Jump to content

A question For XV Users


Peter H

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I love the photos that people here are posting up from the XV. It seems that it is a sweet little camera that far exceeds the expectations most of us had when we first saw the specs.

 

I use an M for 99.9% of my photography now. I like it so much that I've sold everything else except old film cameras, for sentimental reasons really.

 

I'm very attracted by the XV though, largely because there are a few occasions when auto-focus would be very useful. So I need to ask whether the AF is as good as on a full-size DSLR. If it is, or near to it, then I think this would be a great companion for my M. But if its strengths are elsewhere and the AF not so good, I need to think much more seriously about whether I would actually use it very much. Any advice or thoughts would be very welcome.

 

Thanks.

 

 

PS - I've just seen there are already a lot of posts here about the AF on the XV so please forgive me for raising a subject that may already have been dealt with comprehensively. But any new thoughts would still be welcome!

Edited by Peter H
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I love the photos that people here are posting up from the XV. It seems that it is a sweet little camera that far exceeds the expectations most of us had when we first saw the specs.

 

I use an M for 99.9% of my photography now. I like it so much that I've sold everything else except old film cameras, for sentimental reasons really.

 

I'm very attracted by the XV though, largely because there are a few occasions when auto-focus would be very useful. So I need to ask whether the AF is as good as on a full-size DSLR. If it is, or near to it, then I think this would be a great companion for my M. But if its strengths are elsewhere and the AF not so good, I need to think much more seriously about whether I would actually use it very much. Any advice or thoughts would be very welcome.

 

Thanks.

 

 

PS - I've just seen there are already a lot of posts here about the AF on the XV so please forgive me for raising a subject that may already have been dealt with comprehensively. But any new thoughts would still be welcome!

 

before answering your question about AF, advantages of the XV should be thought of as:

1. Zoom lens, where entire range is sharp

2. Silent shutter

3. Compact compared to APS-C CSCs with zooms

4. Great colours

 

I find the AF very good. It hunts a bit in low light but all contrast detects do to a certain extent, even the E-M1.

The AF is certainly very accurate

The main beef is that very occasionally you get an in-focus green light when clearly the subject is not in focus. I never actually take the picture as its instantly obvious on the screen or EVF.

I am pretty sure this could be fixed in software, but its so rare, and never effects my photos, that I personally never consider it an issue.

 

rgds

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The XV is a wonderful camera that has a lens that comes close to an M lens. Speed on auto focus is not one of its strengths. If you want comparison to a late model Nikon, there is no contest. DSLR will win every time. I love my XV. It serves a purpose in my Leica bag.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Harold, thanks for the reply.

 

I really enjoyed looking at your London photos on your site. I recognise virtually every location and can appreciate how well you've caught the feel of the places. Are they taken with the XV?

 

And Leepoe, thank you too. The slow AF is a bit of a concern since I'm very happy with MF most of the time and the attraction of the XV would be the things it has that the M hasn't, i.e. AF, principally, and a splendid zoom of course.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Harold, thanks for the reply.

 

I really enjoyed looking at your London photos on your site. I recognise virtually every location and can appreciate how well you've caught the feel of the places. Are they taken with the XV?

 

And Leepoe, thank you too. The slow AF is a bit of a concern since I'm very happy with MF most of the time and the attraction of the XV would be the things it has that the M hasn't, i.e. AF, principally, and a splendid zoom of course.

 

Its all a mixture I am afraid

I leave the info in the photograph

Just put some X-Varios ones in a set:

XVario - a set on Flickr

 

rgds

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I love the photos that people here are posting up from the XV. It seems that it is a sweet little camera that far exceeds the expectations most of us had when we first saw the specs.

 

I use an M for 99.9% of my photography now. I like it so much that I've sold everything else except old film cameras, for sentimental reasons really.

 

I'm very attracted by the XV though, largely because there are a few occasions when auto-focus would be very useful. So I need to ask whether the AF is as good as on a full-size DSLR. If it is, or near to it, then I think this would be a great companion for my M. But if its strengths are elsewhere and the AF not so good, I need to think much more seriously about whether I would actually use it very much. Any advice or thoughts would be very welcome.

 

Thanks.

 

 

PS - I've just seen there are already a lot of posts here about the AF on the XV so please forgive me for raising a subject that may already have been dealt with comprehensively. But any new thoughts would still be welcome!

 

Some users are experimenting intermittent AF lockup issues, many others "including me" are not.

Leica is expected to release a firmware update soon anyways. don't know if you had stumbled upon my review, just in case you didn't here it is, now updated with new pics... have a look.

 

The Leica XVarior: Leica X Vario Review. After 3 delightful months of ownership.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

You might want to wait a little while for the T - it's likely to be an X Vario but with interchangeable lenses.

 

That won't appeal to an M owner i guess. The whole point of buying an XV "by an M owner" is to take one camera with no lenses to worry about. just one piece ready to go.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

That won't appeal to an M owner i guess. The whole point of buying an XV "by an M owner" is to take one camera with no lenses to worry about. just one piece ready to go.

