
269 grams |
7.44 x 5.58 mm |
24-90mm |
3-inch, 920,000 dots |
|
Canon S110 |
98.9 x 59.0 x 26.9 mm |
173 grams |
7.6 x 5.7 mm |
24-120mm |
3-inch, 461,000 dots |
|
Fujifilm XF1 |
107.9 x 61.5 x 33.0 mm |
204 grams |
8.8 x 6.6 mm |
25-100mm |
3-inch, 460,000 dots |
|
Olympus XZ-2 |
113.0 x 65.4 x 48.0 mm |
325 grams |
7.6 x 5.7 mm |
28-112mm |
3-inch, 920,000 dots |
|
Sony RX100 |
101.6 x 58.1 x 35.9 mm |
213 grams |
13.2 x 8.8 mm |
28-108mm |
3-inch, 1,228,800 dots |
As you can see from the graph above, the LX7 is one of the largest in size but has the smallest sensor in the group and the shortest zoom range (by a whisker). It’s a bit big for a shirt pocket, but a couple of rivals have the same problem.
Build and Ergonomics
The classic LX design is retained and the LX7 is only a few grams heavier than its predecessor and marginally larger. Build quality is similar to the earlier model, with a solid metal casing and semi-recessed lens. The cover to the battery/card compartment is flimsy, reducing the impression of superior quality.
Front view of the LX7. (Source: Panasonic.)
A new knurled aperture ring has been added to the aspect ratio selector on the lens barrel. It’s used to change aperture settings in the A and M shooting modes.
Close-up of the front of the LX7 showing the new aperture ring, which is positioned just in front of the aspect ratio selector. (Source: Panasonic.)
The new Leica DC Vario-Summilux 4.7-17.7 mm f/1.4-2.3 zoom lens is a full f-stop faster than the LX5’s lens at the wide position and 1.3 stops faster at the tele end of the zoom range. The f/1.4 maximum aperture allows 4x more light to reach the sensor than the f/2.8 lens on the LX5, supporting faster shutter speeds and improving low light performance.
With 11 elements in 10 groups, this lens includes nine aspherical surfaces, one of them a dual-sided aspherical surface ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens, which appears for the first time in a Lumix camera. Nano Surface Coatings are applied to minimise flare and ghosting.
Little has changed on the top panel, save for a re-positioning of the microphone grilles, which are now located in front of the hot-shoe. They’re noticeably larger than the microphones on the LX5’s top panel and allow the new camera to record stereo soundtracks with movies, a big improvement over the LX5.
The top panel of the LX7 with the lens extended. (Source: Panasonic.)
A slide-in cover protects the hot-shoe and also the accessory port just below it, which can be used for fitting the optional DMW-VF1 Optical View Finder or DMW-LVF2 EVF. Panasonic’s FL220 (GN22), DMW-FL360 (GN36) and DMW-FL500 (GN50) can be used with the LX7. Unfortunately, there’s still no support for external microphones.
The LX7 shown with the DMW-VF1 Optical View Finder fitted. (Source: Panasonic.)
The mode dial carries the same settings as the LX5’s and includes the ‘Creative Motion Picture Mode’ for recording video clips using the camera’s manual settings (P, A, S and M shooting modes). Focal lengths are adjusted with a zoom lever around the shutter button, which has a very short throw but supports slow zooming in movie mode.
The rear panel of the LX7. (Source: Panasonic.)
Panasonic has doubled the resolution of the 3-inch monitor on the rear panel from 460,000 to 920,000 dots. A new ND/Focus lever on the rear panel just below the mode dial lets users switch in a 3EV neutral density filter or slip into manual focusing. When MF Assist is on, an enlarged view is displayed to make focusing easier.
There’s been a minor re-shuffling of some buttons to the right of the monitor. Going clockwise around the arrow pad from the top, you’ll find the ISO, White Balance, Drive/self-timer and Function buttons. Below. the Display and Q.Menu/Delete buttons are interchanged.
A small port cover on the right hand side panel lifts up to reveal the combined USB and A/V out and HDMI ports. AUSB cable is supplied but not an HDMI cable for connecting the camera to a TV set.
A compartment below the grip is shared by the battery and memory card. As noted above, its plastic cover is flimsy and contains a slot to provide cable access to the optional AC adaptor and DC coupler, which replaces the battery and allows use of mains power. A small, lift-up rubber cover protects the slot.
