When you need fantastic image quality combined with the convenience and small size of a compact camera, premium compacts such as the Panasonic DMC-LX100 are the obvious answer. But what is a premium compact? Generally speaking, it’s a compact camera that offers manual and semi-automatic shooting modes and features a 1-inch, Micro Four Thirds or an APS-C size sensor for improved image quality.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 houses a Micro Four Thirds sensor with an effective resolution of 12.8-million pixels, which is a larger sensor than previous cameras in this product line. The Panasonic LX series has been around since 2008 when the LX3 was launched and has been popular ever since thanks to the use of fast lenses combined with a compact body when compared to similar competitor models. More than nine years later the series is still going strong, and the latest model brings with it a built-in viewfinder alongside a range of features to help you tackle a whole host of photographic subjects.
With compact cameras, you often need a special feature or two to make the investment worthwhile, and alongside the MFT sensor, the fast f/1.7-2.8 zoom lens with a 24-75mm equivalent focal range is a great start. Not only do these features alone provide a great camera for general shooting, but also the fast maximum aperture is extremely useful in low light, and also when shooting creative shallow depth-of-field images such as blurring the background to highlight a subject.
Continuous shooting speeds are possible up to 11fps with focus and exposure fixed or 6fps with continuous autofocus and Live View active. The LX100 offers 4K video recording and a 4K Photo mode where you can easily extract 8-million-pixel stills from video footage. The idea is that you never miss a decisive moment because you captured the time before, during and after that moment – pretty neat.
Price: £499
