Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II Digital Camera, Black {17MP}

Four Thirds compact with a 24-75mm f/1.7 Leica lens.

The LX100 II puts a Four Thirds sensor into a body that weighs 392g and fits in a jacket pocket. That sensor is significantly larger than what most compacts carry, and paired with a Leica DC Vario-Summilux lens that opens to f/1.7 at the wide end, the combination gives you genuine control over depth of field and real low-light headroom without hauling a bag full of glass. ISO runs from 200 to 25600, with expansion down to 100 when you need it.

The multi-aspect ratio design is one of this camera's most practical features. Switching between 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 maintains the same diagonal angle of view than just cropping the sensor, so you're not losing image area when you change composition formats. The 2,760,000-dot electronic viewfinder covers 100% of the frame at 0.70x equivalent magnification, and the 1,240,000-dot touchscreen doubles as an AF touchpad when your eye is at the finder. Burst shooting reaches 11 fps, and the electronic shutter goes to 1/16000 sec for wide-open shooting in bright light.

Reviewers consistently praise the JPEG output from the Venus Engine, which draws on color rendering refinements Panasonic developed for the GH5. For photographers who shoot RAW, the sensor's dynamic range gives enough latitude to recover highlights and open shadows in post. This is an enthusiast's camera that happens to be small, not a point-and-shoot that happens to have manual controls.

Who It's For

Travel photographers get a camera that covers 24-75mm in a single lens at f/1.7-2.8, with 11 fps burst and optical stabilization for shooting on the move without extra gear. Street photographers benefit from the touchpad AF system and the 392g body that stays unobtrusive. Landscape shooters working at the hike-in level will find the multi-aspect sensor design and RAW output with solid dynamic range worth the modest pack weight. Documentary shooters drawn to manual controls get dedicated aperture and shutter rings plus 10 customizable buttons in a camera that reviewers describe as genuinely engaging to work with.

Key Features

• 17MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor with 49-point autofocus system
• Leica DC Vario-Summilux 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 equivalent lens with 3.1x optical zoom
• Multi-aspect ratio recording (1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9) maintains diagonal angle of view
• Electronic viewfinder with 2.76M-dot equivalent field-sequential display, 100% coverage
• ISO 200-25600 (expandable to 100) with optical image stabilization
• 11 fps continuous shooting with electronic shutter up to 1/16000 sec
• 3-inch touchscreen with touchpad AF capability and 1.24M-dot resolution
• 4K video recording in MPEG-4, AVCHD, and H.264 formats
• RAW + JPEG capture, Venus Engine processor
• Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, USB charging, 340-shot battery life

FAQ

How does the multi-aspect ratio system work?

The 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 modes maintain the same diagonal angle of view across all three formats instead of just cropping the frame, so you preserve image area when switching aspect ratios. The 1:1 square mode is also available. Note that RAW files are cropped to your selected aspect ratio, so you can't adjust this choice in post-processing.

What's the viewfinder like?

The 2,760,000-dot electronic viewfinder covers 100% of the frame at 0.70x magnification and uses field-sequential technology, displaying red, green, and blue sequentially. This can cause a tearing effect if the image changes mid-refresh, though some photographers are bothered by it more than others. It's still preferable to shooting only on the rear LCD.

How does the touchscreen AF work while looking through the viewfinder?

It's called Touchpad AF. You can use the rear 3-inch touchscreen to select focus points while your eye stays at the viewfinder. You choose between absolute positioning (touch the exact spot you want to focus on) or relative positioning (like a laptop trackpad). The drawback is you can't limit the active touch area, so your nose or cheek can accidentally reposition focus.

Is the lens fast enough for low light?

The f/1.7 maximum aperture at 24mm equivalent is genuinely quick for a compact, and combined with ISO 200-25600 (expandable to 100), you have real low-light capability. The sensor's Four Thirds size and the lens design give you control over depth of field that most compacts can't touch, though the aperture tightens to f/2.8 by 75mm.

How's the autofocus in continuous shooting?

Single AF is quick and precise, but continuous AF has a known issue: it constantly adjusts even when the subject hasn't moved, creating a hunting or fluttering effect. For static subjects or deliberate focus tracking, this is less of a concern.

What about the JPEG color rendering?

The Venus Engine in the LX100 II draws on color refinements Panasonic developed for the GH5, and reviewers consistently praise the JPEG output. If you shoot RAW, the sensor has enough dynamic range latitude to recover highlights and open shadows in post-processing.

Can the screen articulate or rotate?

No, the 3-inch LCD is fixed. This limits your shooting angles when composing low to the ground or overhead, though the touchscreen AF does help you work around this limitation.