The tripod socket is offset towards the left hand side of the camera where it doesn’t block the battery/card compartment when the camera is tripod mounted. The battery is unchanged since the LX5 but its capacity is reduced from around 400 shots/charge to 330 shots, which is probably due to the higher screen resolution.
Shooting Modes
Nothing much has changed since the LX5. The standard P, A, S and M settings are prominent on the mode dial, which also provides easy access to the Scene pre-sets and Creative Control modes. Two Custom memory banks and available for storing frequently-used combinations of settings.
The aperture ring on the lens make it easier to use the A and M modes. With the LX5, if you wanted to adjust aperture settings you had to press the thumbwheel to toggle between aperture and shutter speed selection and then use the arrow pad for aperture adjustments. Now you can control aperture settings with your left hand and shutter speeds by turning the thumbwheel with your right.
In Shutter priority mode, adjustments are made with the thumbwheel, while in P mode, the thumbwheel toggles between Program Shift and exposure compensation. (The aperture ring is ignored in both modes.)
The iAuto mode makes use of algorithms that cover Scene Detection, Intelligent ISO, Face Detection, Quick AF, Backlight Compensation, I.Resolution, Intelligent Zoom and stabilisation and sets shooting parameters on the basis of the type of scene detected. Users can adjust image resolution and access special modes such as Motion Deblur, iHandheld Nite Shot and iHDR.
Motion Deblur recognises subject movement and selects a fast shutter speed to prevent the subject from being blurred. iHandheld Nite Shot captures a short burst of images and combines them to optimise resolution and minimise image noise in shots taken with the camera hand-held after dark. The iHDR is also a multi-shot mode that records images with different exposures and combines them to provide a wider tonal range.
Time lapse shooting is available in iAuto mode, with the ability to set the start time within a 12-hour period, select shooting intervals in one- to 30-minute steps and fix the number of shots between 10 and 60 frames. Bracketing options include exposure, white balance and aspect ratios.
Sixteen filter effects are available in the Creative Control mode: Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Star Filter, One Point Colour, Smooth Defocus and Radial Defocus. Some are available in Movie mode and all can be applied to still photos post capture. You can also apply multiple effects to a single image in playback mode and save it as a new JPEG.
The Scene presets include a 3D Photo Mode that captures a sequence of frames as the camera is panned across the scene and then selects the two frames that work best as a stereo pair. These frames are recorded in MPO format using a 16:9 aspect ratio and with an image size of 2M (1920 x 1080 pixels). They can be played back on compatible 3D TV sets using an HDMI (Viera Link) cable.
Like most camera manufacturers, Panasonic collects the most frequently-used adjustments into a Q.menu. Pressing this button displays a strip along the top of the monitor screen covering Photo Style, Flash, Movie settings, Resolution, Image quality, AF area, Metering mode and Exposure compensation. The last two only appear when you toggle past the AF Area mode.
The Fn button on the arrow pad can be set to access one of 14 functions, including the new Level Gauge, which displays lateral tilting to help you keep horizons horizontal. Other options include AF mode, focus area selection, grid overlay, metering mode and quality settings.
Sensor and Image Processing
The 1/1.7 inch (7.6 x 5.7 mm) CMOS sensor in the LX7 is marginally smaller than the 1/1.63-inch (8.07 x 5.56 mm) CCD chip in the LX5 (43.32 mm2 vs 44.87 mm2). But it’s not enough to make a big difference.
The chip has a total of 12.8 million photosites but supports an output resolution of 10.1 megapixels. As in the LX5, the remaining 2.7 million photosites are used to provide flexibility for different aspect ratios so that each retains maximum resolution. The table below shows the different image sizes for the aspect rations the camera supports.
