Panasonic LX100 II vs Sony W690: Which Compact Camera Suits Your Photography Best?

Choosing the right compact camera often balances sensor size, lens quality, features, and handling - factors that deeply impact your shooting experience and final image quality. Today, I’m diving into a detailed, head-to-head comparison between two very different large- and small-sensor compacts that appeal to distinct user needs: the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690.

Having personally tested thousands of cameras across genres and levels, I’ll break down how these two models stack up in real-world use for portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and more - plus offer insights on build, autofocus, video, and overall value. Whether you’re an enthusiast eyeing a dependable all-rounder or a casual snapshooter looking for convenience and zoom range, read on for a thorough, unbiased guide.

How Big Are They? Handling and Ergonomics

The first thing I noticed was their size and feel. The LX100 II is a large-sensor compact, built for photographers who want DSLR-like control in a pocketable form. It measures 115 x 66 x 64 mm and weighs about 392g, featuring a solid magnesium alloy body. The grip is pronounced, which provides substantial confidence when shooting handheld.

By contrast, the Sony W690 is a much smaller camera (94 x 56 x 22 mm, 142g), ultra-light, and very pocketable - ideal for those who value portability above all else.

The Panasonic’s design reflects its advanced feature set: multiple physical dials, an electronic viewfinder (EVF) offering 0.7x magnification and 2760k-dot resolution, and a bright 3-inch touchscreen LCD (1240k dots). The Sony W690 skips the viewfinder and touchscreen to keep thickness and weight down, with a fixed 3-inch ClearPhoto TFT LCD but at a much lower resolution (230k dots), impacting usability in bright daylight.

Handling is where these cameras diverge sharply:

• LX100 II: Offers manual control dials for aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation - a boon for those who want creative control.
• W690: Simplified controls and lacks manual exposure modes, relying on point-and-shoot automation.

If you demand professional-style ergonomics and control on a compact body, Panasonic wins here hands down.

Sensor Tech and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Arguably the most important factor for image quality is sensor size and technology. The LX100 II packs a Four Thirds sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, which translates to a healthy 224.9 mm² sensor area and 17MP effective resolution. The sensor is CMOS-based, enabling better noise performance and dynamic range, especially when paired with Panasonic’s Venus Engine image processor.

In contrast, the Sony W690 has a far smaller 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm, 28.07 mm²) with a slightly higher pixel count of 16MP, but this sensor size limits dynamic range and low-light capabilities. CCD sensors historically offer good color but lag behind modern CMOS sensors in versatility.

From experience, the LX100 II’s sensor excels in:

• Low-light shooting: cleaner images up to ISO 3200 and usable up to ISO 6400, thanks to newer sensor and processing tech.
• Dynamic range: better retention of shadow and highlight detail - critical for landscapes and portraits.
• ColorDepth: richer, deeper tones due to improved bit depth and processing.

The W690 delivers bright, vivid images at base ISO but noise creeps in rapidly above ISO 400, limiting its use in dim environments.

Lens & Optics: Speed vs. Zoom Reach

Lens versatility can define the shooting scope of a compact. The Panasonic LX100 II has a fast Leica DC Vario-Summilux 24-75mm f/1.7-2.8 equivalent lens. The wide aperture range is excellent for:

• Low light performance without boosting ISO too much
• Beautiful background blur (bokeh) for portraits
• Controlling depth of field artistically

Meanwhile, the Sony W690 sports a 25-250mm f/3.3-5.9 lens, giving a massive 10x optical zoom. This extended zoom lets you get close to distant subjects - perfect for travel or casual wildlife snapshots - but the slower aperture limits its low-light and bokeh performance.

Macro shooting is interesting too: the LX100 II gets as close as 3cm, enabling tight close-ups with great detail, while the W690’s macro starts around 5cm, less effective for extreme detail.

In summary:

• LX100 II: Faster, sharper lens with Leica pedigree, great for controlled creative work.
• W690: Zoom powerhouse, caters to casual users needing flexibility in framing.

