Nine Months with the Panasonic LX5 and Canon S90

Aside from the smaller size and portability of the S90, I believe the LX5 is a superior camera with regard to features and handling (for my purposes). Having said that, it's too bad the LX5 doesn't slip into my pocket like the S90. But if it were built for pocketability Panasonic probably would have omitted the hot shoe and the ergonomic tacky-surface grip. We might also have lost the F2 wide angle lens. Omission of these features would have been terrible. I love 24mm wide and find on a trip I take perhaps 25% of my images at the 24mm wide setting. I have to assume that a lens of this specification cannot be engineered to retract fully into the body. And this leaves us with some lens protrusion even when powered down, and an inconvenient lens cap. Actually, I don't find the lens cap itself inconvenient, but the fact that the camera needs to be fully powered down before you can put the lens cap on is annoying.

When it comes to image quality, I believe it's a toss up. The RAW files on both are "good enough", and after a few in-camera adjustments I'm happy with the jpegs from both. Let me note, however, that this is based on viewing images at "normal" viewing distances, both on screen and in prints, the largest of which has been 8x12 and 9x12.  The sensors on both of these 10 megapixel cameras are essentially the same size, and bigger than what are found on 99% of all compact cameras.  All things being equal, larger sensor size improves image quality.

So which do I prefer? A camera strong in features with a robust feel like the LX5? Or, a smaller, sleeker camera with slip-into-your-pocket portability like the S90?

My initial response is that I prefer the LX5. But when I did some filtering in Lightroom I found that over the last nine months (the time period in which I owned both cameras) I have used them equally, as I have kept 900 images from each camera. What gives?

Looking at the 1800 images catalogued in Lightroom, I see that I use the S90 mostly when there is a "point and shoot" situation. I usually shoot the S90 in P-mode, auto ISO, RAW + JPEG, AWB. I typically dump the RAW file after determining that the JPEG is good enough. I'm picky about white balance so I might use the RAW if I need to make a white balance adjustment, or if I had been lucky enough to capture a potential "portfolio" shot. The additional features I use on the S90 are (1) plus or minus EV compensation while viewing the histogram, (2) three-shot exposure bracketing when appropriate for perhaps a possible conservative HDR, or when I am just not sure what exposure I want, and (3) the lens ring set for step-up zoom.

On the other hand, the LX5 goes with me when I'm being more serious about photography. I've used my Olympus 36R flash on it and love the results, and I have used a lens adapter for attaching a polarizer or closeup lens like the Raynox DCR-250. I also bought the LVF-1 viewfinder which I find very helpful for composing images depending on the amount and direction of sunlight.  Of course, all of this does make for an expensive kit!  But I already owned the flash and filters.

Here are some of my favorite features on the LX5:

1) The function button set up for auto exposure bracketing

2) The ability to shoot 3 exposure bracketed frames reasonably quickly (I think about 2-3 fps), though it takes a while to write to file. This helps when exposure bracketing for HDR use because it minimizes any hand movement between shots. (The S90 is a lot slower in taking 3 bracketed shots, perhaps 1 fps.)

3) The ability to set a minimum shutter speed when in P-mode. I've set up C-2, C-3 and C-4 custom modes for minimum speeds of 30, 60 and 125 seconds. The speed will automatically be bumped up if there is too much light for the minimum speeds. (And by the way, the LX5 has a maximum speed of 1/4000th second!)

4) AEL/AFL is set for focus lock. (The S90 has this button also.)

5) The ability to shoot in M-mode with autoISO. (I can't do this on either my S90 or G9.) This is one of my favorite ways to shoot. The operator picks the speed to match the subject and picks the F-stop for the desired depth of field, and the camera adjusts ISO to give the proper exposure based on the metering system you've selected

6) The ability to use an add-on flash or add-on viewfinder.

7) The ability to add filters via a lens adapter.

I guess the fact that I give these two cameras equal time tells me I like them equally... but clearly for different reasons. Frankly, when I first bought the LX5 I thought I was being a bit wasteful with my money because it would be redundant with my S90. I am now glad that I have both. They fit different needs.

