The upgrade of the Lumix LX5’s firmware to version 2.0 is now available, as promised by Panasonic a while ago. The new version includes several enhancements, including one completely new effect, the “miniature effect,” which gives you the option to shoot a full-size scene with attributes that make it look like a tabletop model.

Here is the basic list of improvements, paraphrased from the list on the Panasonic firmware upgrade site:

1. The autofocus speed has been improved.
2. The Recording menu has a new option, High ISO NR.
3. Auto white balance performance has been improved.
4. The Motion Picture has a new option, Active Mode.
5. There are improvements to the process of locking exposure and focus by pressing the shutter button halfway.
6. There is a simplified process for adjusting manual focus.
7. The camera will now store the position and size of the AF area you have set.
8. There is a higher upper limit for setting a long shutter speed in Manual exposure mode has been raised — about 250 seconds.
9. The Miniature Effect option has been added to the My Color shooting mode.
10. A Monitor/Viewfinder option has been added to the Setup menu. (Actually, after checking this one out, I saw that Panasonic goofed slightly in the documentation. This menu option changes its name according to whether the LCD display is active or the optional electronic viewfinder is attached and active. If the external viewfinder is active, this menu item is called Viewfinder; if the LCD is active, the menu item says LCD Display, not Monitor as Panasonic’s documentation says.)

I have just downloaded the upgraded firmware and installed it in my camera, and the process completed with no problems.  Here is the link to the official site where the download is available. There are clear instructions posted at the site. If you want some extra help with the process, there have been some excellent instructions posted in the Panasonic Talk forum at dpreview.com.

Here is a link to Panasonic’s official documentation explaining the features and improvements provided by the upgrade.

I hope to get time to check out the new features provided by the upgrade in the near future, and post some more information on this site.