Thread: New camera ordered!!!

Just placed an order with B&H for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. Had a play with a LX3 at a wedding the other day and was most impressed.

The aim is to have a camera which I will be able to use all the time with full manual control to enable me to start learning the basics of photography. My dad has 3 DSLR's if I ever have a requirement for one so I though it pointless me forking out for one, and I'm not likely to take it everywhere with me so I'd be stuck with my cannon P&S with only exposure control and white balance control.

I was comparing against the Cannon G12, Nikkon P7000 and Olympus XZ-1. I discounted the Nikkon due to constantly reading about firmware bugs that cause issues on the camera and the Olympus doesnt have seperate AEL/AFL buttons which are features I had down as a requirement as I tend to try and take pictures using this technique on my simple Cannon P&S (only it locks both at the same time).

It then came down to the G12 and LX5. My first impression of the G12 wasn't very good, I thought the optical viewfinder was pretty average (probably too used to the optical viewfinders on dslr's...) and the large size put me off. The swivel screen and extra zoom were pluses though.

The LX5 was a much nicer size for a camera of all ocassions, it also has a faster/brighter lens and from reading many reviews its very snappy in its focusing too (confirmed this in a shop when playing with both the G12 and LX5). Drawbacks are supposedly pretty average jpeg processing (can shoot in raw though). In the end it just felt nicer to use than the G12 and less imposing for me.

I chose not to step up to the new style evil cameras for a number of reasons too, those being cost (the biggest one for me) and the ability to change lenses means your more than likely going to carry around more than one (although theres no reason you couldnt have two kits, one with an everyday lens).

So hopefully I'll get to give the camera a burn on my upcoming trip to lake eyre and some 4wding and fishing trips!

I went through B&HPhotoVideo in the US. About $20 more than DWI but I've had family and friends have great service from B&H so I went with them for a piece of mind.

Most local shops were crap (didnt even have the LX5 in yet and only just got the G12 in) except for Gerry Gibbs Camera house (here in Perth), but I couldnt justify the extra $180 odd to buy local on a camera I am getting delivered for under $500, would happily pay that on a $1500+ camera.