Digital Camera-Panasonic LX1K
I just purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 digtial camera. I needed a "scouting" camera that would also let me experiment with manual settings. The Lumix is the size of a point and shoot but has some awesome features. It also has a Leica lens that is one of the sharpest lens made. The lens has threads for filters to be attached. I am going to immediately find a UV filter to protect the lens. It has a metal body not plastic.
This camera lets me work with a number of quality formats, including Raw and Tif as well as the standard Jpg. It also allows me to work with different image size ratios such as 3:2, 4:3, and 16:9. At the 16:9 image ratio the camera is a 8.4MG resolution. It has a manual focus option as well as an auto focus. I can bring up a histogram to see the exposure range of the scene. The only downside is the high level of noise introduced at the ISO 400 range. But you can get around that if you learn to shoot in manual format such as apeture or shutter priorty with an ISO around 80 to 100 on a tripod.
The battery lasts quite a while even with the zooming operation. It also charges reasonably fast. I do suggest getting a backup it you are out in the field for hours at a time. But I operated on the battery for about an hour's shooting time with about a third of the battery being used. This was daylight time. I haven't experimented with flash at night yet.
I also reccommend a fast performance 1GB SD memory card. Today I was shooting on the Raw capture setting with the 16:9 ratio. 52 images will fit on the 1GB card in this mode. It surprised me that you get two files when you are shooting like this. One of the files is the Jpg, the companion file is in the Raw format. The Jpg file is typically between 1.8 to 2+ MB but the Raw file is a whopping 16 to 20 MB. The Raw file carries more image data information than the Jpg. Jpg, for those who don't know the difference, is a compression format that eliminates image data in favor of a smaller file.
I opened the Raw files in PhotoShop and it immediately came up with a dialog box that allows you to configure the RGB color space. In the photographer's world many prefer the PhotoPro RGB due to it's wide color space range which should give you more color information to work with. It also allows the user to color correct, choose a color temperature, tints, whether you want 8-bit or 16 bit color depth, exposure compensation in the shadows and highlights. Note: some operations in Photoshop cannot be done when in 16-bit color depth, but if you want to work with straight photos with the most color information 16-bit is better. Just know that your file will be double in size. When you click "Open" The Raw image will open in Photoshop for other manipulations.
I am including a couple of images to show what this camera can do.
The top images of the door with the Keep Out letters and the pine tree were shot on Apeture priorty, 80 ISO, Cloudy White Balance, 16:9 image ratio
The image below was created in Photoshop using a PhotoMerge operation of two 16:9 images that overlap by each other about a third. They were shot on Shutter priorty, 80 ISO, Cloudy White Balance, 16:9 ratio. I brought them into Photoshop as Raw images and used the PhotoPro RGB color setting at 8-bit color depth. Note: that the Photomerge operation will not work on 16-bit images.
This camera lets me work with a number of quality formats, including Raw and Tif as well as the standard Jpg. It also allows me to work with different image size ratios such as 3:2, 4:3, and 16:9. At the 16:9 image ratio the camera is a 8.4MG resolution. It has a manual focus option as well as an auto focus. I can bring up a histogram to see the exposure range of the scene. The only downside is the high level of noise introduced at the ISO 400 range. But you can get around that if you learn to shoot in manual format such as apeture or shutter priorty with an ISO around 80 to 100 on a tripod.
The battery lasts quite a while even with the zooming operation. It also charges reasonably fast. I do suggest getting a backup it you are out in the field for hours at a time. But I operated on the battery for about an hour's shooting time with about a third of the battery being used. This was daylight time. I haven't experimented with flash at night yet.
I also reccommend a fast performance 1GB SD memory card. Today I was shooting on the Raw capture setting with the 16:9 ratio. 52 images will fit on the 1GB card in this mode. It surprised me that you get two files when you are shooting like this. One of the files is the Jpg, the companion file is in the Raw format. The Jpg file is typically between 1.8 to 2+ MB but the Raw file is a whopping 16 to 20 MB. The Raw file carries more image data information than the Jpg. Jpg, for those who don't know the difference, is a compression format that eliminates image data in favor of a smaller file.
I opened the Raw files in PhotoShop and it immediately came up with a dialog box that allows you to configure the RGB color space. In the photographer's world many prefer the PhotoPro RGB due to it's wide color space range which should give you more color information to work with. It also allows the user to color correct, choose a color temperature, tints, whether you want 8-bit or 16 bit color depth, exposure compensation in the shadows and highlights. Note: some operations in Photoshop cannot be done when in 16-bit color depth, but if you want to work with straight photos with the most color information 16-bit is better. Just know that your file will be double in size. When you click "Open" The Raw image will open in Photoshop for other manipulations.
I am including a couple of images to show what this camera can do.
The top images of the door with the Keep Out letters and the pine tree were shot on Apeture priorty, 80 ISO, Cloudy White Balance, 16:9 image ratio
The image below was created in Photoshop using a PhotoMerge operation of two 16:9 images that overlap by each other about a third. They were shot on Shutter priorty, 80 ISO, Cloudy White Balance, 16:9 ratio. I brought them into Photoshop as Raw images and used the PhotoPro RGB color setting at 8-bit color depth. Note: that the Photomerge operation will not work on 16-bit images.
posted by EKibby at 12:28 PM
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