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Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC40S 4MP Digital Camera w/ Leica Lens and 3x Optical Zoom, Silver | List Price: $649.99
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Brand: Panasonic
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 1 Year Parts/Labor
Features: - 4 megapixel sensor creates 2240 x 1680 images for prints at 11 x 14 and beyond
- 3x optical plus 2x digital (6x total) zoom with Leica DC Vario-Elmarit autofocus lens
- Included 16 MB Secure Digital (SD) card holds approximately 8 images at default settings
- Connects with PCs and Macs via USB port
- Uses lithium-ion battery (included)
Best camera I ever owned [Posted on 2003-08-16]
I have been through a few SLR bodies and a couple of point and shoots. My lense kit ranges from 28mm to 400mm for the 35mm cam, a Pentax ZX-M. I was skeptical about the digital breed, and the Fuji2600 I bought 18 months ago was ok, but developed into a battery hog. The 4 MegaPixel LC40 has retired them all though! I couldn't believe that I finally had a Leica lens at a bargain price, and the optics make a huge difference. I have compared my pics to some others taken with a 5MP Sony, and the Panasonic/Leica LC40 has better colors, slightly better resolution, and far more natural contrast. The Sony made a waterfall appear, as if the water had been pasted onto the rock formmations in a qick and dirty PhotoShop! It took me a little while to get used to it, but an important lesson was to keep this camera locked at 100 ASA sensitivity whenever possible. Otherwise the automatic override can at times switch to a higher sensitivity, resulting in some minor rainbowing color noise effects around solid dark objects. This is only visible in larger printouts though (8x10 and bigger). I also use it fairly exclusively in the Aperture priority mode, which allows me to quickly check and adjust my shutter speed, while always having a good idea what the depth of field will be. While the 100ASA fix makes for great colors, I have also found this camera to make pictures superior to other models in low light conditions, with less noise ("grain"). The battery life is simply outstanding! I haven't charged my LC40 for about 3 or 4 days now, have taken around 50 shots, and still a better than 75% charge in the battery! I have to mention here, that I use this camera like an SLR, in that I keep the LCD monitor turned on for framing purposes and setting checks and also instantly review my pictures with the zooming feature. This a big no-no with many digicams if you want more than just a few shots, but not this camera. It keeps on going like the Energizer Bunny!
My pictures are sharper and actually have better resolution (yes, I do mean better than 35mm film!) than ever, I can print whatever, whenever, and in what size I want, buying and getting film processed is a thing of the past, and thanks to my home computer I am even getting into the kind of special effects photography I always dreamed of, but never had a darkroom for.
Like I said, it took me while to get the settings right, but now this is a better camera for me, than my SLR ever was or could be!
Kudos to the Leica and Panasonic engineers for getting together and creating this new line. I wouldn't trade back to film anymore!
As a final note: I am still trying to figure out the difference between this camera and the Leica Digilux1/Panasonic-LC5 (they are nearly identical) model. The LC40 is more compact, but that seems to be it, aside from being half the price, which makes it a far superior deal to the other (usually only 2 or 3 MegaPixel) cameras in this price range!
Get it while you can - it's sold out in a lot of places!
Fantastic "Leica Clone" - well, actually, it IS a Leica! [Posted on 2003-10-08]
This camera is amazing. I am getting more deeply interested in photography, and have had a great Minolta 35mm SLR for years and love it. I've been waiting for digital's quality to come up, and prices to come down for a few years. I felt that time had arrived, so I began seriously researching which camera to buy. After spending much time learning about what the pros love, I basically decided to get the Leica Digilux 1 (www.leica-camera.com/digitalekameras/digilux1/index_e.html). Unfortunately, at 900 bucks, I was also planning to have to continue my wait. Then I stumbled upon the Panasonic LC40 w/ a Leica lens. I read all I could about the camera, and noticed some serious similarities b/t it and the Digilux. In fact, I learned that Panasonic was sub-contracted to put their digital works in the Leica cam, while Leica puts their SAME EXACT lens (the Leica DC Vario-Summicron) in the LC40. Got the LC40 for 1/3 the price of a Digilux, and got basically the same exact camera (minus manual focus and with a smaller lcd). If you look at the specs of both cams you'll see what I mean. Most of the reviews here and elsewhere have highlighted much of what I want to say about this fantastic camera. But I have come across rare review-complaints about its darkening of pictures and bad low-light performance, color-shifting etc. These comments I have found to be completely untrue, and probably the unfortunate result of a lack of a basic understanding of photography. This cam is simply AMAZING in low light, without a flash. It focuses very well in extremely dim situations (we're talking DARK situations) and yields amazing results. The colors are crisp and neutral. Even in low light. I did not find a hint of even minor color shift. Other nice features:
Clean neutral flash. Good redeye reduction. Multiple flash modes.
