Digital Trends

With the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) convention underway in Las Vegas, a tsunami of announcements of affordable point-and-shoots is underway. This huge wave of new models (well over 75) will overwhelm camera buyers this spring and summer, even with the recession underway. However, at the high-end of the compact category, things move at a much more leisurely pace, with select manufacturers introducing one or two killer models that usually hang around for awhile. Canon’s 14.7MP PowerShot G10 is a fine example, as is the 10-megapixel LX3 we’re reviewing now. These cameras are for shutterbugs looking for DSLR quality, but without the hassle of carrying a bag of lenses. They’re also willing to spend close to 500 clams at a time when the prices of aim-and-forget are falling to the center of the Earth. Given all these trends, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 has risen to cult status with photo aesthetes due to its Leica vibe and reported picture quality. We couldn’t resist the opportunity to add our two cents at a time when dozens of affordable point-and-shoots are being unveiled. Is the LX3 all it’s cracked up to be? You’ll know shortly.