LX3 or LX5?

I'm ready to get a smaller enthusiast's camera (don't have a P&S now) when I don't want to carry the DSLR and its gear. I realize the LX5 is still very new, and I've read the reviews about the features of both, but what is the consensus of my fellow photographers to this question: is the LX5 worth the price difference? (I can afford the $150 difference, but like to spend my money wisely. The LX wide-angle is a given for rural/nature photo-ops, but more than likely I'm looking at day & night street scenes, indoor low-light, non-flash shots in public places, as the primary use.

Thanks in advance.

If you dont care about Video and the longer zoom.... get the lx3. For me LX5 is a more complete compact camera.

Barretlight said:

If you dont care about Video and the longer zoom.... get the lx3. For me LX5 is a more complete compact camera.

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Yes. The longer range of the zoom is enough to swing it, I think.
--
Regards,
Baz

"Ahh... But the thing is, they were not just ORDINARY time travellers!"

Though the price has dropped nicely on the LX3, I think it's worth getting the LX5 overall. Looking at the two cameras at full zoom on the same subject, there's a pretty significant difference in the size of the subject. The high ISO seems improved a decent amount, and the focus and performance seem to have been given a slight boost, though the LX3 is no slouch there. While I've yet to use it, the movie button is something I know I appreciate from my ZS3/TS1, and having manual control is even better, and it being quick-editing AVCHD lite is better yet.

On the LX5 negative side, probably the chipped battery is #1. I'm keeping an eye on ebay for the first non-OEM ones with a charger (car/home), and expect they'll be along, but there's nothing yet, and no way I'd pay Panasonic their ridiculous prices.

Aside from that, one minor issue...the EV setting does not hold at power off in iA mode, though it does in P mode. (this is probably good in some ways, but annoying to have to reset it to -.3 if it's a sunny day each time you power up). I'm not sure I like the dial adjustment all that much; perhaps you get used to it, but it's too klunky to use for good focusing, so you have to use the r/l arrows to fine tune. It's too early to say if the dial is good overall, as one needs to adjust to new things.

At first I didn't like the rec/play button...I always liked the LX3's switch, and you can switch it to play to power up without extending the lens. Then I discovered you can hold down the LX5 rec/play button while switching on, and the lens won't extend, so it's OK after all.

I was making the same decision, whether to buy a second LX3 or an LX5, and opted for the LX5. So far, I think it was the best choice in that respect.
--
Gary
Photo albums: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse

Last year, for me it was a choice between the Canon S90 and the LX3. I went with the S90 for the longer range and the command dial around the lens.

This year, I went with the LX5 (over the S95) for the faster lens, the better video, and the wider angle lens.

LX3 is a bargain, and is a good choice if the shorter focal length and video don't matter to you.

Dave

Both the LX3 and the LX5 are fine cameras. I used the LX3 for two years, extensively used and abused it, and absolutely loved it. However, I just got a LX5 last week and, in my opinion, the LX5 would be well worth the difference.

Having used the LX5 for only 3 days, I cannot offer any long-term comparisons or scientific proof to support my belief. But, I believe ISO 1600 on the LX5 is as good or better than ISO 800 on the LX3. Some other images I made with the LX5 at ISO 800 are as noise-free as the LX3's ISO 400 images.

The LX5's option to add an electronic viewfinder was also a selling point for me. I did buy the EVF and already love having it. The extra 30mm of telephoto is also nice.

A couple of higher ISO sample images taken with the LX5 may be seen at:

ISO 1600:
http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill/image/128142825

ISO 800:
http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill/image/128125768

If you would like to see what the LX3 can do, please visit my LX3 galleries:

http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill/panasoniclx3

http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill/disaster_relief_baytown_tx

http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill/ncbmdisasterrelieftraining

--
Bill McClung (a.k.a. 'NC BILL')
Image galleries at http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill

NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
REMEMBER, AMATEURS BUILT THE ARK.
PROFESSIONALS BUILT THE TITANIC!

.......

Thanks for all the replies. Still have to do some thinking and comparing between the two models.

Bill, after looking at your array of photos, I'm trying to figure out why all the criticism about noise even on low ISO shots. Were these pics PP to reduce noise?

Also I see you have a Nikon 300. My DSLR is a D40, and I was wondering, since several of your shots used an Olympus external flash, if you think I would have a problem using my SB-400 with either the LX3 or 5?

Regards,

Geoff

Re: LX3 vs LX5, i purchased the LX3, and then updated the firmware to version 2.2. Now both cameras have almost the same specifications, the lens on the LX5 zooms a little farther, but almost all other specifications are now much the same for both camera's

Yes, the LX5 has the multi-aspect/same scene shooting capability.

--
Bill McClung (a.k.a. 'NC BILL')
Image galleries at http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill

NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
REMEMBER, AMATEURS BUILT THE ARK.
PROFESSIONALS BUILT THE TITANIC!

You mean the one with the 4/3rds sensor? LOL

I think a lot of the noise "problems" come from pixel-peeping underexposed images, taken in low-light situations. Some of it may come from internal noise reduction settings in the camera. The noise reduction is currently set on "-1" in my LX5. That may change, as I am able to shoot photos under more varied conditions.

Yes, there is a bit of noise (like you would expect from a smaller sensor camera). But I don't find it excessive. And, what noise is there, is easily removed during post-processing (as you can see from my higher ISO images, which were put through Noise Ninja software, before further pp in PhotoShop Elements.

Your SB-400 should work fine with the LX5. I tried my SB-800 on my LX3 once and it worked well (but looked REALLY strange on the camera!). You will have to use the flash in manual mode though. The Olympus flashes work manually or automatically (TTL) with the Panny cameras. The Olympus 36R flash I use works VERY well in bounce TTL mode. The combination looks awkward, but actually balances pretty well.

This is what the combination looks like:





--
Bill McClung (a.k.a. 'NC BILL')
Image galleries at http://www.pbase.com/nc_bill

NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
REMEMBER, AMATEURS BUILT THE ARK.
PROFESSIONALS BUILT THE TITANIC!

Despite the LX5 being the newer model LX3 is still pretty similar spec-wise to the LX5. Other than the HD video on the LX5 both cameras are pretty similar. If you don't care about the video then go with the LX3 still its been discounted and is on sale now or if you want the video and the newer model go with the LX5.

Panasonic LX3

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CCLBSA?ie=UTF8&tag=dslrcams-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001CCLBSA

Panasonic LX5

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WJR69E?ie=UTF8&tag=dslrcams-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003WJR69E

If you have the extra funds for it, I would definitely go with LX5 given the enhancements including the additional zoom.

geoffmalter said:

I'm ready to get a smaller enthusiast's camera (don't have a P&S now) when I don't want to carry the DSLR and its gear. I realize the LX5 is still very new, and I've read the reviews about the features of both, but what is the consensus of my fellow photographers to this question: is the LX5 worth the price difference? (I can afford the $150 difference, but like to spend my money wisely. The LX wide-angle is a given for rural/nature photo-ops, but more than likely I'm looking at day & night street scenes, indoor low-light, non-flash shots in public places, as the primary use.

Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...