I will enjoy watching the evolution of both series. The GF-series m43 cameras are nearly as small as the LX5. And if you love Olympus colors, the new Olympus XZ-1 is providing worthy competition to the S-series and LX-series.  Samsung has a contender, too. This is definitely a hot sector of the market.

Just bought the Panasonic LX5. Some thoughts versus my Canon S90.

I just took delivery of the new Panasonic LX5, which just this past week began shipping. This was a real splurge for me as with a list price of $500 it costs more than the Olympus E-520 dSLR I bought last year including two kit lenses. But the price of the LX5 is the same as two other highend point-and-shoots: the Canon G12 and the Nikon P7000.

The LX5 is also an extravagence because I already own the Canon S90, which has many similarities, including the ability to shoot RAW; P,A,S and M modes; ISOs available in 1/3EV intervals; and 3 image bracketing. I have greatly enjoyed the S90 (4,500 images since I bought it in December, 2009) in spite of its ergonomic issues (very smooth surface).

But I have lusted after the LX series ever since I read reviews of the LX2, and with the announcement this summer of the LX5 it seemed its feature-set showed major improvements over the prior models, LX2 and LX3. I just couldn't control myself when I learned in July that Amazon was taking "pre-orders".

Your mileage may vary, but this is my list of the more awesome LX5 features not available on the S90.

• Wide angle at 24mm effective field of view. I have never had anything wider than 28mm (S90 is 28-105 and with my Olympus dSLR I have the 28-42 kit lens and 28-54 high quality zoom), and I want to see what capabilities and photo opportunities something wider will give.
• Maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 second compared with the S90 at 1/1600. To my way of thinking this makes the LX5 a bit more of a serious camera, as a couple of times I  have topped off at 1/1600th on the S90. Remember, on these compact cameras, the smallest aperature is usually F8.
• Minimum shutter of 60sec. compared with 30 sec. on the S90
• Stronger flash
• Flash that pops up further away from the center of the lens (nearly 2" away instead of 1.5"). I'm not sure, but I think this will reduce red-eye.
• Hot shoe for optional EVF. This is big for me. I haven't bought it yet as I am hoping a new one comes out soon with greater resolution than the current EVF-1.
• 2.5 frames per second will be a lot more helpful when bracketing for HDR, compared with the S90s more anemic .9 fps. This will reduce the chance of subject movement and hand movement between images.
• Lens adapter can be purchased which will allow me to use the filters I bought for my FZ8. These include closeup lenses (Canon 250D and 500D) and a polarizer.
• Rubberized grip. The S90 is very slippery. I bet I can hold the LX5 steadier.
• When the zoom lever is moved, a scale appears on the screen that shows you exactly where you are with respect to focal length, with grid marks for 24, 28, 35, 50, 90. With the S90 you never know what focal length you used. It doesn't even show up in the display when in review mode. The workaround on the S90 is to program the front dial ring to show focal lengths of 28, 35, 50, 85 and 105 as you turn the ring. But if you use the zoom lever you get no readings.
• Better video capabilities. I don't know much about this. Video has not been important to me.

A couple of other thing occurred to me as I did my first fiddling with the LX5:

• Because I use AutoISO almost all the time, I disliked the fact that the S90 only shows "autoISO" on the LCD, even when you have half-pressed the shutter button to lock in exposure. You then need to review the recorded image to find out the chosen ISO. With the LX5, the ISO chosen by the camera is displayed on the LCD when the shutter is half pressed.
• AutoISO can be used when shooting in Manual model. I use this feature on my Olympus dSLR when photographing, for example, butterflies. I set at F11 and 1/400th second to freeze action and get good depth of field. The camera then adjusts ISO to get a good exposure. I am not sure how helpful this will be on a compact camera, but I am glad it is an included feature.
• In P mode you can set a minimum shutter speed. At family gatherings and cookouts, I can see setting this at 1/100th or 1/125th to freeze slow action. Of course, if there is plenty of light it will move to a higher speed. But if light drops and speed hits the lower limit, ISO will be bumped up. I don't know, maybe this is a gimmick, but I am looking forward to trying it out.
• This puppy has two four custom settings. Very cool. The S90 isn't too bad, as it has one custom mode.
• The LX5 has a pre-focus feature that is new to me.  It is called Q-focus and is a choice within the menu system, as is the traditional continuous focus (C-focus).  In Q-focus mode focus begins as soon as the camera senses that it has steadied.  Even without this feature turned on, my sense is that the LX5 focuses faster than the S90.

