Connectivity
Software (7.25)
The single CD-ROM that comes in the box with the LX1 has several software programs on it. There is a USB driver, Lumix Simple Viewer, and three ArcSoft applications. This is a lot to put on the computer and can look a bit intimidating to use. Some of the software programs have similar features, so some users may only want to download what they’ll use. Here’s the rundown on what is available:
The Lumix Simple Viewer is a very primitive program that organizes and displays pictures and their shooting information. Users can print or e-mail directly from this program. The main purpose of the Simple Viewer is to provide a medium for users to look at their pictures. There are no editing functions in this program.
There are many more options on the ArcSoft PhotoBase 4 program. This software lets users view images as thumbnails, as thumbnails with details, or as textual lists. When users double-click on an image file, it appears in a separate window. In this window, users can view and edit the photographs. PhotoBase 4 has the basic editing functions such as cropping, rotating, and resizing. It also has an Auto Fix button that takes the original picture and shows it to the user in nine thumbnails of various exposure values. An Enhance function opens a tiny window that adjusts the brightness and contrast. Other Enhance options include Hue, Saturation, Sharpen, and Blur. Creative photographers can draw on their pictures with the Draw option. The program allows users to choose the size, opacity, softness, and color of their brush. If the brush doesn’t behave the way you want it to, there is an eraser with size and softness adjustment to fix it (it erases the brush only, not the image). A Text option lets users type on the images; users can choose from a long list of fonts, colors, and sizes. A Red-Eye removal button is available as are Undo and Redo buttons that can go more than one step back and forward. In the main window, there are lots of options across the top bar. From here, users can print, email, rename photos or albums, organize photos by parameters like date, keyword, or size, and even create scrapbook page-like albums to save or print. Slide shows can also be played from ArcSoft PhotoBase 4.
ArcSoft PhotoImpression 5 also lets users view and play slide shows as well as edit photographs. The browser offers similar viewing options as the PhotoBase program with the details and thumbnails modes. Double-clicking on an image makes a new window appear just like the other program; many of the editing features are similar as well. Users can copy, rotate, and reverse the picture (the Mirror option). There are plenty of selection tools such as the magnetic lasso that lets users select a confined area of the picture to edit. For example, if users want to brighten the lighting only on a face they can select the lasso tool and click around the edges of the face. Once the face is surrounded by the selection tool, the editing features work only on that area. The editing features include enhance, red-eye removal, brightness/contrast, color adjust, and blur/sharpen. PhotoImpression also has the same Auto Enhance button as the PhotoBase program. The PhotoImpression software has more creative editing options such as painting, smudging, and cloning. Users can add frames, text, and clip art to their images. There are also 36 photo effects such as radial blur and stained glass window that users can apply to their pictures. Users can also make calendars and photo books from templates in this program.
In ArcSoft PanoramaMaker 3, users can browse for pictures to stitch together. The program only has brightness, contrast, and rotation editing options. Its main function is to put groups of pictures together, which the software does automatically after users specify what sort of panorama they want – horizontal, vertical, tiled or 360 degrees.
Jacks, Ports, Plugs (7.0)
There are two jacks beneath the door on the right side. One jack goes to the DC in cable that can connect this compact LX1 to a gigantic widescreen television. The other jack is for the A/V out and USB 2.0 cables. The video out can be selected to European or American standards with its selectable NTSC or PAL options.
Direct Print Options (6.0)
Within the playback mode, users can choose to print individual pictures or they can enter a setup that’s similar to the one offered by the multi-delete function. A screen appears with thumbnails of the pictures and users can quickly select which pictures to print and how many of each to print. The camera makes a print order and sends it to the printer whenever it is connected to one. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 is compatible with PictBridge printers.
Battery (7.0)
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1 comes with a lithium-ion battery pack and a wall-mount charger. According to the LX1’s spec sheet, the battery can last up to about 240 shots, which is quite good.
Memory (3.0)
Next to the battery slot is a thin slot for the memory card. Photographers can either use a SD or MMC card, but Panasonic recommends the SD card because the LX1 performs better with it. This Lumix is packaged with an included 32 MB SD card. While that is more than some manufacturers offer, it is still not enough to take advantage of all the LX1 has to offer (i.e. widescreen movies and 8 megapixel pictures).
Other Features (4.0)
Self Timer - The LX1 has a self-timer that is accessible with the left button on the multi-selector. The self-timer takes a shot after a selectable 10 or 2 seconds.
Voice Memo – Users can attach 5 seconds of audio to a still image while recording it. While many compact digital cameras let users record a voice memo in playback, the LX1 lets users record it with the image simultaneously. This way, recording the “Surprise!” and grabbing a shot of the surprised birthday boy’s face is possible.
Flip Animation Mode – The LX1 has an interesting flip animation mode. Give the kids a pile of clay and let them have at it for a hundred shots. The camera strings them together and can play them back like a movie.
