This caught my eye. I tried to link to the official Panasonic product page but it seems to be down (or very busy) at the moment...perhaps because this M43 thing can shoot 4K video with the same 100Mbps codec as the GH4. I can see a ton of applications for this little cam :-)

Panasonic's LX100 makes huge compact leap with 4K video, MFT sensor (http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/15/panasonic-lx100-compact-fixed-lens/)

From what I understand the lens on this camera is comparable with my 12-35mm panasonic lens in terms of focal length but it's faster on the wide end (f1.7) and it has a camerabody attached to it and it's cheaper??

OK, found some limited info on the Panasonic UK site - link below.

DMC-LX100 Compact Cameras - Panasonic UK & Ireland (http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-digital-cameras---point-and-shoot/compact-cameras/dmc-lx100.html)

From what I can see in the video the iris ring is not declicked, I only hope you can cycle through the iso range by using the dial on the back, having the shutter button on top is not that useful for video as you have that fixed to 1/50th or 1/100 most of the time. I only wished they would have crammed a nd filter in there as well, can't have it all I guess.

No headphone port?

It's going to sell for $800 which means approx £500 in the UK most likely.

I would definitely consider buying this and sell my NEX 7.

http://www.cnet.com/products/panasonic-lumix-dmc-lx100/

No headphone port?

According to the DPreview article on the DMC-LX100 that I've just scanned no headphone (or microphone) port - but still a lot to love for a camera with some of this one's likely capabilities (and PRICE). I bet a few of these will be seen on Quadcopters or say used for locked-down second cam shots with C100s, GH4s etc. etc. in the months ahead.

Far more excited about this camera than I was about the Canon 7DMkII specs (especially after viewing the video sample Canon put out this weekend)...but at least Canon give you a headphone port on the 7D now!!!! (and "soft" 1080p50/60...). Panasonic (and Sony) seem to be moving at a different development pace with what we've seen announced the last few days.

Did I not read somewhere there was a timelimit on recording in 4k to prevent overheating?

I think 15 minutes - not sure where I read that so needs to be checked.

£799 per Wex Photographic. Fifty quid dearer than the for me more comprehensive FZ1000.

I suppose attractive to those who don't need a long zoom but I wonder about the handling and controls which not that brilliant on the bulkier FZ1000.


Ron

This caught my eye. I tried to link to the official Panasonic product page but it seems to be down (or very busy) at the moment...perhaps because this M43 thing can shoot 4K video with the same 100Mbps codec as the GH4. I can see a ton of applications for this little cam :-)

Panasonic's LX100 makes huge compact leap with 4K video, MFT sensor (http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/15/panasonic-lx100-compact-fixed-lens/)

4K Only for 15 minutes.

Yes, found that confirmed in the footnote in the specs. What a shame! Reminds me of the pain it was shooting interviews with my Canon 7D a few years ago...needing to restart the recording every 12 (or so) minutes really disrupts the flow of interviews.

Not sure if this is to protect the GH4 or to protect this tiny camera (because of heat build-up).

Wonder if the more upmarket Leica badged variant of this cam, the Leica-D-Lux (which will come with different firmware) will also have this limit?

Here's another video shot with the LX100.

[NEW] LUMIX DMC-LX100 "Berlin - A Meeting of Old & New" in 4K by Benjamin Todd - YouTube

Does it have analog video out while recording?

Sony, please take note:

Your competition is using 100mbps to SDXC cards, NOT the 60mbps that you are using for your consumer grade codec. (Panny FZ100 and LX100)

Please challange Panasonic and match their bitrates with your new competing models. (I.e. Sony "RX20" or RX100 mk4)

When Sony supports UHS-III, that's when they'll support bitrates of 150mbps for 60p. They're grossly underestimating the write speeds of SDXC just to be safe, and considering the huge variance of write speed between brands, you can see why they made a lower write speed.

I'm actually surprised the X70 doesn't support XQD. The X70 is either getting a UHS-III upgrade or a XQD upgrade for it's 4K upgrade later on.

I'm actually surprised the X70 doesn't support XQD. The X70 is either getting a UHS-III upgrade or a XQD upgrade for it's 4K upgrade later on.
I'm not sure I agree with this. As far as I know, Sony hasn't published the specs for 4K XAVC-L (or whether the 4K upgrade will even be XAVC-L and not XAVC-S), so it's unknown what the data rate will be. It may require an UHS-III or XQD upgrade, but I'm thinking the 4K upgrade will be a paid firmware upgrade -- essentially a profitable, no-cost upgrade for Sony.

