Panasonic LX100: Easy Firmware Fixes
Much ink has been spilled about the LX100 already, but here we will focus on what should be fixed and improved upon.
Let's hope Panasonic are listening, because most customers still prefer the Sony RX100 over the LX100.
My biggest concern is the image stabilization system, which is surprising, since Panasonic has a long-standing reputation with that. On the LX100, it feels poorly implemented, and you only get three options: on, panning, and off. First, when activated, stabilization seems to be working all the time (even when browsing menus and photos!). You can always hear a whirring noise when slightly shaking the camera, which is lessened when holding it steadily, and absent when stabilization is off. It only really stops when the lens is retracted. It would make much more sense to be able to choose between "always on" (and that only in recording mode) or only "activated by shutter half-press".
For having owned the OMD-EM5 and tried the Lumix GX7, I can say the LX100's stabilization is sub-par in comparison to these cameras. Stabilization during movies feels even worse, you have to hold very still to have usable footage.
The highlight feature, which is supposed to show overexposed areas with blinking black and white, only works in playback mode when reviewing photos, whereas the zebra feature does work in recording mode, when taking pictures. Clearly, moving the highlight menu entry to the playback menu tab would be logical, but much better would be to display highlights in live view for judging exposure in recording mode (like the EM-5 does).
Two additional points mentioned in a DPReview forum thread make sense to many people: increasing the resolution of 1:1 aspect ratio photos from
3088x3088 to 3456x3456 pixels, which is still within the coverage of the optics (remember we do not have that much resolution to play with), and removing the 70mm step zoom setting, which is useless, as it is too close and similar to the 75mm setting.
Furthermore, focus peaking is often indistinct and sometimes does not even show up for not so detailed scenes even when they're in focus. You can only see peaking's highlighted borders with relatively high contrast details, so a higher sensitivity would be appreciated to focus more efficiently, especially in movie mode.
I could not get the remote shooting function to work when pairing the LX100 with a Samsung Galaxy S3 by manual Wifi pairing, NFC, or QR code. As soon as Wifi is engaged, the lens retracts, and after successfully connecting camera and smartphone, the Panasonic Image App only shows a black screen, with all virtual buttons disabled. Although it could be a specific problem with my devices, the S3 is a fairly common smartphone so I would be curious to find out whether other people had the same problem.
Let's hope Panasonic are listening, because most customers still prefer the Sony RX100 over the LX100.
My biggest concern is the image stabilization system, which is surprising, since Panasonic has a long-standing reputation with that. On the LX100, it feels poorly implemented, and you only get three options: on, panning, and off. First, when activated, stabilization seems to be working all the time (even when browsing menus and photos!). You can always hear a whirring noise when slightly shaking the camera, which is lessened when holding it steadily, and absent when stabilization is off. It only really stops when the lens is retracted. It would make much more sense to be able to choose between "always on" (and that only in recording mode) or only "activated by shutter half-press".
For having owned the OMD-EM5 and tried the Lumix GX7, I can say the LX100's stabilization is sub-par in comparison to these cameras. Stabilization during movies feels even worse, you have to hold very still to have usable footage.
The highlight feature, which is supposed to show overexposed areas with blinking black and white, only works in playback mode when reviewing photos, whereas the zebra feature does work in recording mode, when taking pictures. Clearly, moving the highlight menu entry to the playback menu tab would be logical, but much better would be to display highlights in live view for judging exposure in recording mode (like the EM-5 does).
Two additional points mentioned in a DPReview forum thread make sense to many people: increasing the resolution of 1:1 aspect ratio photos from
3088x3088 to 3456x3456 pixels, which is still within the coverage of the optics (remember we do not have that much resolution to play with), and removing the 70mm step zoom setting, which is useless, as it is too close and similar to the 75mm setting.
Furthermore, focus peaking is often indistinct and sometimes does not even show up for not so detailed scenes even when they're in focus. You can only see peaking's highlighted borders with relatively high contrast details, so a higher sensitivity would be appreciated to focus more efficiently, especially in movie mode.
I could not get the remote shooting function to work when pairing the LX100 with a Samsung Galaxy S3 by manual Wifi pairing, NFC, or QR code. As soon as Wifi is engaged, the lens retracts, and after successfully connecting camera and smartphone, the Panasonic Image App only shows a black screen, with all virtual buttons disabled. Although it could be a specific problem with my devices, the S3 is a fairly common smartphone so I would be curious to find out whether other people had the same problem.
Going Further... Panasonic LX200
Easy hardware fixes
The aspect ratio and focus switches on the lens barrel are too close to the camera body, they are difficult to reach.
Furthermore, the focus ring has a tendency to slightly wobble (I checked two units because of that), and the viewfinder dioptry adjustment range should be extended.
The lens might be slimmed down a little further by reducing the thickness of the aperture ring grips, making them less protruding.
Next-generation improvements
They have been mentioned already and they are easy to think of for us dreamers:
The aspect ratio and focus switches on the lens barrel are too close to the camera body, they are difficult to reach.
Furthermore, the focus ring has a tendency to slightly wobble (I checked two units because of that), and the viewfinder dioptry adjustment range should be extended.
The lens might be slimmed down a little further by reducing the thickness of the aperture ring grips, making them less protruding.
Next-generation improvements
They have been mentioned already and they are easy to think of for us dreamers:
- built-in ND filter to shoot movies at slow shutter speeds and wide aperture
- a longer tele range (90mm would satisfy most) and even brighter lens
- Tilting or swivel touch screen
- bigger magnification OLED (no rainbow effect) EVF
- Weather-proofing, relatively easy to implement on fixed-lens cameras
- built-in auto lens cap (which always makes more sense on powered, retractable zooms)
- more modern sensor. The one in the LX100 comes from the GX7 (August 2013)
Page created: 20/12/14 updated 30/04/15
