Owners of Panasonic’s LX5 premium compact will be able to download the v2.0 firmware update from September13th 2011. Improvements in autofocus and high ISO image quality are the two main areas of improvement.

The latest v2.0 firmware improves autofocus speed, with the wideangle setting able to achieve focus in 0.24secs, up 0.07sec on the original 0.31sec capability. At the telephoto end there’s also an improvement, with the original 0.34sec focus time improved by 0.04sec to a speedier 0.3sec.

A new high ISO processing algorithm will also target low frequency image noise in ISO 1600-3200 shots, reducing that ‘blotchy’ image noise that’s more common in the upper echelons of ISO sensitivity.

In addition the LX5 will also benefit from the OIS Active image stabilisation mode which is targeted to counter movement in video clips. Using a larger portion of the sensor the latest stabilisation counters the type of shake experienced when walking whilst recording.

For further information and to download the latest LX5 firmware visit the Lumix camera support website.