 

Why not? It would likely come with a 'pack lens' equivalent of the XVario zoom, and will possibly be able to work as an APSC body for M lenses too. More versatility for M users. But it's all speculation of course.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Why not? It would likely come with a 'pack lens' equivalent of the XVario zoom, and will possibly be able to work as an APSC body for M lenses too. More versatility for M users. But it's all speculation of course.

 

in that case then yes.:-0

Link to post
Share on other sites

Stuart has beaten me to it. Stock is available again. AF would not replace a DSLR for sports photography. But for the majority of subjects it is fine. Rarely is it fooled and when it is, you just see it and focus again. But I stress, that is very unusual.

 

Mine is a companion to my M9, but it is a super one camera one lens piece of kit which is always ready to go. I thought I would use manual focusing more often; in practice, I don't, even for my close distance photography for which I primarily bought the XV. As the days lengthen and more day trips are possible it will be a difficult decision when to take out my prime lenses as opposed to the XV.

 

As an aside, I still have my X1 which has taken on a new life of its own after I completed my experiments with the XV in low ambient light levels. New processing makes that older camera more useful than ever and often joins the XV in my bag for more discrete photography.

 

Frankly, we are spoiled for choice with so many excellent Leica digital cameras available today.

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

As I posted elsewhere I took 1200 shots on holiday in Cyprus and a handful were OOF .... and they were either 'snatched' or with some obvious reason why it failed.

 

AF is plenty fast enough for me ..... and the manual focus implementation is really well thought out and implemented. There are lots of other nice touches and simple intuitive ways of accessing useful functions that make it a pleasure to use. In contrast a day with a Sony A7r had me tempted to throw it at a wall.....

 

I have to say I now prefer the XV to my M .... unless I have some specific plans where I know the M will definitely make more sense.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

I've just marched around the house tonight as an experiment for you ........ with it set on Auto ISO and Auto Exposure.....

 

Up to ISO 800 AF is pretty well instantaneous, 800-1600 it occasionally hunts, and 1600+ it is very dependent on what your focussing on ...... 3200+ it sometimes will not lock at all.....

 

I did all this at 70mm .... so you are stuck at f6.4 ........ performance at 28mm is miles better....

 

I took loads of photos of dark monastery/church interiors ....... and AF seemed to work fine .... and on those occasions when it didn't I just set the distance manually ..... dof is enough at the wider settings for this to work perfectly adequately....

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

This is all very helpful. Thanks everyone.

 

I shall ask my dealer if I can try one out, but hearing about the experiences of people who already have one is very valuable, especially since there are some wonderful photos from so many of you to back it up! I can't help but be impressed by the camera. Now I just have to decide whether it's the right thing for me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

While you’re trying out the AF, try pre-focusing as well. The depth of focus at the wider lens settings gives you plenty of latitude, even with the lens wide open. It’s also very easy to switch from manual to auto focus when you need to. Depending on what and how you photograph, that can be a real asset.

 

There’s nothing wrong with the XV’s AF in my experience, but the camera’s strength, in my opinion, lies in the way that manual and auto features are integrated. It’s this, I think, that makes the handling feel so right and, dare I say, so Leica-like.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

While you’re trying out the AF, try pre-focusing as well. The depth of focus at the wider lens settings gives you plenty of latitude, even with the lens wide open. It’s also very easy to switch from manual to auto focus when you need to. Depending on what and how you photograph, that can be a real asset.

 

There’s nothing wrong with the XV’s AF in my experience, but the camera’s strength, in my opinion, lies in the way that manual and auto features are integrated. It’s this, I think, that makes the handling feel so right and, dare I say, so Leica-like.

 

You're so right here. The MF / AF integration is so unique it can hardly be match by other systems. I find myself the using MF more and more. it's so addictive!

Love everything about this camera.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree that the well done integration of manual of automatic features is one of the reasons that I like the X Vario. It invites me much more to play around with manual settings than my previous cameras (Ricohs in the recent past...) did.

Best regards, Gerd

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm off to my dealer today and I'll report back later.

 

I'm perfectly convinced from all that's been said here and elsewhere (thanks for links) that the AF/MF arrangement will be fine, leaving me with the main question about what it will add given how delighted I am with my M and the M lenses that I've acquired over the years.

 

This is a self-imposed quandary of course. The thing that attracts me is that I could use it alongside my M with a fast lens attached, meaning I'd be covering a vast range of shooting opportunities/challenges with minimal need to change a lens or even change my methodology very much, and with a very light-weight and convenient outfit capable of very high quality, probably beyond my own capabilities if I'm honest with myself.

 

I'm really talking myself into it!

 

 

Black or silver? (No need to answer that one, thank you!;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

The thing that attracts me is that I could use it alongside my M with a fast lens attached, meaning I'd be covering a vast range of shooting opportunities/challenges with minimal need to change a lens or even change my methodology very much

 

With manual control of the shutter speed and aperture, the XV is certainly a more attractive proposition to me than many cameras in this 'class' but I'm not sure I'd like to switch from one camera with RF to another with EVF as part of a 'working pair'. That said, I haven't tried working like that so I'm probably just displaying my prejudice against an EVF.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...