Compare Prices : Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1 - Expert Reviews

Pros: Beautiful mechanical focus, zoom, aperture, and shutter-speed controls ; high-quality magnesium body ; fast lens with sensible zoom range ; ingenious tiltable flash ; excellent manual focus system

Cons: Relatively low resolution for an enthusiast model ; big and heavy ; long raw-format shot-to-shot time ; electronic viewfinder isn't the best available ; high-res continuous shooting limited to three frames

Verdict: This well-made advanced-shooter's camera features several unique and very efficient analog controls, but it may have trouble luring buyers away from cheaper digital SLR systems.

Review summary: There has always been an ongoing battle to get out the perfect camera, but classifying a perfect camera entirely depends on its type of user, and users are plentiful. Today we will be taking a look at a slightly different type of digital camera ...

Verdict: This is definitely a great fully manual camera with great controls and flexibility to take pictures.

Review summary: DC Resource has a review of Panasonic's five megapixel Lumix DMC-LC1 digital camera, which is pretty much the same camera as Leica's Digilux 2. Panasonic actually manufactures both cameras and they share similar retro-stylings, but the Lumix...

Review summary: Now you see where that "brick" comment came from. This isn't the most comfortable camera to carry around your neck all day. But it's so fun to use that I'll let it slide.

Pros: Great retro design ; built like a tank (and heavy as one) ; Zoom, focus, and aperture rings around lens ; Shutter speed dial on top of camera ; Very good photo quality, though noisy ; Full manual controls ; Histogram in both record and playback modes ...

Cons: Price ; No AF-assist lamp ; Images on the noisy side ; Redeye when flash is used directly (use bounce instead) ; EVF/LCD unusable in low light ; Unimpressive macro mode ; No RAW conversion software included

Verdict: Downsides of a proprietary battery include the cost ($40 a pop), and the fact that you can't just pop in a set of AAs when you're low on juice. I recommend buying a spare battery -- you never know when you'll need it

Review summary: A rangefinder digital camera it is not, but the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1 certainly looks like, and feels like one. How does this marriage of modern technology and traditional operation fare among its competition? We invite you to find out with us...