Can someone comment on X1 vs. other p&s speed?

[daubsphoto]

Hello All,

I'm on the fence with regard to the X1....when it came out I was in heaven because it had everything I wanted in a P&S: Smallish, full manual dials, large sensor, 35mm equiv. lens. And I have heard many different opinions on the autofocus speed and manual focus capabilities. But what I want to know is this: Can the X1 focus as fast as typical P&S cameras like the Canon Powershot S90 and others? I want an easy-to-adjust manual exposure capability, zone focusing, and the speed of a traditional P&S (for casual snaps).

It seems too many people are expecting to get a P&S camera at a P&S price but with DSLR features. That's not what I'm looking for. Thanks for any input you can provide!

Steve

[marcg]

Originally Posted by daubsphoto

... and the speed of a traditional P&S (for casual snaps).

you mean slow, then

Originally Posted by daubsphoto

It seems too many people are expecting to get a P&S camera at a P&S price but with DSLR features.
That's not what I'm looking for.
Steve

X1 has P&S features at the price of a DSLR.

Is that what you are looking for?

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by marcg

X1 has P&S features at the price of a DSLR.

Is that what you are looking for?

Come on, at least be honest. While the Autofocus is P&S like and its size is, nothing else is P&S like...

[daubsphoto]

Originally Posted by marcg

you mean slow, then



X1 has P&S features at the price of a DSLR.

Is that what you are looking for?

Actually, what I'm looking for is something very small to carry around with daily, unlike my DSLR cameras or even my M8. But I don't want to sacrifice on image quality, just in case something really amazing shows up.

A little less sarcasm and a little more information would be great.

[kschwarz]

Then the X1 is perfect for you. I feel the same way and have one on order.

[Craftsman]

Originally Posted by daubsphoto

Actually, what I'm looking for is something very small to carry around with daily, unlike my DSLR cameras or even my M8. But I don't want to sacrifice on image quality, just in case something really amazing shows up.

A little less sarcasm and a little more information would be great.

There have been quite a few reviews and none of them what I'd call wildly enthusiastic about the camera. There must be a reason for this. Don't you think?
The D lux4 would probably be a better small carry camera at half the cost. The reviews have been so luke warm that I'll bet there'll be an X2 on the market within a year, maybe with interchangable lenses

[Mike Rawcs]

"A little less sarcasm and a little more information would be great." - I agree.

What's it like compared to Canon G10 / 11, S90, Ricoh GRD3?

Mike.

[marcg]

Yes, I am being sarcastic - and I think that the fervour which is being worked up needs a bit of sarcasm.

There are several reviews around and they all broadly identify the same problems and the same good quality - which is IQ. However, the weight of opinion seems to be that apart from the IQ, it really isn't a great camera - and that for its price, Leica really isn't giving its customers a good deal.

Just wait until the X2 comes out - probably a couple of years. I fully expect that most of the problems will have been addressed and then people really will be prepared to admit what the X1 should have been.
What does the X in X1 stand for anyway?
How about eXperimental?

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by Craftsman

There have been quite a few reviews and none of them what I'd call wildly enthusiastic about the camera. There must be a reason for this. Don't you think?

Yes, it's called price and the GF1. If the X1 was cheaper and the Panasonic GF1 did not exist, my guess is that many people wouldn't be so harsh on the X1.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by marcg

However, the weight of opinion seems to be that apart from the IQ, it really isn't a great camera - and that for its price, Leica really isn't giving its customers a good deal.

When is the last time Leica ever gave its customer's a good deal?

[thomsva]

Originally Posted by Craftsman

There have been quite a few reviews and none of them what I'd call wildly enthusiastic about the camera. There must be a reason for this. Don't you think?

I am not a camera reviewer. But after owning the X1 for 6 days now, I have to say that I really am "wildly enthusiastic" about the camera.
I agree with all reviewers about all the the issues with speed, display quality, and other quirks they have found. But still I am enthusiastic because the image quality is superb and the appearance and size of the camera is awesome.

[Douglasco]

The X1 is a nice camera , The image quality is outstanding may be as good as an M8, the autofocus speed is on parr with the D-lux 4 but no better. It is compact and light and it is now becoming one of my favourite cameras to take with me when I go out, It is not cheap and will not suit everyone, If you go on steve huffs website he has done a review on the camera and that may help you form your own opinion on the X1. A word of warning, there are a few persistent critics of this camera on the forum. just check out the rest of their posts to see if they are being honest with there comments or wether they are just just knocking the camera because it is a Leica.

