This 10 megapixel compact camera with a Leica-branded image stabilised 24–90mm lens is the latest iteration in the LX range of top level compacts from Panasonic. The lens aperture range is from f1.4–2.3. An internal neutral density filter is fitted.

The Lumix DMC-LX7 is Panasonic's flagship compact camera, and the long-awaited follow-up to the popular DMC-LX5. At first glance, it's hard to tell the two apart, but look closer and you'll see some pretty big changes. The DMC-LX7 is a mid-sized camera made mostly of metal.

Excellent photo quality; with less noise than typical compact cameras; Super fast F1.4-2.3; 3.8X optical zoom Leica lens gives excellent sharpness; and versatility in low light; Multi-aspect sensor keeps pixel count high in different aspect ratio modes; 3-inch LCD with 920,000 dots; very good

Aperture ring cannot be customised, unlike similar controls on competitive cameras, Redeye a problem; no removal tool in playback mode, Takes a long time (30+ seconds) for camera to flush the buffer after a burst containing RAW images is taken, Vertical stripes in panoramic images, Very slow lens

Successor to the LX5, the metal construction 10.1 megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 arrives with various outer and inner tweaks at a rather steep manufacturer's suggested price just shy of £450 in the UK.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 ($499) is the long-awaited replacement to the very popular DMC-LX5. The LX5 (and its predecessors) was well known for its low light ability, and Panasonic has improved on that in two ways.

The design embodies exactly what a high-end camera should be: the physical aperture ring and other well-positioned controls ensure that the LX7 is easy to use, yet without ever holding any user control back.

Fast autofocus; f/1.4-2.3 wide aperture; great layout including physical aperture ring; small and light; sharp and detailed images; shoots raw and JPEG; neutral density (ND) filter is just a button away; can add electronic viewfinder (sold separately

Smaller sensor than LX5; max aperture not sustained throughout zoom (so won't always match aperture ring); high ISO sensitivities not as good as larger-sensor competitors; images lack contrast straight from camera; touchscreen ability would be useful for movie mode and some other settings

It's been over two years since Panasonic upgraded its premium LX lineup, which in Panasonic terms is a pretty long time indeed.

Good design; Great digital filters; Full manual control; Raw format shooting; Excellent screen

Not a touchscreen; Small sensor

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 is a compact camera with full manual-controls and a bright stabilized ultra-wide 24-90mm F/1.4-2.3 lens. It has some excellent expansion options thanks to a hot-shoe and a port which supports an optional EVF, making it one of the very few compact cameras usable at...

Ultra-Bright F/1.4 - 2.3 maximum aperture; Very low image noise; Good lens sharpness; Low optical distortion; Excellent resistance to chromatic aberrations; Ultra-fast autofocus; Instant shutter-lag; Fast shot-to-shot speed; Smooth high-quality video capture; Excellent anti-reflective coating on

Below-average Auto White-Balance; Low color accuracy; Half-press required for; Slow optical zoom; Slow noise-reduction; Modal EC control; 1s Filming delay; 1s Missing from videos; Accident-prone aspect-ratio slider; Poor tripod mount placement; Short battery-life

Panasonic's latest advanced compact offers the fastest lens in its class.

Polished and refined design; Excellent lens with ultra-fast aperture; Plenty of useful shooting features; Hotshoe accessory port can accomodate an EVF

Screen needs to be even better to match its rivals; No articulating/flip-out screen; Smaller sensor than rivals

It's been over two years since Panasonic upgraded its premium LX lineup, which in Panasonic terms is a pretty long time indeed.

Exceptional photo and video quality, nippy performance and lots of creative control – as close to perfect as we've seen from a compact camera