On the other hand.... While the LX5 "fits" into my pocket (sort of), the S90 "slips" into my pocket (easily).  The S90 is noticeably sleeker with a lens that collapses nearly flush with the body and I love its self-closing lens cover.  Less convenient, the LX5 lens protrudes even when the camera is turned off, and I am sure I will find the lens cover annoying and I am sure I will loose one or two.  The S90 weighs a convenient 6.9 ounces.  This is actually quite a bit less than the LX5's 9.6 ounces.  If you carry your camera in a pants pocket you will notice the difference in weight.  For me, the S90 has a convenience factor that makes it easy to take everywhere.

As far as features lacking on the LX5, the S90 has focus bracketing, which I have had some fun with. In software I have combined three images to increase depth of field. It would be nice if the LX5 had this as well, but other than Canon I don't know of any makers that include this feature. Also, the front dial on the S90 is real cool. I have it set to give me traditional focal lengths of 28, 25, 50, 85 and 105. On the other hand I have set up the LX5 to use the "step zoom" feature which does the same thing by using the zoom lever that surrounds the shutter button.

Time will tell which camera I will prefer.  If the LX5 were the size of the S90, I would sell the S90 immediately.  And if the S90 had a 24mm wide angle, I would never have bought the LX5.  There's definitely a place for the S90 in my pocket.  I don't know yet where the LX5 will fit into my routine.

An ergonomic workaround for the Canon S90

The Canon S90 is a wonderful compact camera.  I take it everywhere and use it when a dSLR is inconvenient or intimidating.  In particular, for images that have strangers in it (and for what is called "street photography") I find the S90 to be unintimidating to others and less likely to draw attention to me. (tip: for real stealth, turn off all sounds).

But the S90 has the same problem that many compact cameras have.  It is sometimes hard to hold.  The S90 is particularly problematic because there are not ribbed or "nubbied" rubber areas to place your fingers.  Even with the aftermarket grip I glued onto the hand-side of the body, I did drop the camera once.  It is very slippery.

Yes, I can use the included strap, but I find straps annoying.  I have pulled pocket cams out of my pocket before, with the strap entangled with my keys. Or, if the strap is hanging out of your pocket it can catch on door knobs and the like, pulling the camera out of your pocket.  It isn't a lot of work, but I really dislike wrapping the stock strap around the camera before slipping it into a pocket. With the contraption shown here, I have solved all these problems.

It is made with a length of old fishing fly-line and a button.  I just slip the button between my fingers and I can operate the camera and adjust buttons and operate the spin dial with my thumb without fear of dropping.  A video would be cool, but the last picture is a result of spinning the camera 180 degrees along its axis with the thumb and fingers of my right hand... importantly, without fear of dropping it!

Canon S90 goes cross country skiing at Windblown in New Hampshire

I spent two more days of skiing with the S90 in my parka pocket. Both days were at Windblown XC Ski Center in New Ipswich, NH and within eyeshot of snowcovered Mt. Monadnock. So far I have been shooting the highest quality and largest resolution JPEG files.  I'll check out RAW files sometime in the future.

Like most cameras, I find the S90 has a tendency to underexpose snow scenes.  Metering systems tend to underexpose snow because they are trying to convert a bright scene into mid-tones.  Unfortunately, when you underexpose white, the mid-tone you get is gray.

