Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

Model Design / Appearance (7.5)
The design of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is nearly identical to that of its predecessor although some minimal adjustments have been made to the control interface. The LX2’s design harkens back to older Leica camera bodies with clean lines, unfettered interactivity, and a simple utilitarian and mostly functional design. While these are great overall attributes for a clear visual aesthetic, its functionality is not quite as solid. The finger grip on the front of the camera is pared down when compared to the fuller and theoretically "ergonomic" offerings of other compact cameras. This grip may work for some photographers, but users with larger hands may render this feature moot. The grip was mostly overlooked in favor of grasping the top and bottom of the camera frame with the right hand.

Size / Portability (7.0)
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 isn’t a petite pocket-sized model and users seeking something that can be easily tucked into a back pocket will probably want to look elsewhere. That said, it isn’t as heavy as the 4 1/8th inch wide, 2 1/4 inch high and 1-inch thick body would imply and photographers will be pleasantly surprised when the 6.5 oz body is hefted. It fit comfortably in a coat pocket and will definitely slip into a fanny-pack without too much strain. The major concern about this camera is definitely the non-tethered lens cap that could be easily jarred loose despite its locking mechanism.

Handling Ability (6.75)
The handling on this camera is minimal in terms of design consideration and users shooting one-handed will find it quite challenging to control. The lack of gripping protrusions will make for extremely shaky footage when attempting to shoot video with a single hand, despite Panasonic’s effective image stabilization system. A protruding small grip with texture is located on the front face of the camera near the right edge of the LX2.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (5.75)
The external control interface is nearly identical on both the LX1 and LX2. On the LX2, the controls located on the back of the camera are merely squeezed into a smaller space in order to provide for the increased size in LCD screen. The four-way controls are nicely designed and enable quick and confident movement within menu structures and manual settings. The display, AF/AE lock and delete/burst mode buttons are also well sized and labeled with fairly clear icons or textual descriptions. The only real potential problem is the unlabeled and at times, finicky joystick control located directly above the four-way control on the back face of the camera. It’s undersized and could be troublesome for some users with larger hands when trying to make adjustments to manual control settings. However, the control is not used to move through menus, so straight point-and-shoot users won’t have to fiddle with it. 

Like the LX1, the LX2 also suffers from the same setback when it comes to its zoom adjustment. The zoom adjustment ring that sits around the shutter button on the top of the camera doesn’t have the sensitivity necessary to make minor adjustments. This is especially problematic when taking the relatively small 4x optical zoom range into consideration.

Menu (7.5)
The menus for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 are easy to navigate and allow for speedy maneuvering despite their extensive nature. The menu structure is an opaque interface with occasional live views for settings like white balance. All menus are navigated through the four-way control interface and settings can be altered and then approved by pressing the menu/set button at the center of the aforementioned four-way control.

The record menu will vary in list offerings and size depending on which mode is being employed by users. For example, the menu displayed below is only available when shooting in one of the more manual control modes. If switched into auto or scene mode, the offerings become dramatically fewer and pertain only to picture size, quality and clock set.

The setup menu is available in any of the camera modes and engages the same multipage display used in record and playback modes. It would be nice if users could flip through pages without having to scroll through each sub-menu.

The playback menu is only available when the camera is in full playback mode and through making the proper adjustment to the mode dial located on the top of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2. Access to this menu will not be possible when using the quick review feature found by pressing the down arrow during shooting.

Playback Menu
Slide Show	Start, Duration, Effect, Audio
Favorite	On, Off, Cancel
Rotate Display	On, Off
Rotate	Select
DPOF Print	Single, Multi, Cancel
Protect	Single, Multi, Cancel
Audio Dub.	On, Off
Trimming	Select
Aspect Conv.	3:2, 4:3
Copy	All Picture Data, Single Picture Data
Format	Yes, No

Ease of Use (6.5)
The simple and logical menu structure is a breeze to move through and adjustments can be made without hassle. The menu structures are lengthy (up to five pages in length) and users will find that it is necessary to scroll over each sub-menu to move from page to page. This could be easily overcome by providing users a method for moving between pages without needing to actually enter the menu structure. Most controls found externally on the camera are well labeled and placed with consideration for quick access. The control that is a problem, which unfortunately can't be overlooked, is also responsible for making adjustments to the exposure compensation shortcut, shutter, aperture and manual focus settings. This joystick is unlabeled and undersized, and could be a hassle for some to use. Users will luckily find relief in the inclusion of a shortcut access to exposure compensation, flash settings, image stabilization, burst modes, quick review and self timer. Overall, Panasonic has the right idea with the LX2 but it has the same problems as the LX1 with regard to ease of use. It’s a bit frustrating to have nothing change in this new model in this department. With minimal adjustments, Panasonic could really have made a great compact camera that outdoes anything else on the market in terms of simplicity.