優點:
Provides best Bokeh effect of small sensor compacts
24mm-90mm covers most general photography
Looks and operate like M43 cousins like GF1 / GX1
Has Leica / Lumix Colour tone
Very Reliable Image Stablization
Dynamic Range is good
缺點:
Image sharpness is not as pleasing
Noise seen on ISO400 and not usable over ISO 800
There is no Wifi
LCD Screen is fixed position
評價:
By fall of 2018, we have seen many disruptions in the camera industry. We have finally seen breakthrough in smartphone photography taking over entry mirrorless and prosumer compacts segment, the begin of FF mirrorless era and of course the fall and demise of small sensor cameras including N1, NX-m, Pentax Q and probably M43.
Just about a year ago, smartphone photography is still something being neglected. People never take it seriously until triple lens smartphone like P20 pro hit the market. By now, smartphone photography is becoming well-established and social media sharing doen't not require a proper camera anymore. Look at those Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and you know what I meant.
Panasonic Lumix LX7 is a premium compact of last era. Renowned for excellent image quality and ability to take bokehicious photos and its uber-large aperture of F1.4. It does superb job at taking portrait, low light environment and image stabilized long exposure shots. However, compare to the best smartphone camera, LX7 now seems dated.
Its usability in today standard in today is far from premium. If you ask me why I am testing this camera to date. My answer is that simple, out of curiosity and of course, out of cheap selling price. Here i am and writing this detailed review.
The Panasonic LX series premium compact is an interesting line of camera that has successfully cultivated a group of followers. Just like previous LX camera, the LX7 is made in Japan as always and has attracted many users on board at its time.
It features a super fast aperture of F1.4 at wide and F2.3 at tele-end. Making it one of the fastest digital compact before 1" sensor compact like RX100 is becoming popular. A lot of misunderstanding revolving on aperture of course has resulted at introduction of this camera. While aperture size does matter at low light performance and depth of field. It effects on bokeh (depth of field) varies among sensor size due to crop factor.
A simple example is that while a full frame sensor having a F1 lens has the same light sensing ability of a 1" sensor having F1 lens, the depth of field of FF sensor having F1 lens produces much shallower depth of field than 1" counterpart having F1 lens due to crop factor. The crop factor of FF lens is x1 and the crop factor of 1" is x2.7, making FF lens still has equivalent aperture of F1 x 1= F1 while 1" lens has equivalent aperture of F1 x2.7 = F2.7, thus having 1" camera has less "bokeh" or depth of field effect at portrait shots.
This is why larger sensor camera models were produced after year of 2012, as camera manufacturers have seen the huge demand on bokehicious photos and they knew the customers know small sensor camera still cannot produce the same bokeh of large sensor DSLR. Either way, LX7 is still a significant compact camera as it begins the era of bokehicious photos from compact camera.
Another major feature of LX7 is its excellent image stabilisation capability. At 1/10s, it is able to do handheld photography with excellent sharpness. At 1/6s on good hand, its image quality is still acceptable. Excellent IS combined with large aperture (better light sensing ability) means the camera is very usable at night time photography and low light environment.
Furthermore, the lens of LX7 is an interesting one as it is certified by Leica and covers 135 equiv. focal length of 24mm -90mm. Making it useful at general photography and shows accent of Leica colour scheme. Bokeh from this lens is smooth and creamy, like those you have been at large aperture DSLR.
LX7 has a few major drawbacks though, both now and then. Firstly, it is its lack of wifi feature and tilting screen. Secondly is its overall image quality in terms of sharpness as well as high ISO performance are a disappointment. The camera is well manufactured, reliable and can last very long. However, it is very prone to scratch and impact damage due to its thin metallic layer. Applying screen protector and contain the camera is leather jacket is a must.
I would not recommend people to buy this camera as its IQ in today standard is no longer impressive. There are compacts that shoot tack sharper images at similar price while having has lesser bokeh effect. To name a few, I would recommend Olmympus XZ-2, Nikon P7700, P7800 Canon G12,15,16 as low price quasi-substitution of DSLR for being sharp, offering great handling, having wifi and rotating screen.If you want something better, that shoot sharper image with pleasing bokeh, buying an used M43 of less than <1000 could serve you much better..