Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 Review
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7
Originally Posted: August 14, 2012
Last Updated: September 27, 2012
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 ($499) is the long-awaited replacement to the very popular DMC-LX5. The LX5 (and its predecessors) was well known for its low light ability, and Panasonic has improved on that in two ways. First, there's the LX7's lens: with a maximum aperture range of F1.4 - F2.3, it lets in way more light than what you'd find on a compact camera. The fast aperture range also allows for better background blurring than what you'll find on nearly every fixed-lens camera on the market. In addition, the LX7's sensor and image processor have both been improved, allowing for less noise at high sensitivities.
Other new features on the LX7 include a manual aperture ring, higher resolution LCD display, neutral density filter, 11 fps continuous shooting, HDR capability, and the ability to record movies at 1080/60p (with stereo sound).
For the full breakdown of what separates the 2010's LX5 and the new LX7, take a look at this chart:
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As you can see, the LX7 is an improvement over the LX5 in almost every area. The only real step down is in terms of battery life, which has dropped by nearly 20% (why, I do not know).
Will the DMC-LX7 follow in its predecessor's footsteps and be a top choice for low light photography? Find out now in our review!
What's in the Box?
Despite being somewhat of a "premium" compact camera, the DSC-LX7's bundle is pretty standard. Here's what you'll find inside the box:
- The 10.1 effective Megapixel Lumix DMC-LX7 digital camera
- DMW-BCJ13 lithium-ion battery
- Battery charger
- Lens cap w/retaining strap
- Shoulder strap
- USB cable
- CD-ROM featuring PhotoFunStudio 8.3 PE Edition, SilkyPix Developer Studio 3.1 SE, and LoiLoScope trial
- 34 page basic manual (printed) + full manual (on CD-ROM)
Panasonic has built 70MB of memory into the DMC-LX7 -- up from 40MB on the LX5. That'll hold five RAW or sixteen JPEGs at the highest quality setting -- enough for emergencies, but not daily use. Therefore, you'll want to buy a memory card right away. The LX7, like all Panasonic cameras, supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards, and I'd recommend a 4GB card if you're mostly taking stills, and an 8GB or 16GB card if you'll be taking a lot of HD movies. Purchasing a high speed (Class 6 or faster) card is strongly recommended for best camera performance.
The DMC-LX7 uses the same DMW-BCJ13 lithium-ion battery as the DMC-LX5 that came before it. This battery holds 4.5 Wh of energy, which is decent but not exceptional. For whatever reason (the LCD, maybe?), the battery life on the LX7 has dropped by almost 20% compared to the LX5. Here's how it holds up against the premium compact competition:
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Despite not having the same battery strength as its predecessor, the DMC-LX7 is still tied for the best battery life in its class. If you want to pick up a spare battery, a Panasonic-branded one will set you back around $32.
When it's time to charge the battery, just pop it into the included charger. This charger, which plugs directly into the wall, requires 155 minutes to fully charge the DMW-BJC13.
The LX7 and optional electronic viewfinder
Like most premium compacts, the LX7 has a large selection of accessories available. They include:
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The one surprising omission here is any kind of remote shutter release. I think a lot of enthusiasts would appreciate being able to release the shutter using a wired or wireless remote.
Panasonic includes PhotoFunStudio 8.3 PE Edition software with the Lumix DMC-LX7. This Windows-only software handles basic tasks fairly well, though the whole "wizard" system gets tiring quickly. On the main screen you'll see the usual thumbnail view, and you can view photos by folders, date, or by things as specific as scene mode. The software can learn to recognize faces (much like the camera itself), which offers you another way to browse through your pictures. Available editing features give you the ability to crop, rotate, or change the aspect ratio of your photos, as well as adjusting color, brightness, saturation, and more. You can apply special effects to photos, overlay text, or remove redeye. PhotoFunStudio can also be used to create panoramic images that you've taken on the camera.
Something PhotoFunStudio cannot do is edit RAW images. For that, Panasonic provides SilkyPix Developer Studio 3.1 SE, for both Mac and Windows. SilkyPix isn't going to win any awards for its user interface or poorly translated menus, but it's still a very capable editing tool. If you'd like to use Photoshop instead, you'll need to wait for Adobe to add support for the LX7 to their Camera Raw plug-in.
PhotoFunStudio can, however, work with the movies produced by the LX7. You can edit your video and then burn the results to a Blu-ray (or DVD) disc. You can also save the edited movie in MPEG-2 format. If you want to use something else to edit your videos, most modern Windows video editing suites can work with the AVCHD files produced by the LX7. However, some of them may not support the AVCHD Progressive format, so check with your software manufacturer first. Mac users can edit the 1080/60p video without issue using the latest versions of Final Cut Pro X or iMovie '11.
The LX7's documentation is split up into two parts -- something I'm never a fan of. Inside the box is a thin "basic manual" to get you up and running. If you want more details, you'll need to load up the full manual, which is PDF format on an included CD-ROM. While detailed, the manuals aren't what I'd call user friendly. Instructions for using the bundled software is installed onto your Mac or PC.