Manual Control Options
Exposure controls are limited on the Lumix LS2. The aperture and shutter can't be set directly, though there is exposure compensation. White Balance is what the Lumix LS2 user can really tweak. The camera offers custom white balance and fine-tuning.

Focus
Autofocus
The Lumix LS2's autofocus system offers 5-, 3-, or 1-area autofocus, plus a high-speed autofocus option. In addition to the 1-area option, there is also a spot autofocus mode, which senses a smaller area. The options aside, the focus system seemed as quick and accurate as the systems on competing cameras. It performed well in low light. Accuracy and low light performance are usually pretty good on compacts with 3x zooms. The current systems are more challenged by longer zooms. Speed is usually the limiting factor in compact camera autofocus, so we were pleased to see the high speed mode. We could not judge it in our brief look at the camera for this first impression, but we expect to review it more fully when we test the camera.

Manual Focus
There is no manual focus function on the Lumix LS2. We have been disappointed by manual systems on competing cameras, and it may be that Panasonic simply left off a feature that can't be done well on a compact with a small LCD.

Metering
Panasonic calls its metering “Intelligent Multiple,” which means that the Lumix LS2 takes a number of separate readings across the frame and compares them to settle on an exposure. The system works well in automatic modes, which are the vital ones on the Lumix LS2. The system worked pretty well in backlit scenes, producing usable images consistently, though sometimes a little exposure compensation would have benefited things a bit.

Exposure
The exposure compensation control allows plus or minus two stops of adjustment in 1/3-stop increments, but no direct control of aperture or shutter speed. The bracketing function offers the same range and increment.

White Balance
Here's where the Lumix LS2 surprises. Its auto white balance works well, and it has a limited number of presets: Daylight, Cloudy and Halogen. It includes a manual custom white balance, a feature we find very important – in scenes that mix types of light or contain fluorescent tubes that gradually shift color, presets often miss the mark. The Lumix LS2's custom preset works well.

The surprising thing is that the Lumix LS2 includes an effective, flexible and easy-to-use white balance fine adjustment. The control is on a par with fine-tuning on advanced DSLRs. It's accessed through the exposure compensation button – pressing it three times brings up a 20-step scale. Each step represents 150 degrees Kelvin, and the user can warm or cool the balance up to 1500K via the control. It's a remarkable tool on its own, and on a $200 compact its unheard of. 

ISO
The Lumix LS2 offers ISOs of 80, 100, 200 and 400, plus an auto setting. To limit noise, it's best to leave it set at 80 or 100. ISO is a menu setting. There is no direct, one-button access to the control.

Shutter Speed
The Lumix LS2 has a maximum shutter speed of 1/2000. It's not clear how slow the shutter will go in normal shooting, though in Starry Sky, it will take exposures of 15, 30 or 60 seconds. We expect to have better information for our full review of the camera.

Aperture
The Lumix LS2 apparently has only two aperture settings at each focal length – wide open and two stops smaller. So, at wide angle, the setting is either f/2.8 or f/5.6, and at telephoto, it's f/5 or f/10. Again, we'll learn more as we conduct our full review.

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