While the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2's performance won't induce profanity, it definitely lacks the responsiveness of the G7, always taking a fraction of a second longer than I could spare when shooting animals and children. A 0.7-second lag in typical lighting is just a bit too slow, though 1.1 seconds in dim light is pretty good. It takes 2.2 seconds between shots under the best conditions, and the flash recycling adds little overhead--a mere 0.5 second. Raw shooting takes a relatively slow 5.1 seconds between shots. And though the LX2's continuous-shooting speed is a decent 1.3fps to 1.5fps, it can take only a few shots before stopping to process.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Typical shot-to-shot time | |
Time to first shot | |
Shutter lag (typical) |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
At least the camera's interface won't slow you down so much. There are a few settings which I'd prefer on the outside rather than in the menus--white balance, ISO sensitivity, metering, and AF mode spring to mind--but most shooting options can be accessed from the well-laid-out array of buttons, dials, and switches. You will want to skim through the manual, however, or you'll encounter some mystifying options. For instance, there are five different AF modes: nine-area, three-area high speed, one-area high speed, one-area, and spot. They're pretty hard to figure out from the icons if you don't know they exist. Thanks to the bright, large, 2.8-inch wide-aspect LCD, though, they're pretty easy to read. But no matter how good an LCD is, I still miss having an optical viewfinder.
At 7.6 ounces, the metal-clad, sturdily built Pansonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is no lightweight. But if you're looking for a compact camera that fits more comfortably in your jacket pocket than the smallest dSLR will, it's an attractive alternative.
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Where to buy
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2K (black):
$449.95
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Amazon.com
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$449.95 | Yes |
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