Panasonic LX8 with built-in EVF to be announced on July 16

Panasonic will announce a new high-end compact camera to replace the LX7 in mid-July. It’s called LX8 and will come packed with exciting new features.

The battle in the high-end area of the segment occupied by compact cameras is about to get much more exciting. Sony has kickstarted all this with the launch of the RX100 III this month, while inside sources are swearing that Fujifilm is launching an X30 shooter with a 1-inch-type or bigger sensor.

This is not everything that we will see in the near future. According to the most recent details coming from the rumor mill, Panasonic is joining the fight, courtesy of a replacement for the LX7 that is set to become official soon.

Panasonic LX8 announcement date rumored to take place on July 16

This is the Panasonic LX7 compact camera. It will be replaced this July with the LX8, which will feature a larger sensor and a built-in electronic viewfinder.

A trusted source is reporting that the Panasonic LX8 announcement date has been scheduled for July 16. As stated above, this camera will succeed the LX7 atop the high-end compact Lumix series.

This is the natural evolution of the LX line-up, which is said to be refreshed every couple of years. The LX7 has been unveiled two years ago on July 18, so it is not very surprising to see its successor introduced around a similar date.

Panasonic LX8 specs list includes integrated EVF and larger sensor

The person who leaked the information is claiming that the Panasonic LX8 specs list will be revamped, although the design will be fairly similar to the one of its predecessor.

The company’s new shooter will feature an integrated electronic viewfinder, which is something that we cannot say about the LX7. The current model sports a hot shoe, where users can attach an electronic or optical viewfinder. These accessories can be purchased separately, so having a built-in viewfinder is a big plus for the LX8.

Beside that, the new LX-series camera will sport a larger sensor than its forerunners. The LX7 features a 1/1.7-inch-type sensor, so the LX8 could offer a 2/3-type or 1-inch-type sensor.

Although it comes from a source who has been accurate in the past, take this with a pinch of salt and wait for more information.

About the Panasonic LX7

The compact camera features a 10.1-megapixel sensor with a lens that offers a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-90mm. The lens is made by Leica and offers a maximum aperture of f/1.4-2.3 as well as Power OIS (optical image stabilization) technology.

Panasonic LX7 sports a 3-inch LCD screen, maximum shutter speed of 1/4000th of a second, maximum ISO of 12,800, full HD video recording, and a continuous shooting mode of 11fps.

It is available for purchase for around $400 at Amazon, where it has received a 4.6-star rating out of 5 stars.