I'm an idiot? Panasonic LX7

Guest what? I stumble across the Panasonic LX7 for US$299 online at J&R...... excited, I kept research and trying to compare it with the HX30v when come to video mode image stabilization. An hour later, when I'm ready to buy,the price went up to US$449....... argg!!!!

Well, turned out Amazon didn't show the J&R price, but going to J&R website directly, I still can get that price. Just order the white one for $299, woo hoo!

Oh, guest what? Ikelite makes housing for the LX-7!!!! So there are options beside Nauticam. If you're in the market for this camera, hurry up!

Did you test the lx7 in water?

I haven't get the housing for the LX7 yet. The housing is US$900, by Nauticam. I did some test video shoot comparing it to the Sony HX30v. The Sony do show better IS, but do not perform that well under low light, and could introduct noise. The LX7 on the other hand, being F1.4 really make a different, its 1/1.7" sensor show less noise. I'm still in the process of debating which one I want to use for underwater. The HX30V has 3D feature, which I'm not sure if I would care much for 3D picture in the future. When thing slow down, I will try to post the video footage of the LX7 vs the HX30v.

I have now an lx7 with nauticam housing myself

I am going to run some comparative tests with the RX100 with regards to image sharpness, low light performance and stabilisation and put them on my blog

As far as I can see the HX30v has the same image stabiliser of the rx100 however it has a slow f3.2 zoom lens, as the stabiliser is optical the better results compared to the RX100 could depend by the smaller size of lens and imaging chip. Honestly I would not take anything with aperture less than f/2 in water with the HX30V you are already 2 and 1/3 fstops behind which means in low light you will be shooting at high gain which means a lot of noise on a small sensor camera

There is an ikelite housing for the lx7 and it is not massive costs around 550 if you are on a budget I would check that one

Ikelite makes a housing for lx7 at a very reasonable price. Even includes hard wired strobes, which is ultra reliable, and extends the battery life, due to no need for using the onboard flash.

The battery life of the LX7 is excellent similar to the RX100

I believe you can easily do 3+ dives even with S-TTL with the wired connection even more but then you have some sync speed restrictions

Wow Interceptor, you have all the money for all these toys? I don't even want to know what you do for living!

Anyway, I suspect the image stabilizer in the HX30v is better than the RX100. I read that the RX100 has bigger sensor so it's harder to stabilize. Besides, if you scroll to 1:50 in this video, there is a proof:

When comparing the LX7 and the HV30v. I can notice that the HX30V is much smooth on verticle panning, as if the camera is on a float/fly cam. Horizantally they seem to be the same for me even the LX7 can only do "Standard" IS since it doesn't have "Active".

The LX7 offer more video control, I like that you can have Vivid, monocrome in video mode. The big deciding factor is the LX can offer RAW picture, which I thing it could come in handy.

As far as the HX30 being diving camera, it's all personal. I only dive in tropical water, so visibility and sunlight is good enough for 3.2F Unless it get cloudy. I'm not sure about take video during night dive yet, so I might grow into it.

As for the housing for LX7, I did consider Ikelite, but there are a couple features missing in the Ikelite, one of it is you can use the ND/Focus toggle. Also, the Ikelite doesn't allow shutter button half press to lock focus. All these are quite important to consider when you start to get serious.

I would say that if you want to take video the ND filter is very useful close to the surface

For photos not much maybe Ikelite considered it more from a still point of view? I am surprised that their housing does not manage all controls

the lX7 is back on sale of $298, B and H and Amazon

Thanks! It's a nicely build camera, feels very solid. Will take mine under water in May!

I just completed a bit of tests on wet lenses. Just waiting for a part to arrive. The auto focus of this camera is excellent and really fast though I will not be using it for pictures surely that is a great advantage compared to other cameras

Using the on camera strobe, the battery on the RX100 only last for 2 dives.

The fiber optic connections, however are ultrareliable. Better than any hard wired strobe I've ever used.

Using the on camera strobe, the battery on the RX100 only last for 2 dives.

 

The fiber optic connections, however are ultrareliable. Better than any hard wired strobe I've ever used.

That depends on the strobe you have got. You need an Inon Z240 or a Sea and Sea YS-D1 with the RX100 and for wide angle really two otherwise the internal flash dumps a full blast, drains the battery and takes forever to re-charge