Move over Sony RX100 (I, II, III), Here come Panasonic LX-100

The "all around" port is rectangle, but not flat, it's slightly dome/curve so you won't be able to use any wet lens on top of it. The rectangle shape allows the use of 24mm end of the camera, yet it's long enough for the lens barrel to extend to use the tele end of the focal length. The only flat port is the short 67mm port allowing user to use WA wet lens. I will see if they let me take photos of the housing when I return my GH4 rental housing.

That's not my understanding. The flat rectangular port is actually flat and will take a flip diopter, this port will not retain land field of view in water. There is also a 3.5" dome. Both use the full zoom. Finally there is an m67 shirt port that limits the zoom for the wet wide angle lens

Just found this in Vimeo

That is in a plastic bag housing. Not bad though!

The LX-100 seems like it would be a great manual camera on land, giving real intuitive controls for things I found harder to get to on the LX-7. Started looking at it as a possible X-mas present for myself, replacing my LX-7, and my first underwater camera. But the lack of housings lead me to this very informed thread a few weeks back. Very much a newbie so please excuse my ignorance.

Could anyone on this thread comment on the Ikelite LX-100 housing that was released last week? I know it's been lightly discussed elsewhere in the forum, but I was particularly curious in comparison to the Nauticam housing discussed here.

It seems like the Ikelite housing cripples the ability to use manual focus due to missing controls? That's what I thought about their LX-7 housing as well, but I have no experience with it. Looking at the Nauticam LX-7 housing, it appears that all controls are available, and I assumed that would continue on the LX-100.

Thanks for any input! The Nauticam housing looks excelent, but the Ikelite is actually available before the 25th.

The Nauticam one and the 3.5" dome are already available for ordering here in Hong Kong

The ikelite housing for the lx7 lacked the manual focus lever and the Nd button. The first was not that important the second was important for video not for stills. The ikelite housing for the Lx100 lacks the focus mode and that for me is a killer for those who want to use the camera out of the box

cccam, it really depends on your budget. I had the LX-7 before I went on a trip to Indonesia, my budget was tight because of the trip, so I bought the Ikelite housing for the LX-7, thinking that it's almost half the price of the Nauticam (US$550 vs US$950). After the Indonesia trip, I realize the short coming of the Ikelite housing for its ergonomic issue with the cursor button, and a lot of the setting rely on you looking into the clear plastic housing using the "J" hook kind of knob to "fish" and turn the dial, like aspect ratio, etc. After my Indonesia trip, I sold the Ikelite housing and got the Nauticam housing. With the Nauticam housing, I can change setting with feel instead of looking at the housing. Some people like the Ikelite housing for the fact that you can see the O-ring since it's clear.

For the LX-100 Nauticam housing, you can add a vacuum valve to ensure tight seal before you get into the water, so it's a great feature that the Ikelite LX-100 housing won't offer.

The Nauticam one and the 3.5" dome are already available for ordering here in Hong Kong

The 3.5" dome is just a wetlens for point and shoot, not a dedicated port for the LX-100 Nauticam housing right? I will stop by Reef Photos and confirm the number of ports available for the LX-100 housing on monday.

 

The 3.5" dome is just a wetlens for point and shoot, not a dedicated port for the LX-100 Nauticam housing right? I will stop by Reef Photos and confirm the number of ports available for the LX-100 housing on monday.

The dome is a proper 3.5" port. The housing comes as default with the rectangular flat port but you can buy the dome or the short port for the Inon UWL-H100 or Nauticam wet lens

I have now seen the Gx7 housing that one comes with the same set of options but the default is a round flat port

I checked with Reef Photos when returning my GH4 rental housing. They can't tell me much because they don't have sufficient knowledge about the system. The rectangle port would be the standard port. The next one is the dome port, which they don't know if the full focal length could be used or not. Then the last port is the short flat port, and I was told the flat port only allow the use of 24mm focal length, hence there is a need of the zoom level lock.

I really don't see the use of the flat port if it doesn't allow zoom at all. If you want to use macro diopter, then the rectangle port + flip diopter is the only way to go.

Seems like every time I take to a different person, I get different answer. But the general consensus is the housing would be announce/release around Jan 15 if not a week earlier.

