New Gear: Panasonic Lumix LX15 with 1-inch Sensor and f/1.4 Leica DC Vario-Summilux Lens

This morning at Photokina in Germany Panasonic had some exciting new camera announcements and among them was the LX15.

This pocket-sized compact camera has a 1-inch sensor with a 20.1 megapixel resolution, a fast f/1.4 Leica DC Vario-Summilux lens with 3x optical zoom and the ability to shoot 4K photo and video at 30p or 24p.

The LX15 features a 5-Axis HYBRID O.I.S.+ (Optical Image Stabilizer Plus) for shooting 4K video and a 180-degree tiltable 1,040K-dot rear monitor with touch-control system.

The 1-inch sensor in the LX15 is three times larger then the sensor found in the LX7 and combined with the Venus Engine the LX15 can shoot up to ISO 12,800—a higher sensitivity than what is found in most compacts.

A f/1.4 lens made up of 11 elements in 9 groups with a 9-blade diaphragm produces a smooth, circular bokeh and with a minimum focusing distance of 3 cm, the LX15 is an excellent compact for macro photography as well.

The camera also features Wi-Fi connectivity for easy sharing, the ability to develop RAW in-camera and 22 Creative Control filters. Stay tuned for more new gear news and some first impressions from Photokina.