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Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1

Portability
91
Imaging
34
Features
40
Overall
36
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 front
 
Pentax MX-1 front
Portability
84
Imaging
37
Features
60
Overall
46

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Key Specs

Panasonic LX3
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.63" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-60mm (F2.0-2.8) lens
  • 265g - 109 x 60 x 27mm
  • Revealed November 2008
  • Later Model is Panasonic LX5
Pentax MX-1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-112mm (F1.8-2.5) lens
  • 391g - 122 x 61 x 51mm
  • Revealed July 2013
Photography Glossary

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Overview

Lets look a bit more closely at the Panasonic LX3 versus Pentax MX-1, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the LX3 (10MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is pretty similar but the LX3 (1/1.63") and MX-1 (1/1.7") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The LX3 was announced 5 years earlier than the MX-1 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the LX3 matches up vs the MX-1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic LX3 over the Pentax MX-1

 LX3 MX-1 

Reasons to pick Pentax MX-1 over the Panasonic LX3

 MX-1 LX3 
RevealedJuly 2013November 2008More recent by 56 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution920k460kCrisper screen (+460k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic LX3 and Pentax MX-1

 LX3 MX-1 
Manually focus Dial precise focus
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen dimensions
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen
Touch screen Neither comes with Touch screen

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic LX3 comes with exterior dimensions of 109mm x 60mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Pentax MX-1 has measurements of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") along with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic LX3 versus Pentax MX-1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the LX3 versus the MX-1.

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the LX3 and MX-1 is 91 and 84 respectively.

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it's hard to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by going over technical specs. The visual here may offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the LX3 and MX-1.

As you can tell, both the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The LX3 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Pentax MX-1 will deliver more detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The older LX3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 sensor size comparison

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic LX3 Portrait photography highlights
Pentax MX-1 Portrait photography highlights
40
focusing manually
supports RAW formats
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.63")
42
manual focus
provides face detection autofocus
exports RAW formats
external flash not possible
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Panasonic LX3 Street photography factors
Pentax MX-1 Street photography factors
60
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW formats
screen does not articulate
sensor size is small (1/1.63")
heavier than competition in class (265 grams)
65
has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
exports RAW formats
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
more heavy than average (391 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic LX3 Sports photography factors
Pentax MX-1 Sports photography factors
27
has image stabilization (Optical)
slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.63")
lack of phase detect autofocus
43
max shutter speed is good (1/8,000s)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides tracking autofocus
great battery power (290 shots)
continuous shooting slow (1.0 frames per second)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
has no phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic LX3
Travel photography with Pentax MX-1
60
flash built-in
relatively wide (24mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
no Time Lapse recording
heavier than competition in class (265 grams)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
61
great battery power (290 per charge)
flash built-in
rather wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
lack of Timelapse recording
more heavy than average (391 grams)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic LX3
Landscape photography with Pentax MX-1
52
focusing manually
relatively wide (24mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
screen size is good (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW formats
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sensor resolution low (10MP)
sensor size is small (1/1.63")
no Time Lapse recording
55
manual focus
rather wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
nice screen size (3")
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
exports RAW formats
great battery power (290 per charge)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/1.7")
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic LX3 Vlogging factors
Pentax MX-1 Vlogging factors
30
relatively wide (24mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
has image stabilization (Optical)
display is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
no external mic port
heavier than competition in class (265 grams)
33
rather wide (28mm)
great maximum aperture (f1.8)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
provides face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
screen is not selfie friendly
lack of external microphone support
more heavy than average (391 grams)
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Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax MX-1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic LX3 and Pentax MX-1
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3Pentax MX-1
General Information
Company Panasonic Pentax
Model type Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Pentax MX-1
Type Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2008-11-04 2013-07-01
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/1.63" 1/1.7"
Sensor measurements 8.07 x 5.56mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor surface area 44.9mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Max native ISO 6400 12800
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points - 25
Lens
Lens support fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 24-60mm (2.5x) 28-112mm (4.0x)
Max aperture f/2.0-2.8 f/1.8-2.5
Macro focusing distance 1cm 1cm
Focal length multiplier 4.5 4.8
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen size 3 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 460k dots 920k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Screen tech - TFT LCD with AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/8000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames/s 1.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 8.30 m 12.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Speed sync, Trailing Curtain sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (HD 24 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30fps), 320 x 240 (10fps) 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 265 gr (0.58 pounds) 391 gr (0.86 pounds)
Dimensions 109 x 60 x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1") 122 x 61 x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 39 49
DXO Color Depth rating 19.6 20.4
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.8 11.3
DXO Low light rating 94 208
Other
Battery life - 290 images
Battery style - Battery Pack
Battery ID - D-Li-106
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/MMC/SDHC card, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots Single Single
Launch cost $449 $400