The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 is a fixed lens compact camera that was announced in July 2010 and is equipped with a 1/1.7-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 10 megapixel.
The Panasonic LX5 has a Camera Elo of 1399. This rating puts the LX5 below average of all travel zoom compact cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (small sensor cameras), the LX5 also falls below average. – Well, the Panasonic LX5 is more than 8 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2010.
The physical dimensions of the Panasonic LX5 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Panasonic LX5 alongside a set of comparators. If you want to review a camera pair side-by-side, just select a right-side comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Panasonic LX5 was launched in the US market at a price of $499. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
The Panasonic LX5 features a 1/1.7-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 4.4. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Panasonic LX5 among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design.
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The LX5 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the LX5 can use is 720/60p.
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Panasonic LX5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
One convenient feature of the LX5 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
The LX5 has a zoom lens built in (5.1-19.2mm f/2.0-3.3), which, in full frame equivalent terms, provides a focal length range from 24 to 90mm. The camera is, hence, ready to shoot, while remaining more compact in size than an interchangeable lens camera with an optic that offers similar focal length and aperture specifications.
While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the LX5 handle or perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog).
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the LX5.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the LX5 based on?
Panasonic equipped the LX5 with the Venus FHD image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the LX5?
Yes, Panasonic provides the DMW-LVF1 as an accessory (here on amazon) that can be mounted on the hotshoe.
Does the Panasonic LX5 feature an autofocus assist light?
Which battery does the LX5 use?