Panasonic LX100 Hands-On Field Test (With HC-X1000 Quick Look)

The Panasonic LX100 is the most ambitious compact camera to come along since the original Sony RX100. With a big 4/3 sensor and gorgeous lens is this the best image quality a pocket camera can provide? The Camera Store's Chris Niccolls investigates.
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Filmed on the Panasonic HC-X1000 (Pre-Production)

[@gchamp727]

There is no doubt in my mind the Camera Store has the best, by wide margin, camera reviews. Great, honest reviews and top of the heap production. Keep it up. Love it.

[@joaquinyehuda9406]

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[@joaquinyehuda9406]

@Axel Dominic I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process atm. I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@joaquinyehuda9406]

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[@axeldominic3084]

@Joaquin Yehuda happy to help :)

[@andymarkwell9936]

Great Review on the LX100. The courier arrived with my silver one yesterday. I took it out today for the first time and love it already!! The Sony RX100 is a great camera but just too small and fiddly for me. The LX100 is perfect to hold and so easy to make changes to settings with the numerous controls and the aperture ring on the lens. I love the aspect ratio option too, another function that makes photography more enjoyable. The 16:9 ratio actually gives a wider view of the scene & not just a cropped version. I've only used JPEGs so far but the images were great, I can't wait to try shooting in RAW. I've read some negative comments about the LX100 using a maximum of 12.7 megapixels. Let's cast our minds back to not so many years ago, when Pro grade DSLRs had 6 megapixels, and all the reviews were saying how great the image quality was!! 12.7 MP is fine for me, I'm not planning on making massive posters! If you're thinking of getting one of these, go and buy one! (and no I don't work for Panasonic!!)

[@trapease]

Jordan's dance at the end is everything

[@christophergallagher531]

Thanks guys, One of the problems with this genera is, when the lense extends it draws a vacuum in the body. Air rushing in draws dust in. Makers need to adress this. I filtered port is a no brainer. I would like something like this in multiple formats! The G9 viewfinder would make it real. Chris

[@Whuups.]

Accidentally turning on iA (intelligent auto mode). : You can set the button to only work with "Press and hold" or "Single Press". So setting it to "Press and hold" you will not turn it on just by being near it. This is done in menu: Wrench C - Page 8/9.

[@PolluxChung]

The jump on the LCD when shooting video can be solved by going to the menu, pick the Wrench icon with C, scroll to page 7, and select Rec Area and pick video.

[@problemslayer3538]

2:38 "so weve got some nice disgusting couches here"....made me chuckle, Chris is cool.

[@dudemanismadcool]

6 years later and that 4k quality is still superb by today's standards...... Panasonic dunked on themselves haha

[@nfmarriott]

Thanks for the review - ordered this camera and it arrives tomorrow!

[@riscv4372]

May I ask where did you order the camera? Amazon has it in stock but it seems like a Japanese version.

[@nfmarriott]

I ordered it from Jessops

[@riscv4372]

Thanks.

[@MichaelPerez83]

You had me worried there. I'm primarily a video guy and I thought the first part of the episode was filmed on the LX100. I was looking at Chris' face like, "What the heck is going on with his skin color… and wheres the detail." It was nice to see that you added in that last part that was filmed on the LX100. I'm sold.

[@LearningFast]

Excellent review. Answered all of my questions. The LX100 is what I need.

[@MusikPiratCH]

I don't get it! This EVF has 2.8 million dots (one of the largest EVF)! :D But this guy even says it isn't great! What the heck is he expecting?

[@djdelarosa25]

It's LCD, that's why it's a bit crap

[@MusikPiratCH]

If it were the LCD why was he saying the EVF is crap?

[@djdelarosa25]

*sigh* I''m talking about the type of technology used in the EVF. Most EVF's are OLED. This one is LCD, which is not suitable for an EVF as it has terrible refresh rates.

