The Panasonic LX3 price check.

The Panasonic LX3 has been loved by many of us and was one of the first cameras that did not join the crazy Megapixel race. Bigger sensor and less Megapixels!

Now the price of the LX3 is falling more and more and I haven taken some time to make a price check-up.

USA:
– Adorama and BHphoto both do have it in Stock for $398.

Germany:
– Amazon has the LX3 in Stock. Interesting: in this case the black model (388,99 €
) is cheaper than the silver model (407,40 €).
– Pixmania has the black LX3 for 357,90 €

UK:
– Amazon UK has the black Panasonic LX3 for £319.63.
– Pixmania has the black Panasonic LX3 for £ 315

Spain:
– Pixmania has the black LX3 for 336,17 €

France:
– Amazon France has the LX3 in Stock for 349 €
– Pixmania France has the Panasonic LX3 for 363 €

Panasonic reposts the LX3 firmware! (Version 2.1)

The firmware update is back again in version 2.1. And there is also an official Panasonic apologizes text:

“We’d like to apologize for the inconvenience as the download had been suspended in order to make sure the reliability of the firmware, more specifically in case of the use of some newly added functions in Ver.2.0 on Custom shooting mode.
Please download the newly released firmware, which has now become available as Ver.2.1.

< For the users who have already updated LX3 to Ver.2.0 >
The camera which has been already updated to Ver.2.0, is also advised to update again to Ver.2.1, as which is now available on this page.”
Download the firmware here: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/LX3/index.html

Panasonic updates LX3 firmware

Download the LX3 firmware:

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/LX3/index.html

Improvements:

  1. Improved auto white balance performance.
  2. Auto Focus speed-up.
  3. Recording function with an aspect ratio of 1:1 has been added.
  4. A white balance (WB) bracket function has been added.
  5. [HIGH DYNAMIC] has been added to scene mode.
  6. [LENS RESUME] has been added to the [SETUP] menu.
  7. [MENU RESUME] has been added to the [SETUP] menu.
  8. The exposure compensation and the auto bracket compensation can now be set up to ±3EV.
  9. Position of the guide line can now be set.
  10. It is now possible to display the highlights in playback mode.
  11. It is now possible to record the user’s name in the picture.
  12. Digital red-eye removal has been modified.
  13. Items saved in the custom set have changed.

(UPDATE) Canon releases the S90. A new Panasonic LX3 competitor?

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081907canons90.asp

Canon S90 Key Features

  • Lens Control Ring
  • 10 million pixels sensor
  • RAW shooting
  • Fast f/2.0-4.9 maximum aperture range
  • Lens covering the classic 28-105mm range
  • Dual Anti-Noise System (high sensitivity sensor and Digic 4 noise reduction)
  • 3.0 inch PureColor II LCD
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • Smarter Scene Detection
  • Low Light mode
  • DIGIC 4 image processor
  • HD output

Amazon has it available for preorder only at $449.95. That’s almost $200 cheaper than the black Panasonic LX3.

The LX3 has a far wider angle (24mm vs 28mm)  but to me it seems the S90 could be a real LX3 competitor. Someone close to Panasonic told me today that we will not see any LX3 successor this year. Should I believe him? We will soon know it!

UPDATE:

Which camera is better? Lots of discussios here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1033&thread=32730540

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