[wda]

Originally Posted by daubsphoto

Hello All,

I'm on the fence with regard to the X1....when it came out I was in heaven because it had everything I wanted in a P&S: Smallish, full manual dials, large sensor, 35mm equiv. lens. And I have heard many different opinions on the autofocus speed and manual focus capabilities. But what I want to know is this: Can the X1 focus as fast as typical P&S cameras like the Canon Powershot S90 and others? I want an easy-to-adjust manual exposure capability, zone focusing, and the speed of a traditional P&S (for casual snaps).

It seems too many people are expecting to get a P&S camera at a P&S price but with DSLR features. That's not what I'm looking for. Thanks for any input you can provide!

Steve

Steve, my needs almost matched yours with the added requirement that my files should be good enough for 'stock' use. My first shot has been accepted, so it seems to pass their quality criteria.

You have multiple choices of exposure settings. Manual is certainly easy, although 'shift programme' gives you quick and useful variations.

Focusing is as fast as most P&S cameras I have handled, but please don't think of it as a 'point and shoot' camera. It is a much more capable camera.

[Dan States]

Originally Posted by Douglasco

X1. A word of warning, there are a few persistent knockers of this camera on the forum. just check out the rest of their posts to see if they are being honest with there comments or wether they are just just knocking the camera because it is a Leica.

Normally a few persistant knockers would be ok but in this case they are just making boobs of themselves

[marcg]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

When is the last time Leica ever gave its customer's a good deal?

Ah... yes. Point taken. Sorry.

[diogenis]

Originally Posted by Douglasco

The X1 is a nice camera , The image quality is outstanding may be as good as an M8, the autofocus speed is on parr with the D-lux 4 but no better. It is compact and light and it is now becoming one of my favourite cameras to take with me when I go out, It is not cheap and will not suit everyone, If you go on steve huffs website he has done a review on the camera and that may help you form your own opinion on the X1. A word of warning, there are a few persistent critics of this camera on the forum. just check out the rest of their posts to see if they are being honest with there comments or wether they are just just knocking the camera because it is a Leica.

Douglas, you already have the little X1. Can you please tell us about shutter lag? is it .5 sec or 1.5 sec? Some here in the forum, testify that its very slow and not capable of doing street shooting. You want to know about these things when you are about to deposit 1.5Keur

[SJP]

Originally Posted by Dan States

Normally a few persistant knockers would be ok but in this case they are just making boobs of themselves

DDD I guess

[Douglasco]

If you manual focus first and then you press the shutter button it takes about .5 of a second for the camera to release the shutter, that is from the half way down position.
if you have the camera on autofocus and press the shutter it takes between 1.5 to 2 seconds for the camera to focus and fire. The autofocus test I just did was indoors with a 40watt bulb to light the room so not very bright. it is a little bit quicker in the daylight though more 1.5 seconds than 2.
so I would say that if you do street shooting you would have to zone focus.

The best firmware update Leica could do for this camera is what they did for the D-lux 4 and that is add the lens resume feature then the camera would not have to keep going through its focus cycle when you want to photograph the same subject a few times.

[Craftsman]

Originally Posted by thomsva

I am not a camera reviewer. But after owning the X1 for 6 days now, I have to say that I really am "wildly enthusiastic" about the camera.
I agree with all reviewers about all the the issues with speed, display quality, and other quirks they have found. But still I am enthusiastic because the image quality is superb and the appearance and size of the camera is awesome.

Just goes to show some are willing to spend the big bucks for less. I like the idea but without all the short comings. I refuse to spend that kind of money on a camera from a company that should be able to offer better. There are always those Beta testers that jump in no matter the warnings and rave about their purchases.Great IQ in a nice package just doesn't cut it , but, if that's enough for you , I'm sure Leica will find other customers like yourself. This is just not Leicas best effort. I don't have to own it to know that I don't want to own it.

[markpsf]

My take after reading every review I can find.

If what you need and want is a super fast AF camera go for the Panasonic GF1.
If you prefer doing street photography using zone focusing the X1 will be better.

Other point and shoots vary tremendously but the GF1/G1/GH1 lead the way, tho I guess they really aren't point and shoot cameras.

The Ricoh GRD III is pretty fast.

Don't know many of the other real point and shoot cameras but imagine the tradeoff in quality would be so great that they aren't worth mentioning.

Mark