[@tinyman392]

Sharpness was one of the two complaints that he had. I do have an issue with it, but it's due to my near-sightedness and the diopter not being able to accommodate enough (the diopter on the a6000 does adjust enough though). The second complaint he had regarding the EVF was the lag that it had. There are two main culprits to this. The first is that the default setting for "Live View Refresh Rate" (Settings > Tools (non-custom) > Menu 2 > Item 1*) is 30fps instead of 60. The jaggedness is controlled much more when set to 60, it'd be great to get it up to 120, but that's just wishful thinking (I don't think any EVF goes that high yet). The other thing that can cause refresh rates to dip (and thus lag in the EVF) is the "Constant Preview" setting (Settings > Custom Tools > Menu 5, Item 5*) which is set to ON by default. When below 60fps, this does cause a slight lag in your EVF and it gets worse as that shutter goes down. You can get around this by turning the setting off, but then it won't give you live exposure preview (which may not be an issue for most people) and live view will always display with the aperture wide open (like an SLR). In contrast to my a6000 where the refresh rate is always set to a constant (60fps) and the shutter speed isn't previewed (it's compensated for/estimated using the screen's exposure) while the aperture is still live. The hardware is definitely capable of being smooth (maybe not perfectly live, but within 1/60th of a second live), but it's not implemented in a way that is perfect, they should really also have that default refresh rate be 60 and not 30. Also I should note that not all LCDs have terrible refresh rates. Just look at the new iPad Pro; it has an LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate. *Settings menu are those found on my Leica D-Lux Tip 109. Although the cameras are identical, there were some slight variations in the JPG processing of the 109 compared to the LX100. To date this is the ONLY difference that has been found. Regardless, it is possible that the menu orders/items may differ between the LX100 and D-Lux, but extremely unlikely.

[@xperience-media7396]

Pics and vid out of the LX100 look great

[@King_Kenny66]

I enjoyed the ending part more than the rest!

[@martinbreslow1401]

Panasonic has a video addressing the 1-stop shutter speeds. The dial on the back allows you to increase or decrease the speed by 1/3 of a stop.

[@MiguelSilvaX]

Sorry about the X1000 video issues. On the other hand the LX100 4k video looks awesome ;) - I just wish I could get a 4k@30FPS version in Europe :(

[@TheRacerRich]

What's with the purple stripes on the bricks in the LX100 shot in the RX100 comparison picture?

[@raksh9]

No "Cute Dessert" filter mode??? Instant fail. Crossing it off the list right now.

[@AGag47]

BTW, in the Custom menu you can change the iA button to a "press and hold" and it'll pretty much fox the issue of accidentally activating the iA by mistake as it requires the button to be held momentarily.

[@TechInspected]

I was watching the video and definitely noticed the video camera you were using was subpar. I think the shadow detail was mushed, the aforementioned skin tones was definitely off, and seemed like it had much less dynamic range. I'm not an expert but thanks to TCS I can now spot good video quality when I see it.

[@UnicornReviews]

Please don't say "you know" so many times. The reason I watch is because I don't know :p

[@mattimaksaja9125]

now we know.

[@avene]

It's good to see that HC-X1000 shoots 60P at 4K. So the GH4 successor may end up being capable of that too, and then competitive Sony cameras and so on. In which case, hopefully there'll be some good 4K 50 or 60P cameras around within 2 years with improved rolling shutter, dynamic range and all the rest. Then maybe within 10 years there'll be 8K 50 or 60P cameras that will let your crop close ups for 4K output, as people are now doing from 4K to 1080P.

[@theSUBVERSIVE]

Panasonic already said in interviews that they will push 8K for the Tokyo Olympics - even more because 8K broadcast tests had already been done in Japan - and the organic sensor technology should allow 35MP sensor with great performance. It feels a bit farfetched though, but not because they can't do it tech-wise but more because it seems unlikely that 8K broadcast will be widely spread by then.

