Looking back, the LX3`s clever use of its sensor wasn`t the aspect that had most impact on me.
In terms of my own photography, probably the most significant camera IŽve owned is my first SLR: a Pentax P30 (P3 in the US). It was a birthday present, bought second-hand when I was in my early teens and it introduced me to many of the basic concepts of photography. ItŽs the camera I shot with when I tried my hand in the darkroom and it still holds a special place in my heart. IŽve not used it for many years, but it was still working quite happily the last time I tried.
But the one that has perhaps ended up having most effect on me was the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. IŽd only been formally reviewing cameras for sixth months and the LX3 was the eighth camera I was asked to cover. All had been compacts, some had been better than others, but I recognized there was something different about the LX3.
The most significant camera I`ve ever owned is my Pentax P30 but the camera that`s had most impact on me is perhaps the Panasonic LX3
IŽd enjoyed using the camera, which is always a good start, but it was when I got to selecting images for the gallery that it really hit home that this was something a bit special. Part of it was that the aspect ratio switch on the top of the lens had prompted me to make greater use of the cameraŽs multi-aspect sensor. But more than this, the pictures just looked better.
Looking back, thereŽs not a good shot in there, not amongst my images, at least. But the general image quality was so much higher than IŽd got used to, from the middling IXUSes and woeful superzooms IŽd owned and reviewed up to that point. It was the first time that it really sank in to me just how much difference sensor size and lens brightness could make.
Obscure but important details
Up until that point, when filling in that part of the spec sheet IŽd rather glazed over, not fully appreciating the difference between the small sensor formats. And I suspec ...
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