Panasonic L10 vs Canon 1D X

The Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 and the Canon EOS-1D X are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2007 and October 2011. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (L10) and a full frame (1DX) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 17.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Panasonic L10		Canon 1D X
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor		17.9 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 207k dots		3.2" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
450 shots per battery charge		1120 shots per battery charge
135 x 96 x 78 mm, 556 g		158 x 168 x 83 mm, 1551 g

Check L10 offers at
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Check 1DX offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 and the Canon EOS-1D X? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Panasonic L10 and the Canon 1D X is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 1D X is considerably larger (105 percent) than the Panasonic L10. Moreover, the 1DX is substantially heavier (179 percent) than the L10. It is noteworthy in this context that the 1DX is splash and dust-proof, while the L10 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (L10) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1DX).

As can be seen in the images above, the 1DX has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	6,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G1	124 mm	84 mm	45 mm	360 g	410	n	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic G10	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	388 g	380	n	Mar 2010	499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GF3	108 mm	67 mm	32 mm	264 g	300	n	Jun 2011	549	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GF5	108 mm	67 mm	37 mm	267 g	360	n	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The L10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 91 percent) than the 1DX, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic L10 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Canon 1D X a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 1DX is 284 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the L10 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the 1DX offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 17.9MP, the 1DX offers a higher resolution than the L10 (10MP), but the 1DX nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.95μm versus 4.74μm for the L10) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 1DX is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 1 month) than the L10, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 1D X implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 1DX for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic L10 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS-1D X are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the 1DX offers substantially better image quality than the L10 (overall score 27 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.5 bits higher color depth, 1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.7 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
2.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
7.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
8.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
9.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
10.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
11.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
12.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
13.		Panasonic G1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	none	21.1	10.3	463	53
14.		Panasonic G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
15.		Panasonic GF3	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.6	10.1	459	50
16.		Panasonic GF5	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.5	10.0	573	50
17.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 1DX indeed provides for movie recording, while the L10 does not. The highest resolution format that the 1DX can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The L10 and the 1DX are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 1DX offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the L10 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1DX has a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic L10 and Canon 1D X in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
7.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
8.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
12.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic G1	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic G10	202	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic GF3	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.2/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic GF5	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The L10 has one, while the 1DX does not. While the built-in flash of the L10 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The L10 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the 1DX uses Compact Flash cards. The 1DX features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the L10 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 and Canon EOS-1D X and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic G1	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic G10	Y	mono / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic GF3	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic GF5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D X (unlike the L10) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the L10 and the 1DX have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1DX was replaced by the Canon 1DX Mark II, while the L10 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the L10 and 1DX can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic L10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 1D X Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic L10 better than the Canon 1D X or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10:

• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (135x96mm vs 158x168mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 995g or 64 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (91 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2007).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D X:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 37%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (27 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.5 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.7 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.46x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 207k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1120 versus 450) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 1 month of technical progress since the L10 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 1DX is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic L10 and the Canon 1D X place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the L10 and the 1DX in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	6,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G1	..	+ +	..	70/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic G10	3/5	..	..	70/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2010	499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GF3	3/5	82/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	549	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GF5	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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