I love this camera because of it's compact size, it's ability for manual settings and it's HD video recording capability. Although it's not extremely compact, it's definitely pocketable in your jacket or back pocket.  When considering the lens quality and ability for full manual settings, you really can't complain. I usually leave mine on the Aperture priority setting to take advantage of the F2.0 lens. And then I just play with the ISO (100-400) depending on the light situation.  Taking pics at 400 ISO is livable, but anything higher really isn't usable.  That's my only complaint with this camera: it's low-light picture taking ability.  But that's really the downside of any digital camera that's not a DSLR with an extremely fast lens. The video quality is exceptional, although you can't zoom once you've started recording. I've enjoyed taking quick videos with this camera and not having to invest in a separate video camera or even a Flip Camera for that matter.  This actually forces me to take short, relevant video footage and not let it drag on and on and on, only to have to sit through a ton of footage to sort and edit. Overall, this is a camera that you won't be disappointed with if you enjoy manual settings and high quality video, all in a pocketable body.

wayster

Austin, TX

I did a lot of research while looking for a new camera to replace my Canon SD1000 point-and-shoot, and because of the limitations of my camera needs - a lens capable of large, wide-angle shots, yet housed in a package small enough to take with me on backpacking trips into the mountains - and numerous favorable reviews, I decided on the Panasonic Lumix LX-3. I purchased this camera used about a year ago and haven't regretted this decision at all; it's small enough to stick into a normal-sized pack pocket, yet powerful enough to take nice shots of a wide range of subjects. I use mine mostly for landscape photography, although it works fine for more typical point-and-shoot applications as well. I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a nice compromise between a point-and-shoot and a DSLR.

windknot

Berkeley, CA