[@JohnPauloSalamat]

This is a very interesting compact camera with a very interesting lens attached to it. I'll be sure to take a look at it once it reaches our shores. Once again, thank you for sharing! Keep up the good work!

[@GiulioSciorio]

Nice review on the LX100. Keep in mind that there is an option which changes the iA button from a single press to a press and hold to engage iAuto. Also I am one of the people that have embraced the filters. I shoot small JPEG + RAW and send the JPEGs to my iPhone for posting to socials. Why no mention of the 4K Photo mode?

[@EdwardConde]

Giulio Sciorio - Havent heard from you in awhile.. good to see you back online.. I am intrigued by the LX100...

[@GiulioSciorio]

Edward Conde Been busy growing a beard and working on three major projects.

[@fotochuck]

I know all the manufacturers are pushing 4K hard. But I wonder how many average users use 4K instead of 1080p ??

[@AnandaSim]

From the feedback of reviewers like Gordon Laing , it looks like 4k is currently being justified as a way to crop and zoom scenes to 1080p charles embrey - as well as for those cinemagraphs that Giulio Sciorio likes and extracted still frames.....

[@cameralabs]

Ananda Sim plus 4k also lets you capture 25-30 8 Megapixel photos per second. Fantastic for sports, wildlife and even portraiture.

[@Maxxaruba]

Great review! Useful and to the point. I am sold on the LX100..can't wait..

[@GrampassoFilms]

Still a great camera today. I did a short film in Florence and It gave me stunning results!

[@paulhills1967]

Brilliant video - very informative and very well produced. Thank you Chris & Jordan.

[@AGag47]

Straight arrow reviews as always from these guys. Being able to disable buttons in these small cameras should be the norm.

[@NickYourHomeLoanFriendKrehnke]

Even though it's still early and pre release for the lx100, for me, I didn't see enough to sway me from making the rx100 3 my next purchase. Pocket-ability is important and it is way smaller than the lx100, built in flash, pop up evf superior lcd, and the full light pic comp of the brick wall it looked better. the low light comp pics of the lx100 looked cleaner and of course we didnt see side by side video. also the reviews on the rx100 3 it just seemed everyone is so enthusiastic about the results of the rx100 3. And btw, I current use my Galaxy Note 3 cell phone for my pictures LOL

[@melissahouse1296]

That is what i call a review. Everything covered. A+++++++++++!

[@andrebalsa203]

If you have previously owned a Panasonic LX3, LX5 or LX7, this new LX100 seems like a great upgrade imho. I must say I am slightly put off by the launch price, though. Some time ago one could find the LX7 for as little as $300. The LX100 can be pre-ordered for $900, in other words, three times the price of its predecessor! That will make me think twice before I click the "Buy" button...

[@Emimarson]

OMG! I keep watching all your videos like drama! There are many good options of camera that you reviewed. Now I need a last recommendation for short film. Panasonic GH3 vs GX7 vs LX100 Please tell me and I will go for it! TheCameraStoreTV

[@Navec42]

I have been waiting eagerly for your impressions of this camera, great review. This seems to have all the features I have been looking for (and was hoping the Fuji X30 would have.)

[@nigelo92]

7:54 Laughing out loud imagining that's someone breaking wind not operating a chainsaw xD

[@martinbreslow1401]

Panasonic has a video demonstrating the panorama feature.

[@jaysimoes3705]

Just bought one. Secondhand for about 250€. For a familly holiday because I do not want to lug an EM1.2 with a couple of lenses to restaurants and city trips, nor the swimming pool. LX100II was hard to find and if I could find one, it was 2,5 times more expensive and it does not seem worth it. I really thought it would be regarded as a photographers camera and this review confirmed it. 12,7 MP is plenty for a holiday and reasonable ISO3200 is okey as well. Looking forward to the rumoured G9MarkII though but that is one for different work...

