Shooting with a 4K pocket camera - the exceptional Panasonic LX100

[newfoundmass]

I'm actually surprised that they haven't released a successor yet, given I feel like this little camera was really successful and popular. In fact a lot of people I know still have and use it to this day, even on paid shoots. The ability to have a pocket b-cam is quite underrated, especially when you're running and gunning / don't want to attract a lot of attention. I debated getting one not that long ago for that reason.

[Robert Collins]

On 5/25/2018 at 12:58 AM, Superka said:

Does anybody still use LX100? I

I still love it, though feel the lack of DR often.

My GF has one (well the Leica branded version) which she absolutely loves and has been using daily for the last 3 years. About time for an upgrade but it really has stood the test of time.

[Trek of Joy]

3 hours ago, newfoundmass said:

I'm actually surprised that they haven't released a successor yet, given I feel like this little camera was really successful and popular. In fact a lot of people I know still have and use it to this day, even on paid shoots. The ability to have a pocket b-cam is quite underrated, especially when you're running and gunning / don't want to attract a lot of attention. I debated getting one not that long ago for that reason.

It would seem it either didn't sell well or Panasonic doesn't see a viable market for another. Without actual sales numbers and the costs associated with the camera, nobody can say for sure, but if a successor was planned it surely would have been released by now. Sony made the RX100 an annual affair, until they stopped at v5 a couple years ago. The cratering compact market also killed the Nikon DL before it was even released - despite a lot of fanfare when they were introduced. I know I was going to get the 18-50 version as soon as it was available, still disappointed it never saw the light off day. The writing is on the wall, this segment is wilting like cheap P&S cameras.

My guess is Panasonic decided to focus on more profitable areas - superzoom and ILC's. I doubt we ever see a LX200 (or whatever you want to call it).

Chris

[Robert Collins]

4 minutes ago, Trek of Joy said:

It would seem it either didn't sell well or Panasonic doesn't see a viable market for another. Without actual sales numbers and the costs associated with the camera, nobody can say for sure, but if a successor was planned it surely would have been released by now. Sony made the RX100 an annual affair, until they stopped at v5 a couple years ago. The cratering compact market also killed the Nikon DL before it was even released - despite a lot of fanfare when they were introduced. I know I was going to get the 18-50 version as soon as it was available, still disappointed it never saw the light off day. The writing is on the wall, this segment is wilting like cheap P&S cameras.

My guess is Panasonic decided to focus on more profitable areas - superzoom and ILC's. I doubt we ever see a LX200 (or whatever you want to call it).

Chris

Still, they have been dropping hints that one will be released this year.

https://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-interview-at-dpreview-clearly-hints-new-lx200-is-coming/

I think one of the reasons they have been slow in updating is that the LX100 is pretty fully featured already - optical stabilization, excellent fast lens, 4k video.

[newfoundmass]

See, I feel like the LX100 did pretty well because there was a lot of talk about it for the first year or two of its release, with all the usual suspects releasing glowing reviews of it. There was also pretty frequent videos shot on it all over YouTube. Not saying that it set the world on fire, but it certainly didn't seem like it was released and then immediately lost in the abyss like some cameras were. That we still see videos on it from within the last year is pretty impressive, honestly. 

If they released a new model with some key updates, especially a mic input, I'd snatch one up in a heartbeat even though I really don't need another camera. I think a lot of people would. It'd serve so many uses for a lot of my stuff.

[Trek of Joy]

9 hours ago, Robert Collins said:

Still, they have been dropping hints that one will be released this year.

https://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-interview-at-dpreview-clearly-hints-new-lx200-is-coming/

I think one of the reasons they have been slow in updating is that the LX100 is pretty fully featured already - optical stabilization, excellent fast lens, 4k video.

Search that site, there have been numerous rumors of a LX100 successor for a couple years. The DPreview interview from the previous years CP+ said pretty much the same thing. And as usual that site quoted only part of a graph for the clickbait. Here's what they left out "Yes, we have lots of requests from editors and users waiting for the next LX100, so we are studying that."

They're studying it. Hardly confirmation of anything beyond evaluating the viability of bringing out another model.

