This camera is really fantastic and a nice upgrade from the LX3. That's not to say that everyone should upgrade, but I think there are some significant advantages.

For me, I really needed the additional zoom and was very excited to hear that this is exactly what the LX5 had, without sacrificing the f2.0 lens. My brother needed a new camera anyway and was happy to get my 2 year old LX3. (By the way that camera is in nearly perfect condition. Panasonic really build a quality product with the LX line and I think the LX5 is even better.)

Here are the major comparisons to the LX3. Decide if these are worth it to you:

- Better image stabilization. I am getting crisp photos at speeds as low as 1/10sec.
- Better sensor than the LX3. The colors are slightly more accurate and the auto white balance works better (I need to make less adjustments).
- Better low-light shooting. Perfectly usable up to 1600 out of the camera. Shots in ISO 3200-6400 can be... Read more

Wow, I am so impressed by this camera! I am a professional photographer and have been searching for a quality point & shoot for casual use when I don't want to lug around my DSLR (Nikon D700 at the moment) but have never been happy with the compromises of a P&S. Some of the features that were most important to me for a P&S were:

- RAW files - LX5 can shoot RAW files to allow changing WB and giving maximum flexibility in editing images in my preferred RAW converter, Lightroom 3.
- Fast glass - f/2 lens!! Even at 90mm, it is still f/3.3!
- Wide-angle - 24mm (35mm equivalent) is awesome, the Canon S90 only goes to 28mm and most P&S no wider than 35mm.
- Decent zoom range - I wasn't interested in a 10x superzoom but wanted something at least to 70 or 80 mm. The zoom range of 24mm to 90mm is just perfect without compromising the quality and speed of the lens.
- Reasonable compactness - it is fairly compact without feeling like I'm handling a bar of soap... Read more

I said "Depends on What You're Looking For" because everyone has their own expectations and needs. In my case, all my DSLRs have been Nikon, and all my small pocket cameras have been Canon. I was in the market for a new pocket camera since my others didn't have optical image stabilization. So I bought another small Canon, and for some reason, just not as pleased anymore (I ended up giving to my wife and she loves it). I must admit I'm picky on quality of the image, high ISO capability, and having some control over camera setting.

A friend of mine had been looking at DSLRs, but bought the LX5 and asked what I thought about it. The more I reviewed and analyzed it, the more I liked it. So I bought one. It's close to a pocket size camera, but a little larger. Though the specs say 4.3 inch x 2.6 inch x 1 inch, that is true, but just for the body itself. The lens with lens cap adds another inch sticking out. So the body is OK, but a little bigger than I previously would... Read more