The easiest way to get whiter snow is to increase the exposure, using EV compensation.  I typically shoot scenery in the P mode, and I have programmed the S90's unique front ring (around the lens barrel) so I can adjust EV (exposure compensation) with it.

When on snow, I set the front ring at +1 EV. This adds one stop of exposure to the metered amount.  It makes the snow whiter, and dark objects against the snow, such as trees and people, become brighter.

The following are some examples.

Normal evaluative metering (If you don't notice the grey color of the snow,
put a piece of white paper up against it):

+1 EV makes snow whiter (Still a bit grey, but much better):

Having said all this, in the bright light that accompanies skiing and with polarizing goggles, it is often impossible for me to use the LCD and the histogram to verify that the exposure is reasonable, even when I have set the EV compensation at +1 EV.  For this reason, I have come up with an additional procedure.

I have customized the custom mode (which is then accessed by turning the command dial on the top of the camera to "C") to provide me with instant three-shot exposure bracketing.  I set up my custom mode to shoot in P-mode, auto ISO, auto WB, no flash, center focus, evaluative metering, and exposure bracketing. I have the three-shot bracketing set up to shoot at 0 EV, +1EV and +2EV. I download everything onto my computer at the end of the day. I then pick the image I like best of each set of three, and delete the rest.

For what it's worth, the small free-spinning wheel on the back of the camera adjusts ISO in the P mode.  I usually keep this set at AUTO ISO. In low light situations, the camera will bump up the ISO as far as 1600 if necessary, though when outdoors on snow the ISO will generally remain at its lowest level of 80.

All these settings work nicely for me, as long as I don't inadvertently nudge the spinning wheel on the back of the camera.  I find it interesting that on the larger G-series cameras like my G-9 (and I presume also on the newer G models) the spinning wheel has clicks on it.  This is preferable in my opinion and in the opinion of everyone I've read on various photography forums such as at dpreview.  My hope is that they will change this on the next version of the S-series.

Canon S90 goes with me skiing at Cannon Mountain, New Hampshire

This was my first outing in the cold with the pocketable Canon S90, arguably the best (matter of opinion of course) compact camera currently available.  A compact camera in my opinion must be sleek enough to not only fit in the front pocket of a pair of jeans, but also slide easily into that pocket.  To do this it must have a retractable lens.  It also has to be light enough to be barely noticeable.  A camera of under 7 ounces will do the trick.

In spite of the sun on this day, the base temperature at the mountain was about 15F. We saw no thermometers at the top of the mountain, and maybe this was a good thing. 

I kept the camera in an outside pocket of my jacket so that it would be cool enough not to fog up when using, yet warm enough not to freeze.  To be honest, any compact could probably have done as well with the images.  With such bright sun I was able to shoot at ISO 80, and ISO where small-sensored cameras will do just fine when the sun is behind your back.

Basically I shot large, high quality JPEGs in "P" mode, which is a mode that allows the camera to pick both the shutter speed and aperature.  I used Auto White Balance, and Auto ISO (though there was enough light so the camera always chose ISO 80). After each shot I confirmed my exposure with the histogram, then used the camera's unique front dial to make any EV compensation adjustments should I feel a follow-up shot was necessary to get the exposure right.  This was the best I could do, because with such bright light it was next to impossible to see the LCD in spite of its 3" viewing area with 461,000 dots. 

The auto white balance resulted in a bit too much blue, so I added some amber in post-processing with Lightroom.  But snow does funky things with white balance and exposure.  Next time I might try the snow scene mode and see how that does.  The snow scene mode adds a bit more exposure,which is important in snow scenes to compensate for the light meters tendency to reduce white snow to medium grey tones.  The scene mode also helps with the white  balance problems created by snow.

Other than that, I cropped most of these in Lightroom as it was very hard in the bright light to properly compose the pictures in-camera, especially since I was wearing polarized ski goggles!  That's Mt. Lafayette in the background in the 1st, 3rd and 5th images.

I have 19 pictures posted on the Web site, which can be accessed with this link:

http://www.peterfraileyphoto.com/cannon02042010