|
Aspect ratio |
Resolution |
Fine |
Standard |
|
|
4:3 |
RAW |
3648 x 2736 |
18.29MB |
|
|
10M |
3648 x 2736 |
4.65MB |
3.10MB |
|
|
7M |
3072 x 2304 |
3.79MB |
2.33MB |
|
|
5M |
2560 x 1920 |
3.20MB |
1.77MB |
|
|
3M |
2048 x 1536 |
2.56MB |
1.31MB |
|
|
2M |
1600 x 1200 |
1.60MB |
0.82MB |
|
|
0.3M |
640 x 480 |
0.33MB |
0.20MB |
|
|
3:2 |
RAW |
3776 x 2520 |
12.49MB |
|
|
9.5M |
3776 x 2520 |
4.65MB |
3.01MB |
|
|
6.5M |
3168 x 2112 |
3.79MB |
2.33MB |
|
|
4.5M |
2656 x 1768 |
3.20MB |
1.77MB |
|
|
3M |
2112 x 1408 |
2.56MB |
1.31MB |
|
|
2.5M |
2048 x 1360 |
2.43MB |
1.28MB |
|
|
0.3M |
640 x 424 |
0.19MB |
0.12MB |
|
|
16:9 |
RAW |
3968 x 2232 |
11.64MB |
|
|
9M |
3968 x 2232 |
4.45MB |
2.93MB |
|
|
6M |
3328 x 1872 |
3.79MB |
2.33MB |
|
|
4.5M |
2784 x 1568 |
3.30MB |
1.77MB |
|
|
2.5M |
2208 x 1248 |
2.66MB |
1.35MB |
|
|
2M |
1920 x 1080 |
1.34MB |
0.58MB |
|
|
0.2M |
640 x 360 |
0.15MB |
0.10MB |
|
|
1:1 |
RAW |
2736 x 2736 |
10.04MB |
|
|
7.5M |
2736 x 2736 |
3.66MB |
2.33MB |
|
|
5.5M |
2304 x 2304 |
3.10MB |
1.77MB |
|
|
3.5M |
1920 x 1920 |
2.56MB |
1.35MB |
|
|
2.5M |
1536 x 1536 |
1.28MB |
0.69MB |
|
|
0.2M |
480 x 480 |
0.15MB |
0.10MB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Like its predecessor, the LX7 supports both JPEG and raw file capture. It also lets users record raw and JPEG images simultaneously and you can choose the image size and compression ratio for the JPEG shot. Two compression ratios are supported for each JPEG image size.
The sensitivity range in the new camera has been expanded to cover from ISO 80 to ISO 6400 at full resolution. ISO 8000, 10000 and 12800 are available via the Extended ISO setting but resolution is reduced to between 2.5 and 3.0 megapixels. Raw capture is blocked when Extended ISO is selected.
Continuous shooting is supported at up to 11 frames/second (fps) for full-resolution images or 60 fps with resolution reduced to between 2.5 and 3.0 megapixels. The table below shows the options available with the LX7.
|
Mode |
Burst speed |
Resolution |
No. of frames |
Focus, exposure, white balance |
|
2 |
2 fps |
Maximum |
Up to 100 |
Focus fixed on the first frame |
|
2AF |
Adjusted within the available range |
|||
|
5 |
5 fps |
Focus fixed on the first frame |
||
|
5AF |
Adjusted within the available range |
|||
|
11 |
11 fps |
12 |
All fixed on the first frame |
|
|
40 |
40 fps |
3.5-5M |
40 |
|
|
60 |
|
2-3M |
60 |
|
|
Flash |
At recharge rate |
2-3M |
5 |
The self-timer provides delays of 2 seconds and 10 seconds. There’s also a multi-shot setting that triggers the shutter after 10 seconds and captures three frames about two seconds apart.
Video
Movie resolution has stepped up to Full HD 1920 x 1080 with a choice of two recording formats: AVCHD and MP4. For the AVCHD format, ‘quality’ options are based on bit rate (the faster the bit rate, the higher the quality) and whether interlaced or progressive scanning is used. In PAL format, Full HD movies can be recorded with 50i or 50p scanning;60i and 60p are available for NTSC moveis.
In Motion JPEG mode, the frame rate is 30 frames/second and the ‘quality’ settings relate to the image size. The table below shows the approximate recording times for an 16GB memory card.
|
Video format |
Aspect ratio |
Quality |
Picture size |
Bit rate |
Frames |
Approx. recording time/16GB card |
|
AVCHD
|
16:9 |
PSH |
1920 x 1080 |
28 Mbps |
50p |
1 hour 15 min. |
|
FSH |
1920 x 1080 |
17 Mbps |
50i |
2 hours 5 min. |
||
|
SH |
1280 x 720 |
17 Mbps |
50p |
2 hours 5 min. |
||
|
Motion JPEG |
FHD |
1920 x 1080 |
n.a. |
30 |
1 hour 42 min. |
|
|
4:3 |
HD |
1280 x 720 |
n.a. |
3 hours 14 min. |
||
|
VGA |
640 x 480 |
n.a. |
7 hours 6 min. |
Movies must be recorded to a memory card with all settings, save for the lowest resolution (MP4/VGA). ISO is set automatically at the beginning of each clip but you can use the zoom and re-focus quickly while recording by pressing the Focus button on the lens.
