[RichK]

I lost my Ixus 750 at the weekend   Great camera which produced consistently good shots and is small/light enough for multipitch. So I think I'll get another Ixus for carrying on rack/convenience shooting etc.
However, I've also been toying with the idea of getting something that'll do a little more/give better quality & have narrowed it down to the Lumix G1 or Lumix LX3. A mate has the LX3 & his shots are impressive. It goes down to F2! Read some reviews of the G1 which seems a winner as well. Thoughts on these two bad boys appreciated.

[Fultonius]

I've got the LX3 and the only cons I can see are:

Lens cap is a bit fiddly - (you'll have seen your mates one)
Lens zoom range isn't great.
Video software doesn't like Motion JPEG.
quite bulky for a compact, but I carry it on nearly every route I do.

Pros:

Bright, fast, sharp lens, with proper wideangle.
16x9 aspect ratio - good for landscapes
reasonable HD video
good enough shots to print at 18"x12" (I have some on my wall to prove it)
easy to use with good controls for manual use.


As for the likes of the G1 - probably all of the above but even better image quality, but less pocketable.


If I lost my LX3 I'd probably just buy another one. 

[Adam Lincoln]

Just bought the lx3. Love it, all apart from limited zoom. Lens cap also might get to be a pain.

[soapy]

you can mod it... http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10131838-1.html

[chummer]

  I got the equivalent for my Ricoh, I tried to stick with the original lens cap but it really started to annoy me this winter especially in the wind or when operating the camera one handed, my adapter is the same design as on the lumix and it works a treat. Well worth buying.

[chris j]

I've had a G1 for 18 months or so. Produces good sharp pictures with nice colours to my undiscriminating eye. Got the 14-45mm (28 - 90mm equivalent on a 35mm camera) kit lens and the 20mm (40mm equiv) F1.7 pancake, both are nice well built lenses. With the 20mm on the camera is almost pocketable (say in a baggy waterproof pocket). The pancake lens is great for low light pictures and the photos from it are really crisp.

Some of the buttons are a bit fiddly, I wouldn't want to use it in gloves. Big downside is no video, but if you want that the smaller GF1 could be an option or the new G2 with snazzy touchscreen (or the pricey GH1 for full HD shenanigans).

My photo gallery on UKC is here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/author.html?id=605 with a few examples from the G1. I would say most problems on the photos are probably down to me not knowing how to use the camera properly than any technical issues with the camera itself.

[Norton Sharley]

I have a GF1 which replaced a Canon 450D and is far far superior imho.  Small, light, fast just like it's owner 20 years ago.

[dave]

I've been looking at the GF1 pretty seriously of late, seems like a damn good camera.

[Johnny Brown]

What are you planning on using it for? Had a lengthy play with one whilst helping my dad choose between it and the EP-1. Pretty underwhelmed with them both to be honest.

[dave]

What are you planning on using it for?

taking photos n shit.

Less flippantly, thinking of replacing the DSLR setup with something more portable/handy that isn't a compact - i.e. maintaining decent manual control, hotshoe, a few decent primes etc. Seems to me I'm paying a hefty penalty on weight and bulk for the privilege of a viewfinder and better handling on big lenses that I don't own. In light of the other cameras I've got I'm willing to give that up for portability.

[Johnny Brown]

Sounds fair, except for the lack of decent primes. Be nice if Oly did more of the prime/ optical finder combo, and at a reasonable price, but it ain't going to happen. The lenses look like they'll continue to be uninspiring.

My feeling was it was more a giant compact than a shrunk SLR, even with your hands. I suspect you'd be jonesing for either a proper SLR, a proper compact, or both, quicksmart.

[dave]

In terms of primes there's a 14mm in the pipeline from panachronic which assuming its decent (and I expect it will be, i've heard nothing but good noises about their 20mm) should cover the wide bases to an extent. They've also got a tiny (but expensive) 8mm fisheye. Long lense wise there's nothing yet but any compact prime from just about any system in the 40 to 10mm range should be OK pressed into service on an adaptor.

Incidentally the word on the street is the olympus 17mm viewfinder works well with the panasonic 20mm cos the framelines are a bit tight for the 17mm.

[Norton Sharley]

What are you planning on using it for?

taking photos n shit.

Less flippantly, thinking of replacing the DSLR setup with something more portable/handy that isn't a compact - i.e. maintaining decent manual control, hotshoe, a few decent primes etc. Seems to me I'm paying a hefty penalty on weight and bulk for the privilege of a viewfinder and better handling on big lenses that I don't own. In light of the other cameras I've got I'm willing to give that up for portability.

My priorities exactly.  If you want to shoot in low light then the faster lens of something like a GF1 is going to be far better than a compact?  It's certainly outperforms my old 450D in all conditions but especially in low light.  Or bright sunshine.  And everything in between.  And it focuses......

[Norton Sharley]

P.S.  My brother in law also has a GF1 but with the 20mm lens rather than my 14-45.  He bought an (imitation non Panasonic) viewfinder but really doesn't get on with it and has reverted to the screen.  I should add that he uses his camera on a daily basis for work.

[dave]

Word, I'm not particularly worried about low light performance anyway.

[Johnny Brown]

Hmm. Its a shit time to want a decent, compact reasonably-priced camera that takes interchangeable primes, that's for sure. No choices. There are tele options -  the panaleica 45 looks mediocre, and overpriced. On the other hand the Zuiko 50mm/f2 would be nice if it was fully compatable, being 'optically perfect' n'all. Otherwise, legacy lenses on adaptors. Not ideal. I'd be holding off until the 14mm has at least become reality.

[dave]

There's infinitely more choice than there was 3 years ago!

[Johnny Brown]

I take it back - you can just fit one o'them babby-lenses.



This looks interesting.

All our most important sources confirmed that Olympus is working on a completely new modular camera system. Some of them told us that Olympus original plan was to first release the Olympus E-3 successor and after that the first modular camera.

What kind of features will the modular camera have?
1) New sensor with a small increse of total Megapixels (14-15 MP)
2) You will be able to use both m4/3 and 4/3 lenses
3) faster autofocus
4) completely new design (based on the Olympus OM4ti)
5) easy-intuitive and fast controls
6) The mount should be modular but separated from the sensor module. Olympus will probably not take the path of the one piece lens-sensor modul from Ricoh GXR (and that’s good news!)

Oh my lord. If that's true, I'll wet myself.

[dave]

I take it back - you can just fit one o'them babby-lenses.

shit, where's my mastercard?

[duncan]

I've also been toying with the idea of getting something that'll do a little more/give better quality & have narrowed it down to the Lumix G1 or Lumix LX3.

My Ixus was nicked and got an LX3 for the reasons you give: I wanted something that produced better-quality pics but was still pocketable.  I think the G1 is just a little too big to be a true compact and is, in size at least, more like a very small SLR.  To my mind, the LX3's main competition is currently the Canon S90 which was not available when I made my choice. 

As others have said, the best thing about the LX3 is the lens, 24mm equivalent is a great size for climbing, the worst thing about it is the handling which I still find a bit fiddly.  The Canon has a longer lens but only 28mm wide-angle. I've not played with it but my impression is the Canon's handling might be slicker.

24mm means you can get shots like this (and the size means you to carry it in the first place):


f2 max. aperture is good for indoor shots:


60mm equivalent max. length is a disadvantage in some circumstances:

[Adam Lincoln]

Just a note, for anyone buying the lc-1 mod for the lumix lx3. You will get vignetting at 30-60mm from the cap. To get round this you need to use a bit of tape/foam on the spring bracket to give it more clearance. Works a treat once done. No more dangling lens caps looking down main cliff