Panasonic LUMIX LX100 4K Review So Far

I'm feeling pretty stressed + run down this week. But this always happens when I spend a few days London - trying to keep on top of my to-do list just goes straight out the window. I've been meaning to slam out a short review of the LUMIX LX100 camera for a few weeks, so I went out this week to take a few new 4K video clips for the occasion. Here we go:

How It Feels + Usability

I've been using Panasonic products on-and-off for about two years now; starting with the GX7 dslr, and now with the LX100 since September. They both operate in a really similar way, but for anyone who hasn't used a LUMIX camera before I'd say they're really easy to pick up (having used Canon previously). When I first got the GX7 I had no issues getting the know my way around its settings and functions menu, and the same goes for the LX100. The main different is that the LX100 isn't touch screen, but the quality of the video capture is 10 times better, so I'll let that downside slip. You have easy access to exposure dials, iAuto settings, 4K mode, and spinning wheel on the actual camera frame.

In size, the LX100 is compact and lightweight. To give you an idea of the weight I'd say it's comparable to a copy of British GQ, or a 1.5 bottles of beer (just so we know where we stand...). And relatively speaking it's also one of the most powerful cameras, in terms of picture quality and zoom, that I've used.

What is 4K Photography?

Simply put, 4K Photography captures high quality video, which in turn enables you to extract individual frames of that recording as high resolution photographs. Post-production gives you the ability to watch your videos back frame-by-frame, capturing up to 30 photos per second. Each  hi-res frame is then ready to transfer to your chosen devise.  For a little more info see my Introduction to 4K Photography.

What Can the LX100 Can Do?

The camera's speciality is its 4K Photography capabilities. It's 4K-ready, and let's you easily toggle between 4K and regular photography (using the menu or record button). Up to now I've used it mostly for filming in 4K, so I can't comment too much the quality of the standard photographic mode. But when I have shot in Photo Mode I've taken images in a RAW format, for ease of editing later. I did notice you can actually edit your images on the camera - working similar to a basic photo editor, but without the control of a keyboard. You can even add basic filters on to your images, as well as adjusting contrast, colour, sharpness and other basic tools. To see how the editing process works watch this short video I created.

Images from Marrakech were taking using the LX100 in regular Photo Mode

The Verdict

First of all, as some of you may know I'm currently an Ambassador for Panasonic LUMIX UK, but I want to try to be as impartial I possible when it comes to this review. The partnership gives me the freedom to create, and learn but also voice my opinion.

I've been using the LX100 most weeks since I received it, but I'm still no expert. I don't have much of a technical background, and a lot of what I do is trial-and-error (mostly error, but I'm willing to learn!). The main thing I was unsure about before I used it was how good the quality of the extracted frames was going to be - but hopefully my photos show just how powerful it is. The video quality, and frame capture is like nothing else I've used previously - I can't fault it in that area. But I would say that sometimes I do get confused with the menu, and remembering where certain settings can be found.

I've found myself varying my use of its AF Modes; favouring the Tracking, 49 Area (a selection of areas) + 1-Area (chosen area) modes the majority of the time. These three have become my favourite, for their ease of use and results for someone who is only really still getting to grips with 4K Photography.

Final Thoughts

While I've tried to share a easy-to-digest review it really this isn't as in-depth a lot of camera reviews go. Having only used this for a few months, and not testing all the settings in full, I wanted this to be more of an update, than a comprehensive review. Overall I've very pleased with the LX100's results, which I hope comes through in my images. But I can imagine the results within the hands of a trained photography would be 10x as stunning.

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