"Burst" mode a-la Girls On Film by Duran Duran ;)
SD cards (more $$, but smaller)
Fast USB xfer.
Ergonomically comfortable. Big enough to offer stability, yet quite compact.
Great price. Minuses (almost a joke to bring up considering the price)
No manual focus
No focus tracking light
Minimal digital zoom.
No acc or flash sync (for external flash systems).
No remote. In a world flooded with mediocre 4mp cameras and lenses, this one borders on pro for an extreme fraction of the cost. Go get one, because you'll easily have to go to the $1k range to compete with the LC40's results.
One-week impressions... [Posted on 2003-10-20]
My wife and I really liked this camera, but we only owned it for a week. Here are some thoughts from an amateur perspective:
We were impressed with the picture quality and especially surprised by the performance in low-light conditions. I regularly did not have to use the flash indoors, and still got great pics...Outdoor photos were even better, of course, with landscapes that looked like I was peering out a window. I have a picture of my neighbor's cat that I swear looks better than real life. Gorgeous, with spot-on color, from my amateur's perspective. One thing to remember is that the flash is sort of manual. If you open the flash (requires a flick of the finger, very easy), it becomes fully automatic, but if you keep it closed, the camera will not use the flash, no matter the lighting conditions. This was actually very convenient, and pretty much unique in point-and-shoot cameras. The battery power was also excellent. We took about 100 photos all told, and still hadn't dented the substantial included lithium battery, which the manual, I think, said was good for 250 or so pics, depending on usage of the LCD, which was suitably bright. One feature missing from the camera is a delete button, which is included on newer models. (Deleting photos requires clicking a few buttons)... Ultimately, however, we decided to return the camera, mainly because of its size. It's not a huge camera, smaller than most SLR's and quite manageable. But this was a gift for my wife, and this camera is bulky enough that she would probably only take it for major excursions -- not quick snapshots, etc. We decided to try the LC43 instead, which offers similar specs, although perhaps not quite the solid feel of the LC40, in a more compact package. The LC43 also can be a bit cheaper overall because Panasonic has a rebate deal going for a free 128 MB card. The LC43 also includes rechargeable AAs and a charger. That was also a consideration, despite the excellent battery power on the LC40. For starters, will you even be able to find the expensive proprietary lithium batteries five years from now? AAs are everywhere and cheap, rechargeable or not, and therefore are more convenient for the long-term, I think. Of course, perhaps in five years we will all have traded up to dirt-cheap 12 megapixel SLRs and these will all be on the electronic junkpile... I can update this once we get the LC43 (it's in the mail) for a comparison. One thing I've gleaned from others is that the LC43 flash is a bit on the weak side, relative to the LC40, and has one or two fewer manual controls. But as an amateur looking for a convenient snap-shooter, I'm willing to live with that. Good luck!
Great Camera [Posted on 2003-11-15]
This is my first digital camera and I love it. I am a novice. It does everything I had hoped for and more. Dowloading images to my computer is really easy. The battery life is great and recharging is also easy - just plug it in. I am very happy with this camera and know that if I want additional lenses, they are available.
Do not buy Panasonic [Posted on 2004-01-13]
Do not buy Panasonic cameras. I bought a DMC-LC20 one year ago, and it died exactly one day after the warranty expired. It began taking pictures with green/pink tones. Support for digital cameras is terrible. They replaced the main board with a second hand one as a "favor" without improvement, now (6 weeks later) they still have the camera and now want to replace the CCD for $129.00 + labor. Panasonic has not returned any emails I've sent about my disappointment with this product. I will throw it away and buy Sony.
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