Panasonic LX5 vs Sony RX100

In this write-up, we are evaluating the Panasonic LX5 vs Sony RX100, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap between the resolutions of the LX5 (10MP) and RX100 (20MP) and the LX5 (1/1.63") and RX100 (1") use different sensor sizing.

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The LX5 was unveiled 8 months prior to the RX100 which means that they are of a similar age. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic LX5 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go in to a more detailed comparison, below is a short summation of how the LX5 matches up versus the RX100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The full galleries are available at Panasonic LX5 Gallery & Sony RX100 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic LX5 has got exterior measurements of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Sony RX100 has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") having a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic LX5 vs Sony RX100 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the LX5 compared to the RX100.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the LX5 and RX100 is 88 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to picture the difference between sensor sizes only by checking specs. The pic underneath might offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the LX5 and RX100.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The LX5 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh trickier and the Sony RX100 will give more detail having an extra 10MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged LX5 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.