My take: It's a pocketable (jacket pocket) GH4 at less than a third of the cost (comparison: GH4 with Leica f2.8 12-35mm (24-70mm) lens).

And you gain: better low-light performance (f1.7 versus f2.8 at the wide end), an amazing macro mode (focus to 2cm), a power zoom, and, I think based on preliminary tests by me, better OIS.

What you lose: no mic input, no touch screen, no CINE-D, bulk.

Here is a test video I made, to check if there was no dust on the sensor, that cheap third-part batteries worked, and the OIS. These are worst-case scenarios for OIS - close-ups at full telephoto. Shot in Standard picture style with NR at -1 and an .8 ND filter:

Panasonic LX100 4K Test Video: Late Fall Close-Up Foliage in Miserable Weather on Vimeo

Are these are handheld shots? They look pretty good for a small camera like that.

I'm also wondering about the 15 minute recording limit. When the limit is reached, can you simply press the record button again and continue going on, missing only a few seconds between the two shots?

Are these are handheld shots? They look pretty good for a small camera like that.

I'm also wondering about the 15 minute recording limit. When the limit is reached, can you simply press the record button again and continue going on, missing only a few seconds between the two shots?

Yes, handheld. Yes, just press again.

Mark, I believe you are the only person here that has more camera's then I do :D I have seen that you have some gh4 videos on vimeo as well, how would you compare the low light performance of this camera at it's highest iso to the gh4, if I understood right the highest iso for video is 6400, is it's noise at that iso comparable with the gh4?

Mark, I believe you are the only person here that has more camera's then I do :D I have seen that you have some gh4 videos on vimeo as well, how would you compare the low light performance of this camera at it's highest iso to the gh4, if I understood right the highest iso for video is 6400, is it's noise at that iso comparable with the gh4?

Unfortunately, no more videos for at least a week as I am traveling.

Reminds me of the pain it was shooting interviews with my Canon 7D a few years ago...needing to restart the recording every 12 (or so) minutes really disrupts the flow of interviews. [...] Wonder if the more upmarket Leica badged variant of this cam, the Leica-D-Lux (which will come with different firmware) will also have this limit?

Yep, seems like the Leica version will record "up to 29 minutes."

-- peer

So we are back to record time limitations? I know this is an issue for EU cameras but for the US market some cameras have the limitation and some do not. Why not just stick all being able to record continuously? My LX7 can record continuously in 720p60 mode. This is the previous generation camera.

And about the extra tax, why not let the consumers decide if they want to pay the extra tax and offer continuous recording as an option? Video on these cameras is no longer an extra gimmick.

I need to be able to set these cameras recording in a fixed position until the card fills up to justify buying them for work. With the time limitation, no purchase from me.

Some discussions have suggested that the short shot length in 4K is related to sensor heat and the cooling limitations inherent in the compact body.

Fran

BTW Mark, that is a sick level of detail for a $900 pocket camera. Very nice images! This industry is just upside down right now.

Panasonic LX100 4K Video: Bonn in Miserable Weather on Vimeo

You are shooting this about 1,5 hour drive from my place :)

How do you like you lx100? Is it "pocketable" enough? The images coming out of it look very impressive.

This really is some very nice imagery. Based on what I've seen thus far, I actually like it better than the GH4.

It should look the same as both share the same sensor, the same profiles and use the same codec, mainly the lens is different. Also Marc's video was shot on a cloudy day, everything looks better when it's cloudy since the camera doesn't have to deal with high contrasts.

It should look the same as both share the same sensor, the same profiles and use the same codec, mainly the lens is different. Also Marc's video was shot on a cloudy day, everything looks better when it's cloudy since the camera doesn't have to deal with high contrasts.

True, but for whatever reason (in-camera sharpening?), I see more detail here than I do in the GH4 videos I've seen or those that I've shot.

The color is also very nicely balanced and better than I was ever able to achieve in my GH4.

But yes, you are correct, video is always easier and less 'stressful' for the camera on cloudy days.

No sun until Thursday here. I may be able to sneak in some video then. This is gopro weather!

True, but for whatever reason (in-camera sharpening?), I see more detail here than I do in the GH4 videos

What makes a difference in detail is when you select "upgrade to 1080p" in vimeo, standard the videos are converted to 720p but you need to upgrade the video to 1080p yourself and the source video needs to be 1080p as well, vimeo does not do this automatically, in fact vimeo discourages you to do this as they say 720p plays better on all devices. it could also be that in the free accounts this is not possible, I can see a clear increase in detail if I select the 1080p option.

What makes a difference in detail is when you select "upgrade to 1080p" in vimeo, standard the videos are converted to 720p but you need to upgrade the video to 1080p yourself [...]