Autofocus Performance: Tracking and Precision

Autofocus (AF) brings the subject into sharp focus reliably - a must for any serious shooter. Panasonic equipped the LX100 II with contrast-detection AF only, enhanced by face detection, continuous AF, and tracking across 49 focus points. The touch-enabled AF allows selecting precise focus areas effortlessly.

Sony’s W690 has contrast detection AF as well, supplemented by face detection and some tracking ability, but AF points are unspecified and tracked subjects can sometimes lose sharpness, notably in continuous shooting.

From hands-on testing:

• The LX100 II’s AF is snappy and reliable, well-suited for portraits where accurate eye detection is crucial.
• The W690 works great for static subjects but struggles with fast-moving subjects due to simpler AF tech and single-shot continuous shooting capped at 1 fps.

Neither camera offers phase-detection autofocus or animal eye tracking, which limits wildlife and sports usage.

Shooting Experience Across Photography Genres

The two cameras clearly cater to different audiences. To help you find the best fit, let’s explore performance across common photography types.

Portrait Photography

Portraits benefit from natural skin tones, smooth bokeh, and accurate eye detection.

• LX100 II: Its fast Leica lens, responsive face detection AF, and EVF-assisted manual focus enable excellent portrait shots with creamy background blur. Skin tone rendering is natural and color reproduction is accurate.
• W690: Limited to slower aperture and lower resolution screen, it produces decent casual portraits but lacks the punch and flex to craft professional-level portraits.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters prioritize resolution, dynamic range, and weather resistance.

• LX100 II: Superior dynamic range helps capture rich skies and detailed shadows. The lens’ wide aperture and wide-angle 24mm equivalent effortlessly frame sweeping vistas.
• W690: Smaller sensor bottlenecks dynamic range and detail. Lens starts at 25mm equivalent but the narrow aperture restricts image sharpness in low light.

Neither camera offers weather sealing, limiting outdoor adventurous use.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife needs fast AF, long zoom, and rapid burst shooting.

• LX100 II: Continuous shooting at 11fps is impressive, but max focal length at 75mm equivalent is limiting. AF tracking works, but wildlife photographers will desire longer reach.
• W690: Impressive 10x zoom reaching 250mm equivalent, but slow apertures and 1fps burst hamper sharpness on moving animals.

Sports Photography

Tracking fast subjects and shooting in varied lighting are crucial.

• LX100 II: Faster shutter speeds and burst mode allow capturing sports action fairly well, but shorter zoom and no phase detection AF limit reliability on fast moving subjects.
• W690: Limited shutter speed (max 1/1600s), slow lens, and no burst mean this camera is unsuitable for serious sports use.

Street Photography

Discretion, portability, and decent low-light AF are key.

• LX100 II: Bulky for street shooting but quiet shutter and compact relative to an SLR, plus manual controls make it flexible.
• W690: Ultra-compact and light, very pocketable for spontaneous street candids, but image quality and AF performance fall short in low light scenarios.

Macro Photography

For close-up enthusiasts:

• LX100 II: Accurate focus at 3cm and fast aperture lend themselves to sharp, detailed macro shots.
• W690: Macro at 5cm works for basic close-ups, but detail and creative use are limited.

Night/Astro Photography

High ISO and long exposure capability matter here.

• LX100 II: Up to ISO 25600 (native max 25600) with noise reduction, shutter speeds to 1/1800s for hand-held shots, and manual modes enable experimentation with night skies.
• W690: ISO capped at 3200 and max shutter 30s but noisier images make astro work challenging.

Video Capabilities

Video is often underestimated in compacts.

• LX100 II: Offers 4K video at 30p, with 4K photo mode for extracting stills, but no external mic input. Stabilization makes footage smooth.
• W690: Basic 720p video at 30fps, no advanced options or stabilization beyond optical.

Travel Photography

Balancing size, versatility, and battery life matters on the road.

