Imaging Resource had a look at this 8.1 megapixel digital camera, which retails for approx. $599. It features 4x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD display. Overall they liked it, one of the special features is the 16:9 aspect ratio sensor for stills and movies. However, even at ISO 80 this camera has a higher than average noise ratio.

"The unusual aspects of the Panasonic Lumix LX1, one stands out, and that's the camera's 16:9 ratio sensor. Unlike most digital cameras with a 4:3 or 3:2 ratio sensor, the LX1's 16:9 sensor is only at its maximum 8.4 megapixel resolution at that ratio; from there, the sides get cropped off, and the actual total number of pixels falls from 8 to 7.1 megapixels at 3:2 and 6.0 megapixels at 4:3. Leaving it locked to 4:3 for familiarity's sake would be very much like getting a wide screen TV and watching only old VHS video tapes: you end up wasting much of the screen area left and right.."



Link: ImagingResource