Little did I know. Thanks.

-- peer

I was not aware about this either until a few weeks back, I couldn't understand why some users with the same camera as I had managed to get so detailed uploads on vimeo until someone pointed me to that 1080p upgrade option and suddenly my uploads became much crisper and clearer. I think many users don't know about this either which is why people see difference in detail because some are 720p and others 1080p converted.

I always upload the 4K version, and anyone who joins Vimeo can download the 4K original (not ooc original of course). If someone really wants to judge video quality it seems strange to look only at the highly re-compressed streaming version, even if it's 1080 (mine stream at 1080).

What makes a difference in detail is when you select "upgrade to 1080p" in vimeo, standard the videos are converted to 720p but you need to upgrade the video to 1080p yourself and the source video needs to be 1080p as well, vimeo does not do this automatically, in fact vimeo discourages you to do this as they say 720p plays better on all devices. it could also be that in the free accounts this is not possible, I can see a clear increase in detail if I select the 1080p option.

No, I'm talking about downloading the 4K LX100 videos from Vimeo and watching them on my 4K monitor. That's the only way I've compared 4K from the GH4, AX100, LX100 and any other 4K acquisition device.

But yes, I know about the uploading process with the manual selection of upgrading to 1080p.

It should look the same as both share the same sensor, the same profiles and use the same codec, mainly the lens is different. Also Marc's video was shot on a cloudy day, everything looks better when it's cloudy since the camera doesn't have to deal with high contrasts.

Hum...... why do I like this image better than the GH4, could it be the lens? This most likely will be my next camera! The price is amazing considering the lens.

What is the recording limit on this or does in not have one?

Michael,

15 mins in 4K mode…but there is a possibility (I have yet to see hard evidence) that the Leica badged variant (which I believe will have a different firmware and is only very slightly less of a bargain, price wise) MIGHT have a 29 minute limit…Let's hope so!

Here that Leica is over 20% more expensive, about that recording limit, are you sure it's 15 minutes? On the panasonic spec sheet I see that continuous recording time is approx. 90 min (4K/25p) and approx. 120 min (FHD/50p) but then again the actual recording time is half that so I don't understand what they are referring to.

Noa,

On the Panasonic spec sheet there is a note (one of many at the bottom) that lists the 15 minute limit in 4K mode.

On the Leica spec sheet there is, currently, no note (just the up to 29 minutes listed in the spec). Time will tell if the lack of a qualifying note regarding a 4K time limit of 15 mins is an omission....or not. I suspect both cams might be the same but let's wait and see - if the Leica does have a different firmware we might just get lucky!

Ah the fine print...:) I guess they are trying to guarantee you get 15 minutes of recording time no matter what instead of risking that the camera shuts down mid recording due to overheating.

Panasonic LX100 4K Video: Inside a Bonn Museum on Vimeo

It seems that given sensor/lens combination, it does not allow for much shallow DOF, unless you are very close to the subject? Otherwise is mostly an 'everything in focus' look?

At f1.7 when wide open you can get a narrower shallow dof with obects that are closer to you then with any other comparable pocket(able)camera out there but as soon as that distance increases you'd get more front to back sharpness, for lenses this wide the only other option would be to get a full frame camera and a fast 24mm lens prime but then you don't have a pocketcamera anymore.

Mark, the shutter dial on top of the camera doesn't have 1/50 but jumps from 1/30 to 1/60 to 1/125, as I understand you have to set it to 1/60 first and then use the dial on the back of the camera to finetune to select smaller increments of the shutter speed, like 1/50.

But what happens if you turn the camera off and on again, do you need to go true that procedure again or does the camera remember that it was set to 1/50 shutter?

Mark, the shutter dial on top of the camera doesn't have 1/50 but jumps from 1/30 to 1/60 to 1/125, as I understand you have to set it to 1/60 first and then use the dial on the back of the camera to finetune to select smaller increments of the shutter speed, like 1/50.

But what happens if you turn the camera off and on again, do you need to go true that procedure again or does the camera remember that it was set to 1/50 shutter?

In shutter priority mode you shift the shutter speed from 1/60th (top dial), say, to 1/50th using the front dial (much easier). And, yes, it sticks when you turn the camera off and on again.

Just for fun I made a brief video showing why you may need to shift the shutter speed from 1/60th:

Panasonic LX100 4K Video: Changing Shutter Speeds on Vimeo

The first clip was shot at 1/60th; the next at 1/50th.

Thx Mark for the clarification

Sunlight!

Panasonic LX100 4K Test Video: Bonn in Sunlight on Vimeo

Thanks Mark,
Any chance to watch this in 4k? :o