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There are quite a few compact/ultra-compact digital cameras that claim to be genuine photographic tools, but very few that really offer users anything near the level of creative control that most serious photographers demand. Despite one noteworthy omission, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 may be the exception to the rule.

The LX2 is a retro-look ultra-compact digital camera that reminds me of the elegant little Leica/Minolta CL/CLE rangefinder series from the 70’s and 80’s. Like the CL/CLE film cameras, Panasonic’s diminutive LX2 rewards savvy consumers with a very impressive combination of compact size and innovative design, a full slate of easily accessible automatic and manual controls, impressive ease of use, robust performance, and excellent image quality all shoehorned into a stylish metal alloy body that’s small enough to be dropped in a shirt pocket and tough enough to be taken just about anywhere. The LX2 provides more manual exposure options and the best control layout of any camera in its class and the 4X Leica zoom is sharp as a tack (and starts at the equivalent of 28mm). Clearly, this digicam was designed for serious photographers as an alternative to carrying around a bulky (and seriously un-pocketable) digital SLR, full time. The LX2 also incorporates the same Mega OIS optical image stabilization system as Panasonic’s larger digital cameras. Image Stabilization helps counter the effects of camera shake virtually guaranteeing sharper pictures, even at slower shutter speeds and in dim/low lighting.

NUTS & BOLTS

LCD Screen

The LX2 doesn’t provide an optical viewfinder, and that seems an egregious omission on a digicam with this level of flexibility and manual/creative exposure control - for some users the lack of an optical viewfinder may present an insurmountable usability flaw. LX2 users will have to rely on the 2.8 inch polycrystalline TFT LCD screen for all framing and composition chores. The hi-res (207,000 pixels) LCD screen is bright, sharp, hue accurate, fluid (fast refresh rate), and the display gains “up” (automatically brightens) in dim lighting - users can also manually boost LCD screen brightness. The LCD screen shows almost 100% of the image frame and is useable in bright outdoor lighting. The LX2 also provides a live histogram display in shooting mode and a static histogram display in playback mode. Aspect Ratio

Digital camera CCD/CMOS sensors generally provide a 4:3 aspect ratio - the same aspect ratio as a standard TV/computer monitor screen. The LX2’s sensor is approximately the same height as most digicam sensors, but much wider - giving users the option to capture true 16:9 aspect ratio images - the same aspect ratio as a wide-screen TV/computer monitor. The LX2 offers true 16:9 10 megapixel images, rather than the trimmed at the top and bottom images produced by most digicams that offer a 16:9 aspect. The LX2’s standard 4:3 aspect ratio images are limited to 7.5 megapixels and 3:2 aspect ratio images are limited to 8.5 megapixels. The LX2 uses the entire sensor for 16:9 aspect ratio shots, but crops 750,000 pixels off each side in the 3:2 aspect ratio (8.5 megapixels) and 1,250,0000 pixels off each side in the 4:3 aspect ratio (7.5 megapixels). A slider switch on the lens barrel permits users to quickly and easily shift between the three aspect ratios. Zoom

The LX2, like its predecessor, features an f2.8-f4.9/6.3-25.2mm (28-112 mm - 35mm equivalent) in 16:9 mode (34-136 mm in 4:3 mode) all glass Leica DC Vario-Elmarit optical zoom lens. Unlike the vast majority of compact/ultra-compact digicams the lens doesn’t retract fully when not in use – which makes the camera a bit thicker (and slightly less pocketable) than most of its competition. The LX2’s 28mm starting point (in 16:9 mode) provides users with a little extra width for those Grand Vista landscapes and for shooting tight interiors.