There will be full zoom with both flat and dome. Will need to be seen what happens to corners when fully zoomed in the dome but should not be an issue. Thanks for clarifying the short port it makes sense now

Take it with a grain of salt. If the short flat port only allows 24mm, then that port is only useful for people who already have the Inon UWL-H100 wetlens. For the rectangle port + flip lens holder, I'm not even sure you can use a WA lens on it (Inon, Opteka, or the Nauticam WA lens).

There is no estimate pricing for the additional port as well.

No wide angle lens for the flat port only flip diopter. I got this info from nauticam Hong Kong

For those who are in the US, you can buy the LX100 through B&H mobile apps and get a 5% off discount, and they give you a 32Gb Sandisk Extreme card (worth $30) for free. There is also free shipping. I just place my order, thought I should pass the info along in case some body is on the fence to get it.

I don't like the control dials of LX100.

It does not have the traditional MODE dial on top for A, S, P, M.

Its a 2 stage activation process with the F ring on lens as 2nd stage switch.... which for me its so odd and not logical, I mean coming from Sony RX100mk1, Mk3 and even GH-4.

I do not understand the logic of two top dials, one being shutter speed and one other being EV compensation...why ?

I like cameras where I do not need to read the user manual first time use and its logical to operate it.

Other than this weirdo for MODE setting, its a nice camera for 2 hours I messed with it., where 20 minutes was for reading the User Manual....ha ha ha, trying to find the MODE setting.

Solid built. Decently big 7.2V 1,025 Mah battery for a camera this small where most other cams now uses 3.7V for USB charging compatibility.

Its freakin heavy at 400 grams vs RX100mk1 at 240 grams, me weighted them.

Video IQ is good.

For low light video it allows 6400 ISO, noise laden but if one need to capture at such low light for content and not quality, its not too bad.

Sure, I hate the add-on flash and not built in. I loose things which is not attached to a camera..LOL.

If say they increase US$50 and allow touch screen and buttons control like GH-4, that will be nice.

Land use touchscreem capable is nice for somethings. Underwater I prefer buttons control for sure, as it is a housing OEM nightmare to deal with touchscreen.

It does not have the 200mbps 1080p like GH-4 though.

At the price point is not a bad toy to own for a 4K junkie.

That's the short report for now.

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The second ring is aperture not ev on the front. in video you are most likely going to set shutter speed fixed and let the camera do the rest. I wonder how the IA mode works for video in terms of shutter and ISO. The shutter priority modes on this camera don't have a max ISO in video that I find quite bad as I don't like the camera to be brighter than my eyes

I said the second dial on top is EV +-, the extreme right one.

The Lens Dial is F/Aperture but there is an A in red and must match with the bigger top dial also an A with red = P mode

Spin the lens Dial away from the red A for any F setting....while top big dial is A ( red ) = A mode.

Spin the big dial on top to select shutter speed, while lens dial in A ( red ) camera becomes S mode.

Spin fron lens dial away from A ( red ) to any F setting and at the same time top big dial to any shutter speed, we get M ( manual ) mode.

This is so confusing....LOL.

It has no separation between movie mode and still photo model like RX100 with its MOVIE MODE and sub menu :

- P mode

- S mode

- A mode

- Manual mode

In a good way its like, you can do all the manual setting all you like in video.

in S mode the rear small dial is unique, it can set shutter speed but limited to 2 down step and 2 up step of what the big top dial setting is.

Example :

I set shutter at 1/60 with big top dial.

While recording.....I then mess with rear small dial, it allows me to go 1/50 and 1/40 down and 1/80 and 1/100 up....he he he so unique and what purpose, I guess its fine tuning as the big top dial does not have 1/50 or 1/40 or 1/80 1/100. It has 1/60 and then jump to 1/125.

While recoding in P mode, all auto, spin the F lens dial and then it becomes A mode. Spin top shutter dial to any shutter speed setting, it becomes M mode. Indeed unique.

Must get to know the camera better, as my muscle memory and operational memory is still very much RX100.

Positive or not this setting method of LX100, I must use it in real recording situation to know more.

Accidental touch/spin sometimes can be a problem...LOL.

The iA mode shows none of shutter speed of aperture data on LCD, but allows us to mess with EV +- only, top dial right side. If close up shooting it shows the flower icon, the macro....that's it.

Its ISO can not be locked like RX100 to a certain range we want.