[@andymarkwell9936]

I've had the chance to get out with my new LX100 a few times since my last posting on here. The camera is an absolute pleasure to use. It feels solid do inspires confidence, but still much lighter than carrying a DSLR round all day. All the controls fall just right to change settings, especially the aperture control. As I always shoot in aperture priority this is a great thing to have on the lens. The 24-75mm lens range is just perfect for me, the 24mm end is much more valuable to me than a 28mm wide which is typical of a DSLR kit lens. I don't find the 75mm end restrictive, as it's still adequate for portraits. I have the camera set to take JPEGS & RAWS. The JPEGS are actually pretty good, though obviously I'm finding RAW shots processed in lightroom and exported as JPEGs superior. There is more dynamic range and more detail that can be brought out of highlights & shadows. Some comments have been quite dismissive of the filter effects, but some of them are fun to use. And isn't that what photography should be about, fun?! They certainly add some sparkle to what could otherwise be boring & dreary shots. And we get plenty of dreary days here in the UK!!! I've owned several DSLRs & premium compacts, but the LX100 is the most intuitive & fun to use!!

[@vegetablepolice]

It's too bad they abandoned the fun slow mo that the LX7 had.

[@AkshayPatil93]

A great insight on the camera. I find your reviews the best on KZbin when it comes to cameras. P.S. Are you also doing a a77ii review? I'd love to watch it.

[@gchamp727]

Another excellent and honest review. Thanks guys.

[@armaniusmaximus]

Great job guys! One suggestion -- how about incorporating some samples of people photo in the videos? Thank you.

[@mobeen1982]

Thanks guys, another great video

[@nerwin]

I think I might stick with my Fuji X100...

[@BartenderX]

Hey guys, when will you review the Fujifilm X100T camera, I'll be looking forward to it. Good review btw and Jordan, no worries about the video quality here, your video work on the Nikon D750 review was really good!

[@IEBATechThoughts]

Great dual camera review!

[@ipfishing1466]

You can set the iA button in the settings so that you have to hold your finger down on it to activate it that way you cant turn it on by accident good review though.

[@AdamMurtland]

"We've got some nice, disgusting couches here..." Haha I lost it at that part. Great review as always!

[@NRenio]

An awesome camera i think.Great photos.I must own it asap.!

[@BMRTV]

4:29 I believe you can set a delay on that button so that you can't accidentally set it. IE: hold for 2 seconds or something like that.

[@jaimel2037]

CHRIS, so you forgot to mention that you would choose the rxmk3 over this any day o the week. ..I dare you guy's to do a side by side video!

[@a55tech]

I guess they realized most people don't switch out their kit lens. I don't even own a non-kit lens for my interchangeable lens cam.

[@mpazandak]

At 7:38 you show a side by side with the RX100III vs the LX100 and the RX100III is a clear winner but you say the LX100 is better what gives?

[@tauerp]

iA button can be set to "Press and hold" in menu.

[@douggottlieb]

Shootouts request, once they're all final, shipping samples: LX100 vs RX100iii vs X30 vs G1Xii And was there a "4K video for stills" mode on this cam yet? Great video, as always guys. Thanks

[@Gulliveck]

Judging by other videos the X30 has rather poor video quality. High contrast and stairstepping in diagonals.

[@theSUBVERSIVE]

you should add the G7X as well

[@douggottlieb]

I'd have liked to have seen that 4k photo mode. Agree that the LX100 likely beats the X30 in many ways, but the Fuji's viewfinder and twist zoom should be very strong. IQ is important, but UX matters just as much to me ;)

[@zcarenow]

i'd like to add the canon g7x added to the comparison list too.

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

The filters might sound cheesy, but wait until you try them!

[@paulchiu]

The LX100 4K video footage at the end was sensational. Can you share what settings were used?

[@ryancube15]

Miss the cute dessert as well!

[@marzy35]

Are you going to do a Panasonic gm5 review?

[@forcedadventure]

THANKS FOR THE GREAT REVIEW !!!

