The digital camera market has grown tremendously over the years. The cameras were developed to suit the needs of different customers, from those who just want to take a casual picture to those who want to take a professional one. For those who want to have some control over the camera but still want to have the convenience of an average camera, there lies a new type of product "prosumer" cameras. And Panasonic LX3 is one of them.

I have been using my LX3 for a few years and still loving it. It is my best companion for travelling. It does its job very well in various conditions and take pictures of great quality.

Pros

Easy to use
The phone has an IA (Intelligent Auto) mode. Under this mode, the camera will do its own setting according to its circumstances. This is very convenient if you don't know much about camera. When my parents take my camera for travelling, I always tell them to use the IA mode all the time. The pictures won't go really wrong with the IA mode. Of course, it will also comes in handy if you want to take a snap shot and don't have much time to set everything.
If you want to have a more accurate setting, you can go to the scene mode. There are a range of preset scenarios for you to choose, for example, portrait, night scenery, etc. I like the pin-hole mode most and the result is very much like the ones taken by a lomo.

Wide angle

The camera offers a 24mm wide angle setting. It allows you to a wider picture which is very useful when you use the camera to capture the scenery or a large group photo. This advantage is more obvious when you put two cameras side by side.

2.0 Aperture
The 2.0 aperture is not common in the range of cameras like LX3. It allows you to take photos in a dark environment without using the flash. Besides that, the gentle soft focusing generated is also great for portraits.

Cons

Size and outlook
LX3 is larger and heavier than an average digital camera. It is relatively bulky and heavy especially if you have to carry it around all day. (Of course, if you are using a DSLR camera, you will find LX3 to be a light-weight camera!)

Lens cover

The lens cover is not attached to the camera and you have to take it off every time before taking a picture. It can be lost easily! My solution to this is to use a small string to attach it to the lens. However, in that way, you have to be careful not to allow the cover to hit the lens.

White balance

The white balance is inaccurate when the environment is dim. There is no problem if you are taking an outdoor picture but it can be very problematic if you are using it indoor and using the IA function. It is better to use the scene mode or adjust the white balance manually.

All in all, LX3 is an excellent "prosumer" camera, especially in taking landscape photos. It is my best companion when I go travelling and I guess I will still stick with it for some time.