I can't say anything technically. I can tell you that after reading the reviews of the LX3 I decided this is the camera I wanted. I've never been into photography and I wanted to change that. So I made a wish list. Small, compact design. I didn't want to be the SLR guy at parties just to take good photos. I knew these things scared me when I saw my friends perform them, so I wanted a small camera that would evoke a more casual reaction from people. - Camera for teachers. I wanted something that not only captures great footage naturally, but also allows for more depth of manipulation from the manual side for those who know what they're doing. Basically, I needed a camera to grow up with. Stunning photos. All my friends are very jealous of this camera, especially my scientist-photographer friends. They use Canon, Pentax, Nikon, not to mention many film cameras that I don't know the names of. They are all amazed at the ease with which I can take impressive photos. Result. It fits in my pocket (albeit very tight), I'm constantly learning more about the technical side of photography and at the same time I'm taking amazing pictures with almost no adjustments. Also, the video is AMAZING! The first video I took showed an injured yellow jacket walking through the grass. Using macro focus, I got close enough that I could see the hexagonal patterns in his eyes. My brother said it looked like something from planet earth. My complaints were known to me before the purchase. Weak zoom but that's a compromise I made to have a compact camera. No vari-angle LCD display. Canon has one on the G12, but after testing it side-by-side with my friend's G12, we agreed that the LX5 takes much better pictures. Oh, and it's $100 cheaper now than when I bought it. BOOO! :) but I think it's good for you.
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