First Look: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 (Left) next to the DMC-LX5 (Right)

I'm back with another First Look, this time with the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7; One of the more highly anticipated updates to come from Panasonic this year. The DMC-LX7 comes from a long line of exceptional cameras designed for those who demand top notch image quality from their pocket-sized cameras. The Panasonic DMC-LX5 was a force to be reckoned with, offering full manual controls, HD video recording, a Leica Vario-Summicron F/2.0 lens, and a host of other cream-of-the-crop features. Well, the day of reckoning has come! The Panasonic DMC-LX7 has dethroned one of the best pocket cameras of the last two years.

With all of the new cameras coming out from Canon, Nikon, and Sony, Panasonic was sure to not be left behind. The new DMC-LX7 brings a plethora of new features to the market in a familiar package. At first glance, the LX7 looks very similar to its predecessor, the LX5. With both Black and Pearl White available, Panasonic has kept the retro style alive in this latest iteration. Once you look a little closer, the similarities end and the improvements become crystal clear.

Close up of the new DMC-LX7's lens assembly housing

When looking at the lens assembly on the DMC-LX7, there is a new aperture ring (with hard clicks), located right in front of the aspect ratio control slider. Set for 1/3 stop increments, the new control dial eliminates the need to use the rear thumb controller to change your aperture while shooting in aperture priority on manual. In addition to the aperture ring, there have been some style changes to the focus mode and the aspect ratio selectors. Some would say these modifications are minor, but I have found that they do make the overall user experience a little easier.  Out of all of these changes to the lens assembly, the most important upgrade has to be the new Leica Vario-Summilux f/1.4-2.3 lens, a welcomed improvement from the LX5's Vario-Summicron f/2.0-3.3 lens assembly!  The super-fast lens diminishes the need for heavy flash output while shooting inside at a party, in a bar, at a wedding, or even just shooting portraits at night.

the new 920K 3.0" LCD with the newly redesigned menu system on the DMC-LX7

The next big improvement has to be the new higher-resolution display. The DMC-LX7 now includes a 920,00 dot 3.0" LCD vs the DMC-LX5's 460,000 dot LCD. This has made working with the LX7 a completely new experience! The display may be the same physical size, but with the ability to have the icons and shooting display information smaller (due to the higher resolution and new menu system) , there is more usable space on the screen for framing your shots and checking the images.

This next feature proves that Panasonic seems to be acknowledging the "Photographer's Mindset." The DMC-LX7 uses the same battery as the DMC-LX5. Also, the DMC-FZ200 and the DMC-G5 have adopted the same DMC-GH2 battery. The ability to only have to carry one type of battery and charger goes a long way for those of us that have multiple cameras in our bags.

The last two major improvements are really aimed toward a small group of consumers. The first is the addition of a  built-in ND filter. There is now a toggle under the mode file that reads "ND/Focus". By pressing this in, a neutral density filter will click into place within the lens assembly. Some of you may be asking, "why would I want that?" Well, for one thing, shooting video with this camera can offer some great control since, like the LX5, there is full manual control over the video. Some shots you may want to use f/1.4, but the scene is too bright and you can't lower your ISO any less. Simply push the ND button in, and voilà, you are able to shoot at the desired F/1.4. The internal ND filter looks to be roughly a 3 stop equivalent filter. This toggle also acts as a focus controller for manually focusing the camera. This is a nice touch since the LX5 had to be focused with the rear thumb dial and in most cases was too clunky and awkward to use for precise focusing.

Rear of the DMC-LX7 with the new ND/Focus toggle under the Mode dial

The last major upgrade applies to those who want this camera for video. The DMC-LX7 now offers full AVCHD Progressive video capture. This means that the LX7 can record 1080X1920P HD video using AVCHD. While this is a nice update, the real video upgrade comes in the form of MP4 recording at Full HD. Panasonic has finally updated their cameras to shoot in something other than the somewhat proprietary AVCHD format. This allows anyone to take advantage of the HD video recording, even if they don't have video-editing software.

  The DMC-LX7 is looking to be an awesome little companion for anyone who wants great image quality and exceptional video quality tucked into a compact size. We will have a more detailed review of this camera shortly (possibly alongside its competition from Sony, Samsung, and Canon). In the mean time, we want to hear your opinions: What do you like about the LX7? Are you a Leica shooter and waiting for their variant of this camera? Sample photos will be uploaded to our flickr pool over the next few days.