After saving up for some time now, I started looking for a new SLR camera to buy (was looking at the Digital Rebel XT) and I came across the new LX1 from Panasonic. It's a compact camera that offers a lot of manual controls (focus, exposure, shutter speed, aperture, etc) and true widescreen shooting in photo AND video mode (848x480) at 30fps!!! Since I do video work as well as photography, that widescreen video feature would be real nice. It also has OIS for the photo mode (not sure about video) and a live histogram display which is very helpful.

Check out here (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0507/05072003panasonic_lx1.asp) for more spec info and here (http://panasonic.jp/dc/gallery/lx1.html) for some actual pictures taken by the LX1.

I'm not sure when it's coming out but it's carrying a MSRP of $700.

Check it out and tell me what y'all think!

Wow! Widescreen video on a digital camera. Now thats a first!

If it doesn't have an excessive problem with red-eye (I can tolerate a bit on compact cams) then I might have found my next pocket cam.

DPreview has posted some sample images with this camera: http://www.dpreview.com/gallery/?gallery=panasoniclx1_preview/

The images look very clean for a p&s. Particularly, ISO 400 seems quite quiet. The aspect ratio is rather gimmicky but it looks like a good camera.

I'm buying one the second they hit Ebay. One of the threads on dpreview suggested that they had serious noise problems at higher ISO's, but that may be from an early test model. The pics look good enough for my uses.

Ken, as far as the widescreen thing being gimmicky, it is the reason I would buy this camera over the Panny FX8 (or FX9 soon). It is one of the only two wide angle compact cameras out there, and the other is the Ricoh Caplio, which I tried out and hated. Plus the LX1 has a great movie mode, and its OIS, and 8mp at full widescreen. Being an ultra compact (or what I call a "party camera") most of what I want to shoot with it is friends and parties in indoor spaces, where 35mm isn't wide enough most of the time.
Still, I'll have to wait and see how big it actually feels with that lens sticking out the front. It has an external lens cap, not a built in one, which IMHO sucks for this type of camera. If it won't fit easily in my pocket, it is useless to me, and I'll live with an FX8/9.

By "gimmicky" I meant mainly the camera's aspect ratio.

If you want a true wide-angle zoom lens on a compact camera today take a look at the Canon Powershot S70 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_s70.asp). I recently began using one as a casual carry-about camera and it's terrific. Its lens is the 35mm equivalent to a 28-100mm (the LX1's will be 28-112mm). But what really sets it apart from the crowd, and also from the upcoming LX1, is its ability to capture in true RAW mode as well as in Fine, Super-Fine and Normal JPG modes. The LX1 will only feature two JPG resolutions.

The S70 is also a real bargain with a price just under $450. It's blown me away. I think it's the best little camera available today for anyone who really takes photography seriously but doesn't always want to (or can't) carry a "serious" camera and lens.

EDIT: Here is the DPreview page on the Canon Powershot S70 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_s70.asp).

"But what really sets [the Powershot S70] apart from the crowd, and also from the upcoming LX1, is its ability to capture in true RAW mode as well as in Fine, Super-Fine and Normal JPG modes. The LX1 will only feature two JPG resolutions"

According to DPReview.com, the LX1 captures in RAW, TIFF, and JPEG formats. Did they make a mistake?

Ah, indeed. One page indicates that it will capture RAW (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0507/05072003panasonic_lx1.asp#specs)

while another omits it (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmclx1.asp). This latter page also indicates that the LX1 will offer a TIF file format, but the previous page indicated "No" to "Uncompressed file". So there's some understandable confusion in the pre-production period.

I guess we'll have to wait and see, but my bet is that it will capture RAW to be competitive.

Thank you, Kin.

Any updates ?

I dont see it available online till later in october.

A sample video would rock!

Dpreview has a review, that basicly says that the camera is so noisy, that is can only be used < 200 ISO. They like the optics, 16:9 posibilities and build, but the sensor is a lot more noisy than the competitions cameras.

I have seen some 400 iso pictures, and they are really baaad.

And it is even worse that Leica has based their new camera on this. They spoil their image doing this.

Yea, that's a shame. You can grab the review here at Dpreview (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasoniclx1/). There's also a sample video for you to check out also. It doesn't look all that impressive in my opinion. My Canon SD200 can take cleaner pictures and record the same quality of video compared to it.

My Canon SD200 can take cleaner pictures and record the same quality of video compared to it.

The LX1 records 800x600 video in widescreen mode, I believe. ALthough I guess the quality is debateable.

Yeah, I hope the noise issue is adressed, as it looks fantastic.

Nah it records widescreen video at 848 x 480, or at least that's what the Panasonic website (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=94142&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfModel=DMC-LX1K&catGroupId=24999&surfCategory=Lumix%AE&displayTab=S) says. The video I was talking about was based on a sample video [640x480] at Dpreview compared to some videos at the same resolution with my SD200.

Nice! DPreview updated review after my post :)

Video sample at 848x480 looks nice. Now if someone can update firmware to do 24fps instead of 10 or 30.

Hello
My questions about DMC-LX1:

1.) does it accept 4GB SD card and can handle?
2.) Is there any way to change frame rate to 20 or 24 or 25 fps instead of 30fps ?

The video is so BIG even with a 2GB SD card you can make only 15-16 minutes of video in 640x480/30fps

I need 640x480 video 19-25 fps with at least 1-1.5 hour capacity.
any idea?
Thanks
Joe

i do not know about 4gb combability, but since the video mode is considered a less important feature by the camera manufactures then you should have no hopes for any changes by Panasonic.

If you are in need af an solid state videocamera with still capcities then look for a JVC mc500.

i do not know about 4gb combability, but since the video mode is considered a less important feature by the camera manufactures then you should have no hopes for any changes by Panasonic.

If you are in need af an solid state videocamera with still capcities then look for a JVC mc500.
---

But do you think the frame rate is set in the firmware or is burnt in the camera's hardware?
Joe

Most of the hardwareencoders are programmable, but there has to be some sort of interface in order to do it.
If you are asking if its possible to hack the camera to change framerate, then the answer is very likely no.

Most of the hardwareencoders are programmable, but there has to be some sort of interface in order to do it.
If you are asking if its possible to hack the camera to change framerate, then the answer is very likely no.

----

Interesting, I just got the camera and tested it. I have slow 50x ADATA SD card and Panasonic suggest fast 133 or 150x SD card for 640x480/30 fps video. I tried it with my slow SD card and it works fine. I can not see any breaks, picture is continuous and smooth and fine. Of course it is also in all lower resolution. The camera MAY drop some frames, I do not know so maybe it just 20 or 25 fps instead of 30 but still continuous. I certainly see the difference between 10 and 30 fps.

However when lights are low (inside a room) the picture quality (still images) much worse and noise than my old HP photosmart 735 pictures.

Interestingly I can convert the MOV files to AVI files on my PC but when I choose Divx codec I get back 512x384 image size while when I use Xvid, I got back the original 640x480 movie.
Joe

I asked Panasonic and they told me that the new SD card (4GB) will use FAT32 and other 2GB and smaller cards in LX1 use FAT16

So the question is will there be a FAT32 firmware upgrade for LX1. They do not know the answer yet.

At least if I could choose directory on SD card where to save, I could make 2x2GB partition on the SD card so I could use the 4GB