LUMIX LX100 (Is it a superb camera?)

[wjlapier]

I'm glad I found me a great copy. I'm down to three digital cameras, one I rarely use ( LC1 ). The LX100 is about all I could want in a digital camera now. Zoom range is enough. Fast sharp lens. Way beyond excellent build quality. I love the Lumix colors. Always did especially with the Leica lenses.

 

[fireblade]

Thanks for replying. As soon as I looked at the first landscape I thought "that's Australia". Then as I looked more closely I realized it was even closer than that. ☺ My wife & I drove down to a winery at McClaren Vale for lunch. The back road route thru Blackwood, Coromandel Valley, Clarendon etc is far and away the nicest drive south on a warm Sunday especially once one hits open fields and rolling hills. Much better than the main south freeway.

Where in the Vale did you have lunch...one of the wineries?

 

[peterm1]

Where in the Vale did you have lunch...one of the wineries?

Yes we went to Maxwells Winery just out of McClaren Vale village. They have a nice restaurant at the winery. They have a limited choice menu, but high quality food (and surprisingly big serves).

We had intended to go to Pike and Joyce winery /restaurant in the Adelaide Hills which is terrific but it was booked out. If you have not been there go to my Flickr page (link below) and check out the panoramic vista and other shot ("vines and sky" and "laborers in the vineyard") from the restaurant. Sensational views and excellent food. But Maxwells was nice too on both counts. Well worth the trip.

Oh what the heck, here it is

Vines and sky by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Laborers in the Vineyard by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[fireblade]

Nice images, fabulous white wines from the hills, best in the world, and the reds. The French are coming here to learn our ways with the fruit.
Yes, Maxwells is very nice, as for Pike and Joyce they open only weekends hence always being booked.

 

[peterm1]

Nice images, fabulous white wines from the hills, best in the world, and the reds. The French are coming here to learn our ways with the fruit.
Yes, Maxwells is very nice, as for Pike and Joyce they open only weekends hence always being booked.

Thanks. Yes the food and wine is superb. Sadly I cannot drink any more due to a liver/pancreas problem but I can at least smell the wines bouquet, eat the food (within reason) and soak up the atmosphere. (Sigh)

 

[Johann Espiritu]

Using the D-Lux 109 (which is essentially the same thing). I am satisfied using it as a "travel buddy" to the M240, and don;t find the 12MP limiting at all. The buttons are a little small, and tend to get pressed if you're not careful, but otherwise, it's a pleasure to use.

Over time, the extending lens stopped bothering me. The small size adds to the "stealth" factor.

Some samples:

Jumping Jacques by Johann Espiritu, on Flickr

I love tourists. by Johann Espiritu, on Flickr

Boots by Johann Espiritu, on Flickr

Flappy by Johann Espiritu, on Flickr

 

[f16sunshine]

http://cameradecision.com/compare/Leica-D-Lux-Typ-109-vs-Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-LX100

from the web link 😱

Both Leica D-Lux Typ 109 and Panasonic LX100 have 13.0 MP resolution sensors but Leica D-Lux Typ 109's sensor is Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) and Panasonic LX100's sensor is Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ).

Since Panasonic LX100's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Leica D-Lux Typ 109.

Makes sense... oh wait.. no it doesn't ! 😛

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

Lumix LX100 actually was a revelation for me. I've disliked every single digital compact thus far that I've tried. Mainly due to controls (lack or their placement) or due to quality. I've been happy shooting film when I can't or don't want to carry a larger camera (mainly D700 with either old primes or more modern 24-70 2.8).

LX100 feels like a real camera and the viewfinder is good enough. Quality ain't the best out there anymore, but it's far cry from being bad, it's definitely good enough. For my purposes that is (printing mainly A2 at largest). The feel is superb and build quality seems spot on. I got it mainly for video at first but saw the quality of images and it now has found it's place with me almost everyday. I don't think I would miss larger cameras if this would be the only one with me on a trip or out hiking. For professional shoots or for specific purposes I'll be using DSLR still, it's not a replacement. But amazing little beast.

This doesn't mean that I would be giving up on film though 😀

 

[blw]

I'll drag this one back from the almost-dead. What I'd like to know is how is the manual focus? I'm trying hard to decide between the D-Lux and the x100t. I know I like the manual focus on the x100t, but I like more of what the D-Lux offers. However, the manual focus alone could sway me. Thanks in advance!

 

[GaryLH]

In manual focus mode, when u use focus ring, center port mag comes up..u can also setup focus peaking as well.

The x100t has three modes for manual focus.. Using evf on the x100t is similar to my xt1. So in terms of Apple to apples, evf only type comparison, judging from xt1 experience, I like the xt1/x100t better. The x100t, ovf pip window is unique.

I hardly ever use manual focus on my lx100..af is spot on 99% of the time.

Gary

 

[gilpen123]

I was really thinking of getting the Typ 109 but it's not available at the moment so I bought a grey market LX100 at an unbelievable price of $530. I know there is a big risk but luckily I got a good one, good focus, sharp and no battery drain issue. I think I'm gonna love this camera, versatile, nice colors and sharp. here are some samples of a photoshoot I did earlier today which normally will require a fast and accurate focus camera, btw, the high ISO is also good. Here are some samples from my 1st usage of this camera.

 

[gilpen123]

My 2nd outing with the LX100, I am very satisfied for what it can do and the output is more than what I expected from the camera. Happy Chinese Lunar New Year to all!

 

[fireblade]

Leica 109.

 

[emraphoto]

I'll drag this one back from the almost-dead. What I'd like to know is how is the manual focus? I'm trying hard to decide between the D-Lux and the x100t. I know I like the manual focus on the x100t, but I like more of what the D-Lux offers. However, the manual focus alone could sway me. Thanks in advance!

the lx100 manual focus (in my case peaking) is what really puts the camera over the top for me. well executed, excellent feedback from ring and you can fine tune colour/strength etc. for video, which the lx100 also excels at, it's a real pleasure to use.

a year on and it remains one of the best digital cameras i have used.

 

[fireblade]

............the high ISO is also good.......

Reading the latest LFI, there is an article on the 109/LX100. I'll quote a little of it in regards to the ISO.

"...........as a result, its effective resolution is 12.8mp, or 12mp in the classic 3:2 Leica format. This simply emphasizes the sensor's true purpose: to improve the camera's ISO performance........meaning the sensor of the new D-Lux (Type 109) offers practically the same number of pixels despite the fact that it has five times the surface area. Therefore, the new camera's sensor provides twice as much surface area for every pixel, enabling each pixel to capture twice the amount of light....."

 

[fireblade]

 

[tbhv55]

Leica 109.

Nice muted colours - is that straight OOC, or post-processed?

 

[fireblade]

Nice muted colours - is that straight OOC, or post-processed?

cropped to 3:2, then adjusted shadows/highlights due to partial blown out sky, that's it.

 

[tbhv55]

cropped to 3:2, then adjusted shadows/highlights due to partial blown out sky, that's it.

Thanks - pretty minimal, then! It looks as though the 109 gives more subtle colours than the LX100 (which I have). For some subjects, I find the LX100 colours to be excellent, but your image shows a different kind of colour - which greatly appeals to me, for shots such as yours.

Interesting... thanks for posting. 🙂

 

[fireblade]

L-109