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Top Veteran
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
The Panasonic LX7 has been my go-to compact camera since the end of 2013, and has blazed through tens of thousands of images over the last three and a half years. It replaced my beloved Ricoh GRD III as my everyday camera due to the much faster operation, wide lens, fast aperture, decent video quality and zoom.
Regrettably, the lens motor has begun to crap out, half extending and then retracting partially when I turn on the camera. Ugh, it's so disappointing. I've got a few options:
1. Fix the LX7 - if this isn't possible for a reasonable price, I might have to
2. Buy another LX7 - and if I can't find a new one in box, I might have to
3. Buy something else - but nothing on the market has the unique combination of near-21mm wide angle with f1.4 aperture.
Best alternative cameras are:
Panasonic LX10 - 24mm equivalent, f1.4, 20mp images, presumably better dynamic range, 4K video, and it uses the same batteries as my GM1. Probably my best bet if I want the nearest thing to an upgraded LX7.
Canon G7X Mark II - just as wide, not quite as fast aperture, with a longer lens but not the good 4k video. About AUD $50-100 less than the LX10 depending on where you buy, too.
Sony RX100 III - pop up EVF would be nice, and only $10 more than the LX10, depending on place of purchase. I've never owned a Sony camera, though, and I'm wary of the slippery soap-bar like exterior. Just from the images I've seen, I think I like Panasonic colour better, even in raw conversions, but I'd need to check some Sony files to see.
Use my Panasonic GM1 with the 14mm pancake lens - I've done this before, but it's not as fast, not as wide, and the overall thickness is a lot more than a collapsed LX10/G7X II. On the other hand, it costs nothing because I already own this combo!
Return to my Ricoh GRD III - as much as I loved this camera for years, it just doesn't start or shoot fast enough compared with the LX7. Video mode is utterly crapulent, too.
Return to my Ricoh GR - the shutter is stuck when it turns on, which is an increasingly common problem. Yeah, this needs to be fixed, too. Gorgeous images, though, and one of my favourite cameras aside from the LX7.
Any thoughts, folks?
Regrettably, the lens motor has begun to crap out, half extending and then retracting partially when I turn on the camera. Ugh, it's so disappointing. I've got a few options:
1. Fix the LX7 - if this isn't possible for a reasonable price, I might have to
2. Buy another LX7 - and if I can't find a new one in box, I might have to
3. Buy something else - but nothing on the market has the unique combination of near-21mm wide angle with f1.4 aperture.
Best alternative cameras are:
Panasonic LX10 - 24mm equivalent, f1.4, 20mp images, presumably better dynamic range, 4K video, and it uses the same batteries as my GM1. Probably my best bet if I want the nearest thing to an upgraded LX7.
Canon G7X Mark II - just as wide, not quite as fast aperture, with a longer lens but not the good 4k video. About AUD $50-100 less than the LX10 depending on where you buy, too.
Sony RX100 III - pop up EVF would be nice, and only $10 more than the LX10, depending on place of purchase. I've never owned a Sony camera, though, and I'm wary of the slippery soap-bar like exterior. Just from the images I've seen, I think I like Panasonic colour better, even in raw conversions, but I'd need to check some Sony files to see.
Use my Panasonic GM1 with the 14mm pancake lens - I've done this before, but it's not as fast, not as wide, and the overall thickness is a lot more than a collapsed LX10/G7X II. On the other hand, it costs nothing because I already own this combo!
Return to my Ricoh GRD III - as much as I loved this camera for years, it just doesn't start or shoot fast enough compared with the LX7. Video mode is utterly crapulent, too.
Return to my Ricoh GR - the shutter is stuck when it turns on, which is an increasingly common problem. Yeah, this needs to be fixed, too. Gorgeous images, though, and one of my favourite cameras aside from the LX7.
Any thoughts, folks?