Panasonic DMC-LX3

This is the compact camera that top the list during the 2008/2009 era. That time the big player Canon and Nikon has the G10/G11 or P6000 serious compacts which are chucky and they gave the consumers a small aperture lens (aperture 3.5-5.6). This LX-3 from Panasonic change it. They feature a bright lens of F2-2.8 on a compact and the body design is very beautiful. Look at the latest XZ-1 /XZ_2 from Olympus, Samsung and Canon S90/100/110. They soon copied this camera in terms of the lens configuration. Today's top compact I believed is the Sony RX_100, featuring a bright lens and much relatively big 1" sensor.

To me and most photographers, we prefer a brighter lens than a high iso sensor.

I had the more expensive cousin from Leica, D-Lux4 before. It was almost 3times as expensive than the LX-3. Some say the lens coating on the D-lux 4 is better and the rest of the stuff are the same. Many people have attached a lens tube on this camera and add a Raynox close-up filter (Raynox 250/202 )  to do macro with great results. Although smart phones nowadays are the preferred choice than compact cameras, I believe these serious compact will still be useful.

I got this camera again from used market. I got is at $150 SGD. A bargain as it was relatively mint in condition. Although this model is overshadowed by the newer model like LX-5 and LX-7 (with f1.4 lens), it is still a good camera and will be my back-up. My OM-D system is still my main. I just love these camera designs.

The D-Lux 4, leica. Sold.

The same camera in different body.