You can record movies in almost any shooting mode by simply pressing the movie button. The P, A,S and M shooting modes can be accessed in the Creative Video Mode. Some Scene pre-sets are also available.
If you half-press the shutter button, the camera will refocus and pressing the button all the way down causes a still shot to be recorded. (The refocusing movement will be recorded in the movie clip.) The maximum image size available is 3.5M with a 16:9 aspect ratio and you can record up to 20 shots per clip.
Shooting in burst mode is possible during a movie recording with a top burst speed of 10 frames/second. Up to 40 still frames can be recorded with each movie clip.
The High Speed Video setting in the Creative Video Mode lets you record a silent video clip at 100 frames/second at 1280 x 720 pixels. These settings enable users to capture movement too fast to discern with the eye. Photos taken with the burst modes are automatically organised and can be played back either in the camera or on a computer using the bundled PHOTOfunSTUDIO software.
Playback and Software
Playback modes are similar to other Panasonic cameras that support raw file capture and include single, multi-image (12 or 30 thumbnails), zoom magnification (2x, 4, 8x or 16x) and slideshows (with or without ‘canned’ music soundtracks from the camera’s memory). Calendar and category views are also provided and you can zoom in to the focus point when viewing single shots. All the standard rotation, protection and deletion modes are available, along with basic retouching and application of Creative Control filter effects. Movie playback is also available and you can ‘grab’ frames from a video clip for saving as still pictures.
The supplied software bundle contains Silkypix Developer Studio 3.1 SE (for raw file ‘development’) plus PHOTOfunSTUDIO 5.0 HD Edition for organising and editing video clips. Both are limited in their capabilities so serious enthusiasts will be likely to favour third-party applications.
Performance
Shots taken with the test camera were as detailed and colourful as we found with the LX5. Warm hues showed boosted saturation in our Imatest tests, a factor reflected in many test shots. The reduction in saturation in raw files brought skin tones closer to desired colours but suppressed greens.
The wide dynamic range in outdoor shots was retained in the new model with slight improvements seen in JPEG images. In bright sunlight, blues and greens in JPEGs appeared natural straight out of the camera with the Standard and Natural Picture Styles. The Vivid and Scenery settings tended to over-saturate colours.
As with the LX5, we found no real difference in resolution between JPEGs and RW2.RAW raw files converted with supplied Silkypix converter. Both were below the resolutions we obtained when RW2.RAW raw files were converted with Adobe Camera Raw, so we’ve used the latter as the basis of raw file evaluation in this review.
Imatest showed resolution to be slightly above expectations for a 10-megapixel camera for JPEG files and a little higher when raw files were measured. Resolution remained relatively high between ISO 80 and ISO 200 (inclusive) then tailed off gradually from ISO 400 onwards. The graph below shows the results of our Imatest tests.
Lens performance was improved, particularly in the middle of the zoom range, where the highest resolutions were recorded at around f/2.8. Some edge softening was revealed at wider apertures, although it was less at the shortest focal length than other positions in the zoom range. The graph below plots the results of our Imatest tests across the camera’s aperture range at different focal length settings.
Lateral chromatic aberration was mostly negligible, dipping into the low range at the extremes of the aperture ranges for a couple of focal lengths. In the graph below the red line marks the border between ‘negligible’ and ‘low’ CA while the green line separates ‘low’ from ‘moderate’.
Long exposures at night were slightly better than the LX5’s. Resolution remained relatively high between ISO 80 and ISO 400 (inclusive) then tailed off gradually. Noise became visible by ISO 1600 and shots taken at ISO 3200 were visibly noise-affected. By ISO 6400, sharpness was compromised and images were becoming blotchy, both defects being emphasised at ISO 12800.
