Panasonic has posted a major firmware update for its Lumix DMC-LX3 digital compact camera – one of our favourite cameras.
Now up to Version 2.0, the update brings additional functions and feature improvements including a 20% AF-speed increase at the wide-angle position, new white balance bracketing, expanded exposure compensation, a High Dynamic scene mode, 1:1 aspect-ratio shooting and improved white balance performance.
Full details after the click.
Considering the camera is now fourteen months old, we can only applaud Panasonic’s continuing support for this excellent snapper.
It’s become our regular, carry-everywhere camera since its release,and you can see the sort of pictures its capable of in our photo galleries on urban75. Above is a photo taken during a trip to Red Hook, New York City.
You can download the update here and read our long term review here.
And if you want to grab yourself one of these lovely cameras, you can buy it from Amazon here.
Press release follows:
Panasonic Updates Firmware of DMC-LX3
for Further Improvement in Functions and Performance
28th September 2009 : A new firmware version is now announced for Panasonic’s premium manual compact camera, DMC-LX3. Firmware version 2.0 supports several new functions and improves various performance factors to elevate shooting convenience and fun. The firmware also rectifies several minor issues to enhance operation.The adoption of new algorithms makes it possible to speed up the AF time by approx.20% to 0.50 sec at wide-end. In addition, a 1:1 aspect ratio recording mode is added as a shooting option in addition to the conventional 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.
A white balance bracket shot is also now available. The new scene mode High Dynamic is newly incorporated in the scene mode, which helps to capture a scene with moderate exposure even though the scene contains both bright and dark areas together. You can select either of 3 options, Standard, Art, or B/W, depending on the desired effect and personal taste to make the photo look natural to artistic. The white balance adjustment performance is greatly improved especially under fluorescent lights, daytime sunlight and low light.
As well as those mentioned above, the new firmware incorporates attractive advancements for enthusiastic photographers. The exposure compensation range as well as its bracket setting is widened. The fixed composition guidelines are now movable to the intended position with the control of cursor or joystick for free framing. Over exposed parts of the picture are shown not only in the preview but also in playback mode. The lens position of zooming and manual focusing is memorized and will resume at this position.
The photographer’s name can be embedded to the EXIF information of the picture and it can be confirmed via the updated PHOTOfunSTUDIO ver.2.1.
Panasonic invites all users of DMC-LX3 to apply the updated firmware. The new firmware will be available worldwide at, at 07:00 BST on 28th of September, 2009.
Good on them! I wonder if the Leica equivalent is getting a similar schedule of updates..?
I’m very impressed with this camera.
Ricoh are also very good for supporting their prosumer cameras with updates long after they’d been released.
Panasonic’s update certainly makes me continue to consider their GF1 as a possible replacement for my Nikon D300. It looks a fabulous dSLR!
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/PanasonicGF1/
This firmware update is very timely. It looks like both Canon and Sony have the LX3 market in their sights for a bit of competition.
The new Canon SD90 has an f/2 lens that zooms from 28 to 105mm. It has what they claim to be a high sensitivity sensor. Like the LX3 it can save images in RAW format It has a pop-up flash. It has no hotshoe or viewfinder. It costs about £499 which is a lot more expensive than the current price of the LX3.
Meanwhile Sony have announced the DSC-WX1 for £294. This is intriguingly fitted with a new ‘Exmor R’ sensor which is capable of resolving very low light images using a ‘Hand held twilight mode’. It is also capable of of multi-exposure shooting whereby it captures up to 6 copies of an image in less than one second to build up a better image. The lens has a maximum aperture of f2.4 and a zoom of 5 times. It also has a panorama feature covering an angle of 250 degrees. For people who want a low light capable camera this looks promising. It does not take RAW images, but it is in a lot cheaper than those cameras that do.
Does the advent of the new firmware for the Panason LX3 and the launch of the GF1 mean that the long time rumoured LX4 is not going to happen? If so this leaves room for the new Canon and Sony cameras in this market sector.
When I bought my LX3 I really thought I wanted it for the RAW photos. It turns out that I use it almost entirely in Ai (auto) mode.
Love the camera – hate the menus. I might have to get busy with setting up the two Custom modes a bit better and leave it at that.
Can anyone say how I can get Apple Aperture to display and edit the LX3 RAW images? I don’t understand why Apple appear not to have created the necessary plug-in to do this, given the popularity of this camera. Or have I missed something?
Thanks
Aperture 3 and iphoto now have LX3 RAW support @Nigel