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January 16, 2008
[ PANASONIC LUMIX L10 digital SLR ]
Price: $2199
A decent camera at a high price
The low-down: This is Panasonic’s second digital SLR. Like the L1 it is built around the Four Thirds system with a 10 megapixel sensor and a Leica 14–50mm image stabilised lens (28–100 film equivalent). Lens construction is plastic but the operation of the zoom and manual focus is smooth and well damped. The LCD screen swivels, which is a good feature, and there is live view, so that the LCD can be used as a viewfinder. The ergonomics are good, but there is no body-top camera status display. However all the important adjustments are accessible without going into the menu. The viewfinder is a little small and dim compared with the Canon/Nikon competition.
Like: Focus is quick and accurate and, as seems to be the case with the Four Thirds system, there is slightly greater depth of field at any given focal length. Resolution of lens and sensor is good. Colour rendition is very good, particularly of solid primary colours where there is no trace of colour bleed obscuring fine details.
Dislike: Dynamic range is poor and image noise at ISO settings above 800 is seriously intrusive. We noticed that Olympus seem to do better in controlling noise from the same sensor. We have a reservation about the price. A comparable Olympus E-510 costs $1500.
Verdict: The physics of the Four Thirds system involves matching lenses to sensor in an arrangement that is ideal for digital cameras. The claim is that digital SLRs that are adaptations of film cameras involve unacceptable compromises, because light needs to strike an electronic cell at a different angle from film. The drawback with the system is firstly that the Four Thirds sensor is smaller than the APS-C size unit in other DSLRs, and second, that the aspect ratio is 4:3 rather than 3:2. The Panasonic has selectable aspect ratios and 3:2 (the AR of a standard photo print) can be set, but that means reducing the pixel dimensions. Smaller sensors also mean more noise. But in favour of Four Thirds is that it is an “open” system – all Panasonic/Leica lenses will work on Olympus cameras and vice versa.
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Posted by terry at January 16, 2008 09:24 PM
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