[@JakeFromLateFarm]

Excellent review! Seems like a promising camera and a great budget 4K video camera for novices like me. Very forthright and honest with your analysis on the X1000 as well. Despite the poor picture quality in this video, I'd take a candid reviewer over image quality any day. Well done!

[@JesseSaul]

Very helpful! Just wondering- if I take my GX7 and add an Oly 12mm and Panasonic 20mm, I still don't have the range of the fixed lens on the LX100 and would have spent much more. Sure, no touch screen or articulation on the lx100, but is there any significant plus to either in other ways?

[@EchelonArts]

Informative review as always. Thank you.

[@jimbob2676]

Please do a Side by Side Test Review of the new Canon Powershot G7X and Sony RX100 M3.

[@16760capnrob]

The Ai button can be set to only come on after a long press. I find that this sorts out the problem of accidental deployment

[@dunz93]

+Rob Franksdad how did u do it?

[@16760capnrob]

in custom settings, go to iA button switch and select press and hold

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

The EVF is genius

[@ulfjonsson2122]

super! Do give the abillities and layout to GX7

[@PauliJuppi]

Any news when you are gonna review the Samsung NX1 ? Waiting for that... Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@TheCameraStoreTV]

We'll see an NX1 sample in early October, with a very detailed still/video review. Jordan @ TCSTV

[@PauliJuppi]

TheCameraStoreTV Thanks for the reply! I think your video reviews are the best out there! I used to read the ***** articles, but you sum it all in a video that is more entertaining :)

[@Canoneosmiami]

Great review.

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

Great review you are the best TV on TV

[@zangounette]

just bought this camera for only 500 euro. looks promising.

[@ErosDavid]

this dude said 'cute dessert' haha

[@shiznuts]

I'm still wondering if that 1" sensor rumored LX8 is coming... (24-90mm f/2.0-2.8, swivel touch screen, built in EVF (no hotshoe anymore), automatic lenscap, 5 axis stabilization, built-in 3 stop ND filter & 4K recording). Because, looking to get a successor to my LX7... those features don't sound all that bad... like... at all. The LX100 sure is nice as it is, but if there was a LX8 as well I don't know which I would end up getting. Surely M43 sensor and awesome optics is great... but compactness + swivel touch + built-in ND filter? Would be pretty sweet too...

[@alwaysfurther]

good video,

[@Littleboxofevil]

First of all really a BIG thank you for the awesome reviews and clear explication! Could you post some image samples o the RX100 vs LX100 in several sceneries? That way we can see the OOF comparison between these two contenders. Thank you!!

[@vernonsza]

Jordan/Chris, just curious, what mics do you guys use when out and about on the street? You two always have great audio quality in your videos.

[@dominika701]

Great test! Quick qiuestion, what should I buy? LX100 or ZS100... I can't decide..

[@thomastmic]

Samsung NX1 Hands-On Field Test & GH4 VS NX1 Shootout. Thanks.

[@theSUBVERSIVE]

TheCameraStoreTV I wished you guys had tested the 43mm filter thread and some ND and variable ND filters options, that will be quite important for anyone that wants to maintain the shallow DOP and shoot video in bright sunlight. Also, I wanted to know if you can use a filter even with the auto-cap accessory.

[@victorrae9466]

Good review except, do you guys EVER MENTION the RAW quality on these cameras? Or does everyone at The Camera Store only shoot JPGs? Great comments Jordan, especially about the spinning dial on the back. Is it possible to reposition the histogram on the LCD?

[@mluppi]

Just got one. Love it! Nice night shots handheld. Very good results in high ISO. Now I just feel the need for a polarizer for landscape.

[@63MacGuy]

Great job guys. How is the video stabilization and is there a mic or headphone jack?

[@pbenjlo]

should of filmed with the LX100.

[@831Adventures]

Between the lx100 and rx100 iii, which would be better for home and wedding video etc. ?

