The Lumix LX100 II is the long-awaited follow-up to Panasonic’s good high-end compact digicam, the LX100.
With some cameras you’re in search of a single killer function, equivalent to decision for industrial photographers, or velocity for sports activities shooters; but when your curiosity is journey and avenue pictures you want a extra advanced steadiness of qualities – and the Panasonic Lumix LX100 II seems to supply just about all of them.
Options
- 17MP multi-aspect Micro 4 Thirds sensor
- 24-75mm f/1.7-2.eight normal zoom lens
- 4K video seize
For a begin, you need as large a sensor as attainable with out compromising on dimension, velocity or lens specs. The Lumix LX100 II achieves that with a Micro 4 Thirds sensor that is some 1.6 instances bigger than the 1-inch sensors now thought-about the baseline normal in premium-quality compact cameras.
And you then need a lens with a superb zoom vary with out being lumbered with a sluggish most aperture, and also you get that too because of the Leica DC Vario-Summilux f/1.7-f/2.eight lens carried over from the unique LX100. It gives a helpful 24-75mm equal zoom vary, and a quick most aperture, even at full zoom.
You additionally need a digicam with environment friendly, usable exterior controls, and the LX100 II has that with shutter velocity and EV compensation dials on the highest plate and an aperture management ring across the lens.
With the lens retracted, the LX100 II is sufficiently small to slot in a jacket pocket
The menu system is obvious sufficient, however some extra superior choices might be onerous to seek out
The aperture setting ring and shutter velocity dial hark again to basic digicam design
The unique LX100 supplied all of this, however the LX100 II takes it additional with an entire sequence of enhancements and additions. The decision of the multi-aspect sensor has been elevated from 12 to 17 megapixels, the EVF decision has been elevated, and the rear display is now touch-sensitive.
The LX100 II’s Image Types now embody Panasonic’s newest L.Monochrome and L.Monochrome D modes, the 4K Picture mode will get a brand new Auto Marking and Sequence Composition mode, and now you can cost the digicam by way of USB from an influence financial institution or a laptop computer laptop.
Construct and dealing with
- Exterior design little modified from LX100
- Loads of exterior controls
- Enhanced handgrip
The shutter velocity dial and lens aperture ring offer you actual hands-on publicity management
Externally, the LX100 II appears to be like very very similar to the unique LX100, however a brand new grip design makes it just a little simpler to carry securely. It’s sufficiently small, simply, to slot in a jacket pocket, though you’ll have to modify it off first, because the retracting lens extends a ways when it’s switched on.
The shutter velocity dial and aperture management ring have a agency, exact motion, though the f/1.7 marking on the aperture ring solely applies on the widest zoom setting. The main focus mode, side ratio and aperture rings on the lens are squeezed fairly shut collectively, although, so that you want a certain quantity of dexterity to vary the side ratio setting.
The viewfinder decision is not the very best, but it surely’s completely satisfactory
The EVF decision is not the very best, but it surely’s greater than satisfactory and works very properly in brilliant mild if the rear display turns into onerous to make out. The rear display itself is sharp and clear and responds very properly to the touch enter – in actual fact too properly at instances, since as ever with touchscreen shows it’s just a little too simple to the touch the display with the heel of your hand whereas holding the digicam, after which discover that the main focus level is means off within the nook while you go to take the following shot.
You’ll be able to swap off the contact management if you wish to, though it’s undeniably helpful for setting the main focus level place (even whereas utilizing the EVF), and the touch-shutter mode is useful for macro photographs, and even surreptitious avenue pictures with the digicam held away out of your face.
It’s a disgrace the display is fastened, nonetheless, with out even a tilt mechanism. We’ve obtained so used to those in compact cameras that it’s a little bit of a blow to not get one right here.
The autofocus velocity is excellent, as you’d hope in a digicam designed for shoot-from-the-hip journey and avenue pictures. Panasonic claims a spotlight time as quick as zero.1 seconds, and the LX100 sure feels responsive. You’ll be able to level and shoot in a single motion with out worrying if the digicam’s had time to focus.
The zoom motion, nonetheless, is considerably totally different. You should use both the zoom lever across the shutter launch button or the multi-function management ring on the lens, however each reply fairly slowly. That is one space the place common ‘mechanical’ zooms have a serious benefit, and it does detract from the LX100 II’s responsiveness in different areas.
The LX100 II is straightforward to shoot with. however discovering a few of its extra superior options requires some decided menu exploring
It is a highly effective digicam that is full of know-how; nonetheless a lot of this depends on considerably delicate and complicated interplay with the touchscreen show icons and menu system, and whereas the LX100 II’s bodily controls are first price, the digital interactions do get a bit fiddly.
Efficiency
- Picture high quality seems to be superb
- Good vary of Image Types
- Examined utilizing a pre-production digicam
We spent a few hours attempting out the LX100 II in real-world capturing situations, which was sufficient time to get a way of its capabilities and picture high quality. We had been utilizing a pre-production digicam, although, so the picture high quality might not be consultant of the ultimate model.
That mentioned, the definition captured by the 17-megapixel sensor and Leica-badged lens was very spectacular, with pin-sharp element in our wide-aperture portrait photographs.
This portrait shot was taken on the lens’s most aperture but it surely’s nonetheless actually sharp
The bigger sensor permits for strongly blurred backgrounds, particularly if you happen to get near your topic
This and the following shot are two very totally different interpretations of the identical uncooked file processed in-camera
This model makes use of the L.Monochrom D Image model and a cool tint for a subtly toned mono shot
The LX100 II’s Vivid Image Model captures intense however nonetheless natural-looking colours. The shortage of a tilting display for low- or high-angle photographs is a limitation, although
The publicity system proved dependable all through our avenue pictures session; the publicity compensation dial was wanted just a few instances, and in conditions the place you’d anticipate to must take management anyway, equivalent to capturing a portrait topic in brilliant mild towards a darkish background.
The auto white steadiness system proved equally dependable in common daylight – although there was no probability to check it below synthetic lighting – and Panasonic’s L.Monochrom D Image Model provides wealthy black-and-white pictures. The consequences modes are extra of a novelty, though the solar flare impact is surprisingly interesting.
The yellow avenue signal, top-left, appears to be like just a little unusual, however for a handheld first try with the LX100 II’s new Sequence Composition mode this has come out fairly properly
The Sequence Composition mode is particularly intelligent, and though it’s a must to do some in-camera modifying, it’s nothing like as arduous as attempting to realize the identical impact with layers and masks in a program like Photoshop.
Early verdict
The Panasonic LX100 II feels similar to its in style predecessor: a conveyable, responsive premium compact digicam with a quick lens and interesting exterior controls. The brand new grip makes it higher to carry, and the elevated decision is welcome. Panasonic hit a little bit of a candy spot with this digicam the primary time round, and though it is advanced and fiddly in some areas the LX100 II has misplaced not one of the unique’s attraction.
We’ll give the LX100 II a full evaluate when a closing manufacturing model turns into accessible.