Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

58

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Aperture
Wide aperture
f/2.0
Wide angle
Wide angle lens
24 mm
Size
Really small
Compact 109x60x27 mm
Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
Sensor size
Large sensor
1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm
Thickness
Thin
1.1"
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

40

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Battery life
Great battery life
470 shots
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-FZ38

External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Zoom More zoom 18x vs 2.5x
Help
Around 52x more zoom
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Digital vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FZ38

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-LX3

Sensor size Much larger sensor 1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm vs 1/2.3" 6.1x4.6mm
Help
More than 80% larger sensor
Aperture Significantly wider aperture f/2.0 vs f/2.8
Help
At its widest zoom, the DMC-LX3's lens captures slightly more light (1 f-stop)
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
Get that real film feel
Size Much smaller 109x60x27 mm vs 118x76x89 mm
Help
4.5x smaller
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle 24 mm vs 27 mm
Help
More than 10% better wide angle
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
2x higher resolution screen
Thickness Much thinner 1.1" vs 3.5"
Help
3.3x thinner
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The DMC-LX3's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
True resolution Higher true resolution 10 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
Almost the same
Weight Lighter 265 g vs 367 g
Help
Around 30% lighter
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-LX3
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
40 vs 58
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a super zoom with a pro digicam.

advice

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!

I am considering either the DMC-FZ38 or the DMC-LX3,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

Select aspects that are most important to you: (max 3)

Popular tags:

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
DMC-FZ38:f/2.8
DMC-LX3:f/2.0
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
1 cm
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Longest exposure Very long exposure times Help
60 seconds
Lowest price Very expensive Help
DMC-FZ38:$560.83
DMC-LX3:$555.27
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Movie format HD (720p) video Help
DMC-FZ38:720p @ 30fps
DMC-LX3:720p @ 24fps

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Longest exposure Much shorter exposures
Battery life Has a much shorter battery life
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$495 - $500

Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Longest exposure Significantly shorter exposures
Thickness Is thicker
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Color depth Has slightly more color depth
Longest exposure Much shorter exposures
Light sensitivity (boost) Lacks boost light sensitivity
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Battery life Has a significantly shorter battery life
Dynamic range Has slightly narrower dynamic range
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30

Panasonic Lumix TZ30

Travel zoom

$434 - $474

Movie format Records higher quality movies
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Longest exposure Much shorter exposures
Supports RAW Doesn't shoot RAW
Nikon Coolpix P510

Nikon Coolpix P510

Super zoom

$397 - $400

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Longest exposure Much shorter exposures
Thickness Is thicker

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47

Super zoom

$285

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Autofocus Faster video autofocus
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Supports RAW No RAW support
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $215

Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Screen size Significantly larger screen
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Aperture Narrower aperture
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Super zoom

$136 - $151

Lowest price Much cheaper
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Weight Heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45

Super zoom

$366 - $450

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Zoom More zoom
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Size Slightly larger
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Super zoom

$611

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Size Larger

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$339

Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO
Continuous shooting Shoots faster
Supports 24p No 24p support
Size Larger
Canon PowerShot S95

Canon PowerShot S95

Pro digicam

$340 - $389

Overall image quality Better image quality
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle
Sensor size Much smaller sensor
Canon PowerShot S90

Canon PowerShot S90

Pro digicam

Overall image quality Better image quality
Low light performance Significantly lower noise at high ISO
Supports 24p No 24p support
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle
Fujifilm Finepix X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$599

Movie format Higher resolution movies
True resolution Much higher true resolution
Supports 24p No 24p support
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle
Olympus XZ-1

Olympus XZ-1

Pro digicam

$499 - $500

Screen type Has an OLED screen
Aperture Wider aperture
Supports 24p No 24p support
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle

appearance

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

discussion

Showing 0 comments