A few photographers over at Dpreview wanted to know what I thought of both the LX3 and G10 so I kindly obliged. Thought I’d share over here:
I’ll tell you now that if you’re wondering whether to get a Panasonic LX3 of a Canon G10, it’s gonna be a TOUGH decision.
Like the LX3, I love the G10 look and build of the body. It’s almost at opposite sides of the spectrum, but not… if that makes sense. With the G10, you could really feel its sturdiness but at the same time, the look does not match the weight. It looks much heavier than it actually feels.
The LX3 looks a lot more delicate but still pretty darn sturdy and weighs more than it looks. I don’t find these to be pros or cons. Just the way they are and rightfully so.
In terms of controls, I think the Canon outshines Panasonic for me just because access to certain things like iso, exposure compensation and the wheel are so useful. However, it’s a personal preference as well. I like both almost equally but like I said, the G10 has a slight advantage.
The G10 screen is amazing. More so than the LX3 even though they almost have the exact same resolution. Canon is up by 461,000 to panny’s 460,000. It doesn’t appear to be such a small margin to my eyes for some reason. The G10 is stunning. Almost too stunning. I was a bit shocked at how dull the images looked on my apple cinema display compared to the cameras screen.
Hmm, what else? Outdoor images… I took a quick snap with the G10 in the parking lot at work. What I like about the quality of these images is that it has a dslr look to them. Straight out of jpeg mode, they don’t look over processed. The LX3, though sharp and vivid, almost sometimes looks over processed to me, especially since I love leaving the magic at the post process stage.
So if you like photoshopping to get your results, the G10 provides amazing images. If you like your images to look really fantastic straight out of camera with little work, the LX3 does the job quite well though sometimes for my taste is too much. Keep in mind, I haven’t been shooting in RAW with the LX3 since it isn’t supported and I refuse to use a program like silky pix. So results can vary.
Noise. That dreadful topic. I won’t go into too much about this but I will say that with the fast lens the LX3 offers, it beats the G10 hands down. ISO 400 and above at the same focal lengths, shutter speed, fstop, the LX3 manages to produce less noise and more detail. I might use 800iso on the LX3 but never on the G10. Proof that more megapixels doesn’t always mean better images.
That’s all I will say about noise because to be honest, I’m a little sick of the noise phenomena over compact cameras. Get a DSLR and a good lens if you’re so worried about noise and shoot in poor lit conditions frequently. Though the LX3 can handle it quite well for a compact, it’s still a compact.
However, at lower ISOs I still prefer the canon images. I might be biased because I’ve used canon DSLRs since the beginning, but I prefer that it doesn’t look overly processed. That’s not to say this panny isn’t amazing either. Just a matter of preference. Again, I have no RAW comparisons so that might be a factor.
So there you have it. Not sure if that was much help. Maybe I confused you even more. I’m sure saying, “If the LX3 and G10 were combined, it would be the perfect compact for me,” doesn’t help either, but it’s true.
Why I’m keeping the LX3:
- Body and design
- f2.0!!!
- 24mm (though I could live with the 28mm canon offers)
- 16:9 aspect ratio
- Simple controls best for parties and gatherings
- Vivid and sharp images out of camera
- lower noise with more detail at 400iso and above
- Flash is pretty darn good at parties
- Little lag between photos (I think it might actually be faster than the G10)
- Autofocus is quick, even in dim lighting
Why I’m keeping the G10:
- Body and design
- Wheel
- ISO easily accessible
- Images at lower ISO are superior in my early opinion
- Telephoto range (I hate the limit on the LX3. I almost always stay wide because I find it’s telephoto range almost useless)
- 28mm is wide enough for me (had reservations)
- Automatic lens cap
- Viewfinder (borderline pro for me)
- Print button (sike!)
- Compatible with my 580ex
- Screen, it’s GORGEOUS
- Feel more like a mini DSLR than the LX3
Again, I hope this helps. I’ll be putting up some full size images from the G10 once I can get some images. It will be here (unprocessed):
Canon G10 full size samples

Which is the winner?
It depends lol.
For me, I think the Canon G10 suits my needs better. The LX3 is an AMAZING compact camera. If your main concern pocketability coupled with a wide and fast lens with better noise performance at lower iso… than that’s your way to go.
It’s simple, compact, sleek, stealth, cool and provides great images straight out of camera. If you also like to take video, than look no further. I sold my canon HG10 HD camcorder because the LX3 is THAT good. It’s no camcorder, but I’m a clip kinda guy so I don’t need to refocus or zoom while recording. It’s definitely not a camcorder by any means, but it fits what I need out of video.
So why, if i had to choose, pick the G10 over the LX3? The G10 feels more like a “mini dslr” both in function and at low iso image quality. I rarely shoot in low iso with anything but a DSLR. If I’m gonna shoot in low lighting with the intent to print, chances are I’ll take my DSLR with a fast lens.
I also like the range a lot better. I thought that the 28mm wouldn’t be wide enough for me but it is and 140mm will come in handy when I travel. Things like a dedicated iso dial is important to me. I hate having to press a button to get to a menu to adjust the iso.
I feel almost silly having two compact cameras, but the LX3 is truly a compact and if that was my main concern, that would have been my choice.
Luckily, I can keep both!
I’ve come to the conclusion that I no longer need the LX3 and will be selling it. I don’t feel it’s up to par with the G10 in terms of controls and usability when out in the field. The G10 clearly outshines the LX3 when “getting the shot.” I feel the LX3 to be a lot more sluggish and less responsive. I also feel like the G10’s images are much more DSLR-like. Love the LX3, but I just don’t use it anymore.
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