[Art Vandelay II]

Enter POINT & SHOOT CONTEST #9 in P&S forum. Any type camera except slr. Any brand. Any subject. Less than a week left. Enter now.

I've got some pics taken with a Canon Powershot G2; but I had to do so much post processing on them to get what I wanted out of that camera I feel like I should enter them in a Photoshop contest not photography contest

[barondla]

Have nothing against PP. Enter them. This is supposed to be fun!
thanks
barondla

Enter POINT & SHOOT CONTEST #9 in P&S forum. Any type camera except slr. Any brand. Any subject. Less than a week left. Enter now.

[vizjerei]

Some will say it isn't technically possible or it will be too expensive, but I call BS on both of those claims. Sony is selling their DSLR-A200 here in the US for $450 with a lens! So obviously APS-C sensors are no longer too expensive. Some say they couldn't make a pocket size camera with good controls; but before Ricoh made the GR Digital they made the 35mm GR-1.

Well they lose $ by sell PS3 in the price they have set it too, they have the $ to able them to sell their product less to capture more market share, not to mention they can earn the $ back from all those lens sell. ( I have check their price of the lens.. man...)

[Art Vandelay II]

We now have a real test of the LX3. IMO I don't see anything to worry about from ISO80-400, and even ISO800 looks to be usable. And while I wouldn't use it for anything serious, it looks like ISO1600 could produce perfectly acceptable 4x6" prints. Plus, these are just JPEG's; I've still yet to see a RAW file. Hopefully taking the post processing into your own hands will yield even better results.

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It's obviously not as clean as my K10D, but I pretty much follow those same restrictions when shooting with it, anything below ISO800 is safe, but anything above may or may not have vertical banding. So it really won't be much of an adjustment for me.

[frank]

We now have a real test of the LX3. IMO I don't see anything to worry about from ISO80-400, and even ISO800 looks to be usable. And while I wouldn't use it for anything serious, it looks like ISO1600 could produce perfectly acceptable 4x6" prints. Plus, these are just JPEG's; I've still yet to see a RAW file. Hopefully taking the post processing into your own hands will yield even better results.

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It's obviously not as clean as my K10D, but I pretty much follow those same restrictions when shooting with it, anything below ISO800 is safe, but anything above may or may not have vertical banding. So it really won't be much of an adjustment for me.

I agree, these photos look good enough to me. If only it had a 6mp sensor instead of 10

[Marilith]

Hi Art

Does this scenario feel familiar ?....



In Angela Nicholson's review of the Fuji S100fs in Amateur Photographer Magazine (17th May 2008) she states:



Admittedly Fuji are not Panasonic, but even so the same rules generally apply and there is only so much that the manufacturers can do before the inherent weaknesses of such tiny sensors begin to make themself apparent. Unfortunately no amount of clever noise reduction software can disguise this fact, without creating visible artefacts or causing smearing of fine detail, as the sample image of the Brooklyn Bridge so clearly illustrates !

Best regards
Richard

DPReview had a very different take on the fuji, comparing noise at high ISO to a Nikon D60 and Canon G9;
"Interestingly, FujiFilm has taken a measured approach to noise reduction - giving excellent levels of detail in comparison to the Nikon and the Canon while allowing a tolerable amount of noise. This competitive edge is retained all the way up to ISO 800, with far greater detail making up for the S100FS's extra noise.

The Fuji doesn't really concede the battle until ISO 3200, at which point it is overcome by the Nikon's superior detail. Its heroics would be far more commendable if it then laid down its arms, rather than rampaging on to an ignominious end at ISO 10000, some 2.6 stops after the D60 has decided to hold its ground for strategic reasons."

For the full review please see
FujiFilm FinePix S100fs Review: 14. Photographic tests: Digital Photography Review
One really cannot make a valid judgement on the LX3 till the production model hits the stores and review pages (or, even better, one has the camera in hand and shooting).

[Art Vandelay II]

I agree, these photos look good enough to me. If only it had a 6mp sensor instead of 10

I'm still in a state of shock that they stuck with "just" a ten megapixel sensor instead of a 13.6 like Sony did, and Nikon is about to do for their "enthusiast" pocket camera.

The Sony W300 is a real shame too, because even with it's 13.6 megapixel sensor it supposedly still produces nice pics up to ISO400 according to Luminous landscape:

Imagine what it could have done at 6 or 8 megapixels. I assume that same Sony sensor will be used in Nikon's upcoming Coolpix P6000.

Whether or not the LX3 actually delivers the goods I appreciate what Panasonic is trying to do; produce one camera for people that actually understand photography and the technology involved, and then make a whole range of cameras with wayyyy too many megapixels and crap like smile detection for people that only think more is better.

[LaRee]

I agree, these photos look good enough to me. If only it had a 6mp sensor instead of 10

That is the rub Frank. I wish they wouldn't keep cramming more pixels on these tiny sensors. If they went ahead with all the other improvements and keep the pixels low, they would give much better images. But the consumers are in the pixel race, so the manufactures must meet the *need*

[FHPhotographer]

Hi Art

As if to underline my previous point, kindly take a look at the link to this review, which simply serves to confirm my original concerns. Just click on the three image links in the article below, to see what I was on about:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 preview with image samples - infoSync World

Precisely WHAT do you think it actually IS that this latest miracle of modern whizz-bang technology appears to have captured ? Is it brick ? Is it mush ? I honestly dunno...answers on a postcard ! If you'll pardon the pun, it looks Leica a right load of old horse-s**t to me and that's putting it politely ! If this is what's currently regarded by Panasonic's PR Dept as "state of the art", then I'm afraid they've obviously still got a fair way to go yet, so let's thank our lucky stars for APS-C & FF sensors, as they're lovingly referred to !

Sorry, but I think you're stacking the deck a bit here. That's a poor shot using any criteria. But a "better" shot with just a touch of post processing can show a lot more capability for the camera even in a compressed, 72dpi jpeg. I'm no Photoshop whizkid, but somebody who was at all good at it, and working with a RAW file, could probably pull quiite a bit more out than this...

It is, after all, a small sensor compact camera, and for what it is, it seems pretty damn good to me for walk-around street photography.
FHPhotographer

[pentaxshooter]

Wide, fast and good quality.

The only thing (and this is true of many P&S cameras), is that after about 300ISO, things get really grainy. DFINE 2.0 can remove it, but that's a hassle.

The LX3 is a great camera, and is experiencing similar buzz and excitment that the K10D several Novembers ago.

Attached is a macro shot from my new LX3

[Talisker]

Luminous landscape recently posted reviews of the Nikon P6000 and Canon G10, and the Lumix LX3 - within the usual limits they are all good, with the Canon and Panasonic edging it, depending on your shooting style.

[truonganh]

i think this would be my next P&S. i already have a Panny TX3. versatile & noisy.

that lens is quite something.

http://a.img-dpreview.com/gallery/panasoniclx3_samples/originals/p1020026_ps.jpg

[deejjjaaaa]

I got one LX3 today for myse... my wife ... not sure if I need to tell her about that though.

[Talisker]

I've bitten I've been looking for a carryround for a little while now, and the ultra-wide (for a compact) suits my style. Arrives tomorrow, so we shall see...

[chirpy]

Another very glowing review of the LX3 over here:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Review - Digital Camera Reviews - TrustedReviews