Dynamic range
Image: The extra detail that can be extracted from the dark areas of this shot is limited
Judging from landscape images in both sunny and overcast conditions, the Lumix DMC-LX7 is capable of recording a wide range of tones. Cloud detail and blues in the skies are faithfully reproduced. Likewise, detail can be brought back from shadow areas by brightening the exposure a good 1-2EV before shadow noise becomes a problem. The LX5 held its own against the competition two years ago, and the LX7 does the same today.
For scenes where the range of tones is beyond the recording ability of the camera, the LX7 offers an HDR mode in the scene mode menu, which takes three consecutive frames and combines them for a wide dynamic range. Also, auto exposure bracketing at ±3EV is available over three frames. Of all the scene modes, I found HDR the most helpful, as it enhances the discernible level of detail and keeps the images looking relatively ‘real’.
