The Hardware

Since our goal was to introduce readers to to RAW, we set out to find compact cameras that feature a RAW shooting mode to review. Our specs were straightforward, but we only found three cameras that met them: the Canon PowerShot G9 ($500, www.canonusa.com), the Leica D-LUX 3 ($600, us.leica-camera.com), and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 ($450, www.panasonic.com).

Canon PowerShot G9

Canon’s PowerShot G9 is the big fish in the tiny sea of compact RAW shooters.

We reviewed the the G9 a few months ago (4 out of 5 stars, Jun/08, p56) and stand by our positive evaluation. It sports a 12-megapixel image sensor and has a full range of high-end camera features without the bulk of a DSLR. Canon and several third-party manufacturers also produce add-on lenses for the G9, but if you’re serious about spending that much money, you might as well go the DSLR route. The G9 shines brightly when you’re using it on its own, without additional lenses.

When compared to both the D-LUX 3 and the Lumix LX2, the G9 comes off as a bit chunky, however. It’s both taller and wider, but the Leica and Lumix are deeper because their lenses stick out a bit more. The PowerShot G9 is undeniably the heaviest of the three, weighing in at 12.9 ounces (including battery), which isn’t apparent until you try to put it in your pocket. The Leica and Lumix both weigh 7.8 ounces with the battery inside.

While the megapixel wars are effectively over (see “Beyond Megapixels,” May/08, p20), there is something slightly reassuring about having higher resolution to start with, since in most cases you’ll be downsizing images for use on the Web or for printing. The G9’s 12 megapixels give you that peace of mind and produce great-looking pictures. With its range of in-camera settings, the 
G9 is likely more camera than most mortals will need.

Leica D-LUX 3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

The Leica D-LUX 3 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 are almost identical.

Panasonic manufactures both units and they differ only subtly: The Leica features custom firmware that processes images differently prior to JPEG compression (more on that later), and it has a better warranty—two years vs. 90 days—than the Lumix. The Leica also comes with a 64MB SD card in the box and ships with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 (the version shipping currently is 6.0).

If you shoot RAW with either camera, you should see little, if any, difference in the image quality between the two. Image quality in general was good, but higher ISO settings showed a not-unexpected increase in noise. In addition to their 10-megapixel resolution, both the D-LUX 3 and the LX2 have a unique 16:9 image mode, which, compared to using the conventional 4:3, comes down to personal preference, but it’s definitely useful to have.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is pleasingly compact.

What’s initially surprising about both of these cameras is their amazingly small size. The Canon is noticeably heavier and bulkier than the Leica and Lumix. If it were possible to defy the laws of physics, we’d love to have the overall performance of the G9 in a D-LUX 3/LX2-–size package.

The bottom line. While all three cameras we tested offer compelling advantages, if forced to pick just one, we’d go with the PowerShot G9.