DMC LX2 digital camera

the Panasonic LX2 is clearly inspired by the surging popularity of widescreen (16:9) televisions. Employing a unique set of "triple-wide" features, the LX2 combines a 28mm wide-angle Leica lens, a 16:9 wide CCD, and a 16:9 wide LCD. (Did I mention that this camera likes it wide?) If going wide isn't your thing, the camera has a very easily adjusted aspect ratio switch on the lens barrel that toggles between 16:9, 3:2, and 4:3 settings. If you're the type who likes to count pixels, the Panasonic LX2 has a 10 megapixel CCD that uses the full resolution of the sensor when shooting at 16:9. (The LX1 had a maximum 8.4 megapixel sensor at 16:9.) When you flip the switch on the Panasonic LX2 to 3:2, resolution drops to 8.5 megapixels, while in 4:3 it goes to 7.5 megapixels. This isn't because you're getting any less information in your pictures at these ratios, it's simply that the widest sections of the 16:9 sensor are cropped out in those shots.

Aside from the superficial styling of the camera, the Panasonic DMC-LX2 is certainly no rangefinder. Since the huge LCD takes up most of the rear of the camera, there's no room for an optical viewfinder, a scenario that is becoming almost standard on digital cameras these days. Despite its slightly boxy profile, the LX2 is a compact digital camera with enough contours and a not-too-obtrusive snub-like lens (28mm-112mm in 35mm equivalent) to fit comfortably in a bag or coat pocket. Dimensions of the camera are 4.2 x 2.2 x 1.0 inches (106 x 56 x 26 mm) and weight is just 7.6 ounces (217g), so while it has as many features as some prosumer models, it's far more portable.

The biggest improvement on the Lumix LX2 from its predecessor is the 2.8-inch LCD screen which displays images in full 16:9 ratio.With the Lumix LX2, the effect is reversed, which is the way it should be. Images captured at 4:3 or 3:2, are cropped with black bands on the left and right side while in 16:9, the entire panoramic scene can be shown on the screen. This effect is great for sharing photos with friends. Hold up your wide screen shot on the camera and you'll get plenty of "ooo's" and "ahhh's" from pals. Remember: to take full advantage of the Panasonic LX2's widescreen 10 megapixel sensor, you'll want to be shooting in 16:9 anyway. And because the LCD screen has 207,000 pixels, images in live preview and playback will look sharp on the display.