As usual, flash exposures fared slightly better than long exposures, although some softening of image details had set in by ISO 800. Shots taken at ISO 80 at the 17.7mm focal lengths were about half a stop under-exposed, while by ISO 6400 the camera was struggling to keep exposures in control. At ISO 12800 over-exposure was evident and softening and blotching were clear to see.
Strong backlighting was handled very well, even without dynamic range compensation. But the lens could be forced to flare by including a bright light source in the frame. Digital zoom shots were slightly soft and lacking in contrast.
Auto white balance performance was similar to the LX5’s. Test shots taken under incandescent light retained the characteristic orange cast but shots taken under fluorescent lighting were close to natural colours. Like the LX5, the new camera provides a Kelvin temperature option for matching light source colours plus adjustments to colour balance across the amber/blue and magenta/green colour axes.
Video quality was, as expected, noticeably better than the LX5’s, partly because of the camera’s Full HD capability but also because soundtracks are recorded in stereo. Unfortunately, you can’t plug in an external microphone to improve stereo ‘presence’ which isn’t great due to the close spacing of the camera’s mics.
Movie clips were smooth with slightly elevated contrast and colour saturation but pictures were sharp-looking and snappy. AF Tracking kept subjects sharp when taking still shots of moving subjects and also during pans and zooms in movie mode. But it was less successful with subjects that move erratically so sports photographers won’t find it as successful as snapshooters.
The autofocusing system in the LX7 uses the same 23-point multi-segment metering system as the LX5 and focusing modes were also unchanged. We found the camera quick to lock onto subjects in most lighting conditions. The AF-Assist light was helpful for subjects within about two metres of the camera in dim lighting.
Spot AF mode was reasonably easy to use, although not as easy as with a touch screen. You can change the size of the AF area with the rear dial or move it with the directional buttons on the arrow pad.
It took just over a second to power-up the test camera and shot-to-shot times averaged 0.7 seconds without flash and 1.8seconds with. We measured an average capture lag of 0.2 seconds, which changed to instantaneous capture with pre-focusing. It took 2.3 seconds to process each JPEG image and 2.6 seconds to process each raw file. A RAW+JPEG pair was processed in 2.8 seconds, on average.
continuous recording speeds and buffer capacities have increased markedly since the LX5. The review camera recorded a burst of 12 Large/Fine JPEGs in 1.1 seconds and another burst of 13 RAW+JPEG pairs in 1.2 seconds. It took 6.7 seconds to process the JPEGs and just over 30 seconds to process the burst of RAW+JPEG pairs.
Buy this camera if:
– You’re looking for a pocketable digicam with a wide range of user-adjustable controls.
– You need good performance in low light levels.
– You want Full HD movie recording.
– You want effective image stabilisation for movies and still pictures.
– You’d like fast autofocusing.
Don’t buy this camera if:
– You’re looking for a significant update to the previous model. (The improvements aren’t enough to justify the investment.)
– You want the ability to zoom in and out rapidly.
– You require in-camera red-eye reduction processing.
SPECS
Image sensor: 7.44 x 5.58 mm High sensitivity MOS sensor with 12.8 million photosites (10.1 megapixels effective)
Image processor:Venus Engine
Lens: Leica DC Vario-Summilux 4.7-17.7 mm f/1.4-2.3 zoom lens (24-90mm in 35 mm format)
Zoom ratio: 3.8x optical, up to 4.5x digital
Image formats: Stills – JPEG (DCF / Exif 2.3), RW2.RAW, RAW+JPEG; Movies – AVCHD; 3D – MPO
Image Sizes: Stills – 4:3 Aspect: 3648 x 2736, 3072 x 2304, 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480; 3:2 Aspect: 3776 x 2520, 3168 x 2112, 2656 x 1768, 2112 x 1408, 2048 x 1360, 640 x 424; 16:9 Aspect: 3968 x 2232, 3228 x 1872, 2784 x 1588, 2208 x 1248, 1920 x 1080, 640 x 360; 1:1 Aspect: 2736 x 2736, 2304 x 2304, 1920 x 1920, 1536 x 1536, 480 x 480; Movies – [AVCHD] 1920 x 1080 50p (PSH: 28Mbps); 1920 x 1080 50i (FSH: 17Mbps); 1280 x 720 50p (SH: 17Mbps); [MP4] 1920 x 1080 at 25 fps (FHD: 20Mbps), 1280 x 720 at 30, 25 fps (HD: 10Mbps)
