Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 review

Panasonic has done an excellent job with the Lumix DMC-LX5 and has done well to surpass the high benchmark it set with the LX3. It replaces its older sibling as the ultimate enthusiast’s compact camera, but whether it’s enough of an update to tempt current LX3 owners is another matter entirely.

If the LX5’s significantly better high ISO performance, improved video quality or the more versatile focal range solve problems that you had with the LX3 then it’s a natural upgrade, but if those things aren’t important then it’s worth hanging onto your existing compact for the time being.

What’s more, the LX5’s title as the ultimate enthusiast’s compact does come at a price. Panasonic’s recommended retail price for the LX5 is £480, and after a quick search around the usual suspects, we found it listed for anywhere between £350 and £500. Annoyingly, most of these retailers had no stock, so it’s hard to gauge what the ‘real’ street price will be. We’d advise waiting for things to settle down a little.

However, if you do that, you may find yourself in a similar situation to the one when the LX3 launched – it was almost impossible to get hold of, with waiting lists stretching into months. If you’ve decided that the LX5 is the camera for you, our advice is to buy one as soon as you see it in stock at the right price. If retailers hike the prices to around £400, the LX3 is still a great alternative for under £315.