This interview from last year is more telling, they're strengthening the FZ (1" sensor) series and once again studying the LX100 successor, see the quote below. But in that interview the top priority is mirrorless. "So as the customer expects LX200 we will also strengthen the successor of LX100. How will we answer to the passionate customers of the LX100? We will study how we’re going to answer these customers."

Studying it last year, studying it again this year. I do believe there LX100 was a successful cam and I'd get one if it had a mic input, but the wave of high end compacts that exploded a few years ago seems to have collapsed with the rest of the fixed lens market. Ricoh hasn't brought another GR, Fuji hasn't brought a new premium compact in a couple years, Nikon killed the DL's. Its all speculation, but IMO its gone the way of the AF100.

You can get a small, IBIS equipped Panasonic mirrorless body with the 12-32 pancake zoom and the small 40-150 for $599, few casual photographers will opt for a new LX100 at about $800 over something like this kit.

http://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-and-camcorders/cameras/lumix-interchangeable-lens-ilc-cameras/DMC-GX85WK.html#start=1&cgid=cameras

Cheers

Chris

 

[Superka]

 

[Shell64]

On 6/7/2018 at 4:49 AM, Superka said:

 

I’ve thought about getting this camera instead of the Panasonic 12-35mm lens. Use it is around $400-450 vs the 12-35 being around $500-600. The crazy thing is the lens on the lx100 is better, and you get a free mini gh4 thrown in. I might buy this instead of buying a 12-35 for my g7 due to these reasons. This camera really is killer value. 

[webrunner5]

Remind me to not move there. Wow.

[Cinegain]

The old airport terminal in L'viv ('Lemberg' as the German-speakers call it) was cute. With a little church-like clock tower. Never did any sightseeing through the city though.

[Thomas Hill]

On 6/7/2018 at 3:49 AM, Superka said:

 

 Nice  shots! Perfect setting for a horror movie or a noirish thriller. Sorry, I didn't see this post back in 2018.

[thebrothersthre3]

15 hours ago, webrunner5 said:

Remind me to not move there. Wow.

I don't know I like it

[mercer]

2 hours ago, Thomas Hill said:

 Nice  shots! Perfect setting for a horror movie or a noirish thriller. Sorry, I didn't see this post back in 2018.

I was thinking the same thing. 

[thebrothersthre3]

Panasonic needs to release one like this again but with 10 bit in with a GH5S esque sensor. 

[newfoundmass]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:11 PM, Shell64 said:

I’ve thought about getting this camera instead of the Panasonic 12-35mm lens. Use it is around $400-450 vs the 12-35 being around $500-600. The crazy thing is the lens on the lx100 is better, and you get a free mini gh4 thrown in. I might buy this instead of buying a 12-35 for my g7 due to these reasons. This camera really is killer value. 

That'd be a terrible investment. I'd definitely get the lens instead. 

[Shell64]

51 minutes ago, newfoundmass said:

That'd be a terrible investment. I'd definitely get the lens instead. 

Why?

[newfoundmass]

38 minutes ago, Shell64 said:

Why?

The lens will retain value and can continue being used in the event you upgrade to a better M43 camera. 

The LX100 though is a 5 years old camera and will continue to decrease in value. 

Better to invest money on things that will retain value, in the event you want to sell or upgrade. 

[Shell64]

You are honestly right. Thank you for pointing that out. 

[ac6000cw]

On 8/8/2019 at 4:37 AM, newfoundmass said:

The lens will retain value and can continue being used in the event you upgrade to a better M43 camera. 

The LX100 though is a 5 years old camera and will continue to decrease in value. 

Better to invest money on things that will retain value, in the event you want to sell or upgrade. 

As an LX100 (Mk1) owner, I'd agree with that. It's a great camera for stills, and pretty good for video, but it's compromised in various ways to keep it small - the LCD is fixed (and non-touch), the LVF is small, it only uses part of the micro-4/3 sensor area (so it's not really a micro-4/3 camera), the power zoom can be jerky and difficult to set exactly, and the lens is a bit prone to flaring.

It's a great camera for its intended (enthusiast compact) market, and I like mine, but it's not a GH4 + 12-35mm F2.8 combo equivalent... These days I'd probably buy a GX80/85 + 12-32mm 'pancake' zoom kit instead, and put a (cheap, lightweight) 25mm F1.7 lens in the bag for really low-light situations.