LX5 to arrive soon...

[andrewc]

If anyone is thinking of buying one of these, Panasonic are offering an additional 2 years warranty on cameras bought in store before 31/01/11

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Dealers/Lumix+3+Year+Warranty+Offer+-+Dealer+Locator/Lumix+3+Year+Warranty+Offer+-+T+%26+C/6283092/index.html#anker_6283095

[geraldc]

For some reason my other half has her heart set on the Leica version, nearly double the price  just for the badge. It's just like bikes 

[andyoxon]

For some reason my other half has her heart set on the Leica version, nearly double the price  just for the badge. It's just like bikes  

I read of someone attending a local Leica owners camera club meet, with an LX3 sporting stuck on red dot, rather than D-LUX 4, needless to say the assembled gathering was not amused.

[andyoxon]

LX5 in group review  Enthusiast Compact Camera Group Test (Q4 2010) Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

[harrumph]

Certainly looks the pick of those three...

...but I'm still happy with my Ricoh GX200 - phew!

[arvid]

Missing from that test is the Samsung EX1. That the P7000 was no match for the other two is not really news. I'm still out of money, and I still don't know whether it will be the S95, the EX1, or both.

[harrumph]

EX1 was certainly a contender for my recent purchase, with its fast lens and AMOLED screen; but I just don't like using "bezel around a button" dials. I certainly recommend handling a prospective camera in a shop, even if doing so adds 10% to the price.

I ended up buying this camera, largely on the basis of its controls (although there are a couple of other things it does better than most of the competition). The drawback to it is that it is expensive for a camera that is now a couple of years behind the technological state of the art probably represented by the LX5 (which was runner-up in my personal "handling and controls" category).

Now if somebody would just make a compact camera with an articulating screen which hinges upwards rather than sideways, my wallet might be tempted out again...

[arvid]

Oh great, give me more options to think of. Luckily the reason I'm looking for a new one is that my Ricoh R8 fell apart(which I was not impressed with anyway), so I have some preoccupations against Ricoh.
Instead of upwards you can go downwards, but it is a bit of a different camera.

[Jakob]

I'm about to jump on a Samsung TL500/EX1..that or the Canon S95.

I would ideally like it to be $100 cheaper, but the feature set of that range of cameras is hard to argue with.

[geraldc]

Well the Leica's here and it's gorgeous. It's not mine, but at least I get to play with it.

Amusingly everyone is out of stock of the Leica leather case, so they suggested buying the Panasonic Lumix LX5 leather case and putting it in that. I now understand why the Panasonic model is a different shape, the more expensive Leica can fit in the Panasonic fitted case, but the cheaper Panasonic can't fit in the Leica fitted case.

[andyoxon]

Why does Leica seem to be immune to ergonomics, are hand grips beneath them.      

http://a.img-dpreview.com/reviews/Q42010highendcompactgroup/Images/LX5/allroundview.jpg

I must admit I'd rather have the grip than a fitted leather case (with no room for spare battery/cards/lens cloth)...

[geraldc]

Leica do have a handgrip option, it's just another £65. It's a metal bracket you screw into the tripod mount, to provide the same kind of bulge as the Panasonic. 

The Panasonic fitted leather case is gorgeous, it's £85, and is a throw back to the leather cases of the 1970s.  The lower part of the case is attached to the camera, and the top part can be lifted up and back to reveal the camera. The equivalent Leica case is £135 and much much bigger.

[harrumph]

Compact camera design marches on, and the Olympus XZ-1 has now touched down (well, almost).

Looks rather nice, particularly for those who crave DoF control combined with an OLED (i.e. really bright) display and an S90-style (except that it's not customisable) ring-around-the-lens control dial (just as well that it has that, given that its other main control seems to be one of those dreadful bezel-round-a-button things on the rear of the body).

The state-of-the-art VF-2 electronic viewfinder that the E-P2 uses also fits the XZ-1 - a big bonus for those who like/need a viewfinder (although the price don't 'arf mount up - around £620, I reckon).

It could probably do with a Franiec custom grip, and no doubt one will be along shortly...

Does it have the same sensor as the LX3 and LX5?

Only 1 custom mode, mind... what with that, and the bezel thingy, I remain firmly convinced that Ricoh are the kings of camera ergonomics. I don't know why all other high-end compact camera makers don't just copy their controls and menu system and have done with it.


PS This will swing it for people who like getting wet  

[andyoxon]

Compact camera design marches on, and the Olympus XZ-1 has now touched down (well, almost).

Looks rather nice, particularly for those who crave DoF control combined with an OLED (i.e. really bright) display and an S90-style (except that it's not customisable) ring-around-the-lens control dial (just as well that it has that, given that its other main control seems to be one of those dreadful bezel-round-a-button things on the rear of the body).

The state-of-the-art VF-2 electronic viewfinder that the E-P2 uses also fits the XZ-1 - a big bonus for those who like/need a viewfinder (although the price don't 'arf mount up - around £620, I reckon).

It could probably do with a Franiec custom grip, and no doubt one will be along shortly...

Does it have the same sensor as the LX3 and LX5?

Only 1 custom mode, mind... what with that, and the bezel thingy, I remain firmly convinced that Ricoh are the kings of camera ergonomics. I don't know why all other high-end compact camera makers don't just copy their controls and menu system and have done with it.


PS This will swing it for people who like getting wet  

The Olympus XZ-1 does look good; though 28mm as max wideangle is disappointing (if I was in the market for one).  Could well be the same sensor; seems an identical size at 1/1.63"  The new m4/3 Olympus E-PL2 looks good too - has a great jpeg engine.

[PH]

That Olympus does look good, I'd have probably have chosen it over the LX5 if it had been around a few months ago, though the price difference when it's actually in the shops would have to be similar.  My previous three cameras had been Olympus and it was the first place I looked for a replacement, there was nothing to match the LX5 at the time.  I can't see if it's available on the XZ-1, the wireless remote on my previous Olympus was so useful, I really miss it.

The new m4/3 Olympus E-PL2 looks good too

Yes, aren't M4/3 getting small?  I tend to change cameras every five or six years, by the time I'm looking for my next one I'm expecting them to be even smaller, maybe without interchangeable lenses.  With a fixed lens there's already not much difference in size between the LX5 and the new GF2.
http://a.img-dpreview.com/previews/panasonicdmcgf2/Images/3way.jpg