D90 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 (24 fps 720p)

[Steve Smull]

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-LX3 costs half what a D90 body goes for and shoots 24 fps video @ 720p.

Very curious to hear if anyone has experience with the video that this camera produces, and any comparisons with the D90.

Of particular note is the fact that it uses a CCD instead of CMOS.

Also it has a 24mm wide lens aperture and a really fast F2.0 lens- that's faster than any other compact camera with a zoom as far as I know. Panasonic cleverly sacrificed some telephoto range for speed and wide angle capability. The concept is excellent. I'm wondering how useful the video would be for quick grabs to splice in with HVX200/ HPX170 footage shot at 24 fps and 720p... seems worth a close look at $450 street price with lens! Of course it's a fixed lens, but a very useful one in a superlight 1/2 pound package. Intriguing...

Here's the Panny site link for full specs:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-Camcorders/Digital-Cameras/Lumix-Digital-Cameras/model.DMC-LX3K_11002_7000000000000005702

[Thebes]

I am leary of the specs. I don't see how 24mm is wide-angle with a "1/1.63-inch" (~13mm) sensor. That lens would be a mild telephoto... or do they mean its a 24mm equivelent? If thats the case it would really be like a 8mm f2.0 and have deep DOF wide open. Plus with a sensor that small it will not have great low light performance.

[Steve Smull]

It's 24mm equivalent, so usefully wide. Undoubtedly it will suffer from lack of shallow DOF as a result of sensor size. Conversely, it will be easy to focus in a hurry and the small CCD shouldn't have the jellovision problems of CMOS.

Of course the audio will be tragic at best and the compression performed in camera will have its limitations. But it records to QuickTime .mov files with a 16x9 native sensor, so for certain applications this half pound tool seems like it could be extremely handy...

Clearly, it's a $450 solution which will have limitations. But for less than the price of a decent lens for the D90 it does raise my interest for what it CAN do. (Think emergency B-cam in your pants pocket!)

Perhaps C or D cam would be a better description. I just like the idea of it's Swiss Army knife utility. It won't be challenging the D90 on DOF or low light performance but it might on size, price and speed. Think about it- at the price, it's just another tool to add to the kit and it might be great for certain shots where you need to be really fast and then get back to your A cam.

Example: Setting it in at ground level, in the rain, on a timer, for a one second shot where the camera might be at risk.

[kevm14]

I've looked at a clip or two and the color fidelity is just not there (compared to the D90), aside from the been-there-done-that large DoF video look. I do like the concept of the LX3 as a P&S camera, however.

[Steve Smull]

That's how I see it as well- just a point and shoot camera. For video.

Can't imagine it will compete toe to toe with a D90, but it might be better as a point and shoot tool that for example an assistant who knows nothing about video could use to grab a shot for you. I'm thinking super short clips in odd situations, where the quality isn't as critical as getting the shot. And of course you also have a still camera for times when that's needed, in a package so inexpensive and lightweight that it's irresistible to carry something of it's category in your coat pocket.

I always carry some sort of P&S micro wonder wherever I go and this one seems like it might be the current class leader of that category.

[Thebes]

I think it might be a great point and shoot camera. For video I don't see what it offers that my HV20 doesn't. I guess it might be an excellent helmet cam... maybe if my wife needed a P&S I'd suggest she get it and if I needed a C roll camera that would be cool. I just don't see it as a revolutionary product though.

[vavavideo]

I think it might be a great point and shoot camera. For video I don't see what it offers that my HV20 doesn't. I guess it might be an excellent helmet cam... maybe if my wife needed a P&S I'd suggest she get it and if I needed a C roll camera that would be cool. I just don't see it as a revolutionary product though.

The revolutionary thing is how covert it as videocam. It's very discrete. There's some interesting shots from this online already.

Also, a certain group of people are much more relaxed around a goofy looking point & shoot than they are a video cam. A little cam like this lets them relax.

There's also places this is allowed where a videocamera that looks like a video camera or an SLR is not allowed. Just P&Ss and cell phones. This is why I just bought one. (a black tie event with Richard Branson) It's the best thing I could find in a small package that doesn't set off any mental alarms.

So it does have it's uses...

[joe 1008]

Steve,

I followed your link but I can't find anything about a 720/24p mode in the camera specs. Only SD at 30 fps:

"...Motion Picture 4:3 Aspect Ratio: 640 x 480 pixels 30 fps, 320 x 240 pixels 30 fps/10 fps 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 848 x 480 pixels 30 fps..."

[ESTEBEVERDE]

http://vimeo.com/1861315

[ESTEBEVERDE]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0807/08072102panasoniclx3.asp

[Matthew Bennett]

God bless CCDs! I forgot how nice it was to look at a shaky image with no jello distortion.
Super deep, though... I guess its a small chip? I'll read the article now..

[dcloud]

i think this will work as a great b cam... or a cam with external audio equipment :) im wondering how is the manual controls on the video?

[King_Dontae]

I agree with kevm14. There's a lot of footage on vimeo, and the footage from the Panasonic cam looks stale compared to the nikon. It's still interesting though, because all the major manufacturers are producing these types of cameras now. That's going to make the price of HD get cheaper and cheaper.

Matthew, have you viewed any of you D90 footage on a TV screen? How does it hold up? Oh, and btw-awesome short that you posted.

thanks

[agwah]

LOVE my new LX3.
For a camera that fits in your pocket it is absolutely amazing but it doesn't replace the bigger cameras.
Here is a short clip from the first day.
http://www.individualeye.com/2008/11/opening/
Would be nice if it could handle a small external microphone somehow?