[@patdinco]

Great review! So is it pretty much the Leica dlux 109 at a better price? Also is the 24-70mm the true focal length with the crop factor applied?

[@kiddcisco]

+pat dinco yes it is identical, Panny and Leica teamed up, save your cash, I just ordered the LX100 today

[@PlacesToVisit]

Can you say some of the settings used on the X1000 for this episode? Shutter speed, aperture, gain and ND setting. This would be very helpful, thanks.

[@TheCameraStoreTV]

This was all shot at 1/60th second, 0DB gain, 1/4 ND on, with the iris fluctuating from F1.8-F4 to adjust for exposure changes. The camera was very early pre-production though, and this footage is not indicative of the final quality. Jordan @ TCSTV

[@PlacesToVisit]

TheCameraStoreTV Thanks. Yes, the settings you used shouldn't be the issue. Just trying to make sure and it's true that it's still a pre-production camera. Hopefully the production units will be better because the X1000 has a lot going for it. It has physical ND settings, longer zoom lens and shoots in 4K unlike my AC90 camcorder. The X1000 is sort of a 4K version of the AC90.

[@jloflow7085]

do you recommend any point and shoots like this that has interchangable lenses??

[@SteveHartmanVideos]

what camera were you using to shoot the last few minutes where you talked about the HC-X1000? That looked the best! color and sharpness was perfect!

[@ramouz]

That's actually the LX100, the camera that they were reviewing. They added text (top left) describing that when Jordan started speaking about the HC-X1000.

[@grincad01]

nice review! jordan can you compare this to fuji x100T???

[@Frank5142]

Will you be reviewing the canon g7x? Looks like it would be somewhere in this compact camera range

[@rtc-zaha]

Waiting for a review of the G7X, too :)

[@MolotovBg]

Now that 2 years have passed, do you guys reccommend this camera for someone who wants to get into photography and vlogging?

[@merysunartha6452]

Absolutely, my favorite Lil camera to date slightly behind rx100 m4

[@nobitaadidas]

If u want compact and no need to change lens, this is still an excellent choice

[@Slightlyevil]

Had mine for a year so far. Great camera.

[@brnrubber303]

How'd that work out?

[@Zhorellski]

Will this camera able to do Landscape and Astro?

[@cwx8]

+toxictabasco How's the high iso/long exposure NR work? Decent?

[@Channy132]

I can't see this camera fitting in my pockets comfortably.. For me, that is the prerequisite feature before I would call it a 'compact'.. I wish it was smaller

[@VariTimo]

No word on the fact that their is a Leica version on this?

[@tridentstudios4824]

I only wish this camera had a mic input!!!

[@mountainhobo]

Interesting first try, but execution seems to lack. Perhaps LX200. Oh, and Chris, I understand you need to give a little bit of positive spin on it, but repeating that the camera has been made for photographers, and at the same time noticing it has two fluff buttons that constantly get in the way... does not seem like a camera made for photographers.

[@MusikPiratCH]

But honestly, it's only him who hits this intelligent Automatic button. Who else does? Its a so weird position to accidentally hit it! I don't understand it! :P

[@stevetompsett2603]

Hey guys..great review..One question. ..are the lens tubes plastic or metal...cheers

[@brandobean]

The Camera Store and Jordan, curious to know if there is any way at all the monitor the video somewhere besides the back non-articulating LCD? For video shoots that would be so helpful. I know the HDMI out is off during shooting. Would maybe using a smart phone via wifi work? Also, as others have surely pointed out, you can lock out the IA button up top to require a long press. Also, I think you can change the preview mode for video aspect ratio. I think...

[@TechnoWit3D]

Compare to Panasonic G7 which one is better on image quality for photo and video?

[@Hitngan]

Thin depth of field? Is that the same as 'shallow depth of field'.

[@ajmeyer]

Can they bring back 'cute dessert' with a firmware update?

[@JoseBYOB]

As far as color accuracy and low light shooting, how does this compare to the Nikon D5300?