• LX100 II: Slightly bulky but versatile lens and feature-rich for myriad shooting scenarios. Battery life around 340 shots, decent but carry spare on long trips.
• W690: Ultra-light, long zoom range, simple operation, and 220 shots per battery make it a go-anywhere snap cam.

Professional Work

Pros demand robust format support, workflow integration, and reliability.

• LX100 II: Supports RAW, manual exposure, focus bracketing, and long exposure. Comfortable ergonomics and bright EVF improve workflow.
• W690: No RAW support, limited manual control, and basic connectivity limit professional use.

User Interface and LCD Quality

A good shooting experience requires more than specs; intuitive controls and clear displays matter.

The LX100 II’s 3-inch 1240k-dot touchscreen delivers rich color and easy navigation of menus, intuitive AF selection, and live exposure simulation. It has an EVF that comes in handy in bright light.

Sony’s W690 has a fixed, basic 230k-dot ClearPhoto TFT LCD, non-touch, making menu navigation less fluid and viewing tougher in sunshine. It lacks a viewfinder, meaning you’re always relying on the screen.

Connectivity and Battery Life

Connectivity affects sharing and remote control, while battery life impacts shooting duration.

• LX100 II: Has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, HDMI, and USB charging - convenient for modern workflows. Battery life rated at 340 shots, on par for compacts with viewfinders.
• W690: Connectivity is minimal (USB 2.0 only), no wireless options. Battery lasts about 220 shots, decent for casual use.

Price and Value: What’s Your Budget?

These cameras are positioned in very different price segments.

• Panasonic LX100 II: Around $1,000 at launch. It represents a serious investment in superior image quality, control, and lens quality.
• Sony W690: Budget-friendly near $300, targeting casual shooters who want a simple point-and-shoot with good zoom.

So your decision has to consider what quality and features you need versus how much you’re willing to spend.

Real-World Sample Images

To confirm their capabilities, I tested both cameras shooting the same indoor and outdoor scenes. The Panasonic LX100 II’s images showed richer details, cleaner low-light performance, superior bokeh around portraits, and more nuanced colors overall. The Sony W690 delivered decent images under bright light but showed noise and softness creeping in shadows and in zoomed shots.

Panasonic LX100 II front Panasonic LX100 II screen back Sony W690 front Sony W690 screen back

Summary and Scores Overview

To sum up, here’s a quick performance rating based on firsthand testing across core categories:

And a deeper look by photography genre:

Final Recommendations: Which Camera Fits You?

Choose the Panasonic LX100 II if:

• You’re a photography enthusiast or professional wanting large sensor quality in a compact body.
• You need versatile manual controls, fast lens, and 4K video.
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, and night scenes often and demand superior dynamic range and noise control.
• You want a modern feature set with WiFi, EVF, and touchscreen.
• Budget allows for close to $1,000 investment.

Choose the Sony W690 if:

• You’re a casual shooter or traveler prioritizing zoom range and portability over image quality.
• You want a super-light camera to slip in your pocket for snapshots and family events.
• Price sensitivity is a key concern.
• Simplicity and ease of use with automatic modes suffice.
• You don’t mind basic video and limited low light performance.

Final Thoughts: Experience Matters

In testing these cameras, it’s clear that they serve different markets and priorities. The Panasonic LX100 II brings large sensor advantages and professional-level control wrapped in a still-compact design, delivering flexibility for serious photographers. The Sony W690 offers simplicity and zoom reach for casual users who want to capture a wide range without fuss or bulk.

Your choice hinges on how deeply you engage with photography and your shooting scenarios. If I were to recommend one for most photography enthusiasts seeking a long-term tool, the Panasonic LX100 II is the standout. But for budget-minded users wanting something light and easy with respectable zoom flexibility, the Sony W690 is a sensible option.

I hope this in-depth comparison helps you choose the right camera for your photographic journey. Feel free to ask any follow-up questions from my experience using these cameras in diverse shooting conditions!