Shutter speed range: 60-1/4000 seconds
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay plus 3 shots with 10 secs delay
Image Stabilisation: Power O.I.S. (On with Active Mode(only for Video) / Off)
Exposure Compensation: +/- 3 EV in 1/3EV steps
Focus system/range: Contrast-detection AF with 23 focus points; Normal, Macro, MF, Quick AF ON/OFF (On in Intelligent Auto), Continuous AF (only for motion picture) modes; range: 50 cm – infinity; macro to 1 cm at wide position
Exposure metering/control: TTL metering with multi-pattern, centre-weighted and spot modes
Shooting modes: iAuto, P, A, S, M, Scene (Portrait, Soft Skin, Scenery, Panorama Shot, Sports, Panning, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Handheld Night Shot, HDR, Food, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High Sensitivity, Through Glass, 3D photo), Creative Control (Expressive, Retro, High Key, Low Key, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, Impressive Art, High Dynamic, Cross Process, Toy Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Star Filter, One Point Colour, Smooth Defocus, Radial Defocus), C1, C2, Movie
ISO range: Auto, ISO 80-6400 in 1/3EV steps plus ISO 12800 by pixel mixed readout
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Flash, Incandescent, White Set1, White Set2, Colour Temperature (2-axis adjustable)
Flash: Built-in pop-up flash (GN 8.5) with Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync modes
Sequence shooting: Max. 11 frames/second for up to 12 shots
Storage Media: 70MB internal memory plus SD, SDHC, SDXC expansion slot
Viewfinder: Optional DMW-VF1E optical viewfinder or DMW-LVF2 electronic viewfinder on Hot Shoe
LCD monitor: 3.0-inch TFT LCD screen with 920,000 dots
Power supply: DMW-BCJ13PP rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 330 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): 110.5 x 67.1 x 45.6 mm
Weight: 269 grams (without battery and memory card)
TESTS
JPEG files
RW2.RAW files processed with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
4:3 aspect ratio: 6mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1000 second at f/4.5.
3:2 aspect ratio: 6mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1000 second at f/4.5.
16:9 aspect ratio: 6mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1000 second at f/4.5.
1:1 aspect ratio: 6mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1000 second at f/4.5.
4.7mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1600 second at f/4.
17.7mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/160 second at f/3.5.
4.5x digital zoom; 17.7mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1300 second at f/2.8.
Panorama mode; 4.7mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/160 second at f/8.
Close-up; 5mm focal length, ISO 80, 1/200 second at f/1.4.
8 second exposure at ISO 80; f/3.5; 7mm focal length.
5 second exposure at ISO 400; f/5.6; 7mm focal length.
3.2 second exposure at ISO 1600; f/8; 7mm focal length.
1.6 second exposure at ISO 6400; f/8; 7mm focal length.
One second exposure at ISO 12800; f/8; 7mm focal length.
Flash exposure at ISO 80; 17.7mm focal length, 1/40 second at f/2.3.
Flash exposure at ISO 400; 17.7mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/2.3.
Flash exposure at ISO 1600; 17.7mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/2.3.
Flash exposure at ISO 6400; 17.7mm focal length, 1/125 second at f/2.8.
Flash exposure at ISO 12800; 17.7mm focal length, 1/250 second at f/2.8.
Backlighting; 4.7mm focal length, ISO 80, 1/1600 second at f/5.
Close-up at 5mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/100 second at f/1.6.
4.7mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/40 second at f/4.5.
4.7mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/400 second at f/5.6.
17.1mm focal length, ISO 80, 1/250 second at f/8.
Still frame from AVCHD video clip shot in the PSH mode.
Still frame from AVCHD video clip shot in the FSH mode.
Still frame from AVCHD video clip shot in the SH mode.
Still frame from MP4 video clip shot in the FHD mode.
Still frame from MP4 video clip shot in the HD mode.
Still frame from MP4 video clip shot in the VGA mode.
Rating
RRP: AU$649; US$449
- Build: 8.5
- Ease of use: 8.5
- Autofocusing: 8.8
- Image quality JPEG: 8.8
- Image quality RAW: 9.0
- Video quality: 9.0