Minimum focus at max W.A is not bad, approx 4cm....its icon stated 3cm but visually I think its 4cm.

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The Lens Dial is F/Aperture but there is an A in red and must match with the bigger top dial also an A with red = P mode

Spin the lens Dial away from the red A for any F setting....while top big dial is A ( red ) = A mode.

Spin the big dial on top to select shutter speed, while lens dial in A ( red ) camera becomes S mode.

Spin fron lens dial away from A ( red ) to any F setting and at the same time top big dial to any shutter speed, we get M ( manual ) mode.

 

This interface harkens back to the days of pre-auto exposure cameras. Then the aperture control was part of the lens, not in the camera. So you want to adjust the lens, you turn a dial on the lens. Want to adjust camera, turn a dial on the camera. In a sense, it's more logical than what we have now. I suspect that interface came from cheap automatics with one dial. Why else is it that the function of the wheel near the shutter button on my Canon SLR changes depending on the mode? As does the back dial?

I don't know if the LX100 controls are ultimately better, but it isn't new, it's the oldest thing under the sun.

I said the second dial on top is EV +-, the extreme right one.

 

The Lens Dial is F/Aperture but there is an A in red and must match with the bigger top dial also an A with red = P mode

Spin the lens Dial away from the red A for any F setting....while top big dial is A ( red ) = A mode.

Spin the big dial on top to select shutter speed, while lens dial in A ( red ) camera becomes S mode.

Spin fron lens dial away from A ( red ) to any F setting and at the same time top big dial to any shutter speed, we get M ( manual ) mode.

 

This is so confusing....LOL.

 

It has no separation between movie mode and still photo model like RX100 with its MOVIE MODE and sub menu :

- P mode

- S mode

- A mode

- Manual mode

 

In a good way its like, you can do all the manual setting all you like in video.

in S mode the rear small dial is unique, it can set shutter speed but limited to 2 down step and 2 up step of what the big top dial setting is.

Example :

 

I set shutter at 1/60 with big top dial.

While recording.....I then mess with rear small dial, it allows me to go 1/50 and 1/40 down and 1/80 and 1/100 up....he he he so unique and what purpose, I guess its fine tuning as the big top dial does not have 1/50 or 1/40 or 1/80 1/100. It has 1/60 and then jump to 1/125.

 

While recoding in P mode, all auto, spin the F lens dial and then it becomes A mode. Spin top shutter dial to any shutter speed setting, it becomes M mode. Indeed unique.

 

Must get to know the camera better, as my muscle memory and operational memory is still very much RX100.

 

Positive or not this setting method of LX100, I must use it in real recording situation to know more.

Accidental touch/spin sometimes can be a problem...LOL.

 

The iA mode shows none of shutter speed of aperture data on LCD, but allows us to mess with EV +- only, top dial right side. If close up shooting it shows the flower icon, the macro....that's it.

 

Its ISO can not be locked like RX100 to a certain range we want.

 

Minimum focus at max W.A is not bad, approx 4cm....its icon stated 3cm but visually I think its 4cm.

.

 

 

What happens if you shoot in aperture priority instead with auto ISO on? I know the shutter speed goes to 1/25 or 1/30 minimum but how does it manage between iso and shutter?

I said the second dial on top is EV +-, the extreme right one.

 

The Lens Dial is F/Aperture but there is an A in red and must match with the bigger top dial also an A with red = P mode

Spin the lens Dial away from the red A for any F setting....while top big dial is A ( red ) = A mode.

Spin the big dial on top to select shutter speed, while lens dial in A ( red ) camera becomes S mode.

Spin fron lens dial away from A ( red ) to any F setting and at the same time top big dial to any shutter speed, we get M ( manual ) mode.

 

This is so confusing....LOL.

This camera is target for users who have decent knowledge about shutter speed, aperture and EV. By knowing the relationship of that 3 properties, the dials give users control on the result. P/A/S/M mode is easier to use for beginner, but often this also make the user "not to think" much. I have a friend just pick up photography, he just keep rotate the dial from P to A to S etc. and keep taking shot after shots and don't know what to do when the picture come up not great.

LX100 might be confusing for new users, but over time, it will force user to think about the technical aspect of photography, which is not a bad thing. Look at it this way, it's not a camera for your grandma, so it's a camera for photo enthusiast, make you stand out from other Point & shoot people, and the price tag reflect that too.