Finally bought an X-Vario after a year

[jhluxton]

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One year ago I posted the following comment to the thread "Sell your X2 for an X-Vario?: " Still not sure about the XVario looks a nice chunky camera but I value my X1 for low light photography. (The X2 didn't offer enough more for me to move from X1 to X2.)

 

If I do decide to get an XVario the logical camera for me to sell would be the Digilux 3.

 

I will have to read a good few reviews before I decide to take the plunge and might just wait to see what comes next."

 

Well with the desire to treat myself after a recently negotiating a challenging time at work combined with my arm twisted by the recent price drop and additional free goodies I decided to the take the plunge and order myself one on Sunday.

 

The X-Vario duly arrived today and I must say how impressed I am with the camera. It has taken me a year to make my mind up and take the plunge but I am not disappointed by the initial impressions.

 

It has taken me a year to make my mind up but I am sure I have made the correct decision!

 

 

John

[papimuzo]

I'm sure you made a good choice. It takes a year for it but you will enjoy this multipurpose tool several tens of years...

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[thighslapper]

Welcome to a small but happy band of users of this undeservedly maligned and very underestimated camera.

 

I am sure you will be delighted with the ease of use, flexibility and terrific image quality ....

[wda]

Well done John. Once you overcome the unusual experience of using higher ISO settings, and discover how easy it is to reduce modest amounts of noise in extreme conditions, (indoors), you will find you have an excellent and very versatile tool. I do hope you decided to keep your X1 as a partner. It still has an unique role to play when a faster prime in a smaller package is needed or become a social preference.

[jhluxton]

Well done John. Once you overcome the unusual experience of using higher ISO settings, and discover how easy it is to reduce modest amounts of noise in extreme conditions, (indoors), you will find you have an excellent and very versatile tool. I do hope you decided to keep your X1 as a partner. It still has an unique role to play when a faster prime in a smaller package is needed or become a social preference.

 

I have not really had chance to use the X Vario yet as recent trips out have required the long zoom of my V-lux3. But I anticipate a lot of use once I finish work for my Summer holidays in a couple of weeks.

 

Yes, I have decided to keep the X1 mainly due to its compact size and fact it will fit in my Billingham Hadley with the X1 and binocs. The XV is just a bit too big to fit in the bag with the V-lux unless I buy an even bigger camera bag!

 

John

[asiafish]

Congratulations. I too recently bought a used X-Vario and while I can't complain about the image quality, the verdict is still out on usability for the way I shoot. I always use the EVF, but find it a somewhat clumsy implementation for carry.

 

MUCH smaller and lighter than my old Canon 6D and 24-104, less versatile, but I knew that going in. My main camera is the M Monochrom, we'll see if this one is a keeper as a color companion.

[dorman]

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I always use the EVF, but find it a somewhat clumsy implementation for carry.

 

The only thing stopping me buying one is the lack of a built-in EVF

[wda]

It might be a small consolation that few inbuilt viewfinders swivel through 90 degrees, useful in floor-level situations. However I do agree that an external EVF is only a compromise, but a useful one apart from stowage in bags.

[Guytou]

I fast became used to him...

 

Guy

[Don Morley]

One year ago I posted the following comment to the thread "Sell your X2 for an X-Vario?: " Still not sure about the XVario looks a nice chunky camera but I value my X1 for low light photography. (The X2 didn't offer enough more for me to move from X1 to X2.)

 

If I do decide to get an XVario the logical camera for me to sell would be the Digilux 3.

 

I will have to read a good few reviews before I decide to take the plunge and might just wait to see what comes next."

 

Well with the desire to treat myself after a recently negotiating a challenging time at work combined with my arm twisted by the recent price drop and additional free goodies I decided to the take the plunge and order myself one on Sunday.

 

The X-Vario duly arrived today and I must say how impressed I am with the camera. It has taken me a year to make my mind up and take the plunge but I am not disappointed by the initial impressions.

 

It has taken me a year to make my mind up but I am sure I have made the correct decision!

 

 

John

 

 

Hello John,

 

Likewise I took over a year before taking the plunge, and having now used and tested mine under all sorts of conditions I can but say it is not the most user friendly camera I have ever used, but it is worth persevering with. My own view for what it is worth is best not to leave it on auto everything ever as the settings the camera then chooses are in short rubbish!

 

As others have said we really could do with Leica having a fresh look at all of this so as to hopefully then come up with a firmware update to iron out the glitches, but meanwhile I do have to say I find the image quality very good even at high ISO levels and have found the best way to use this camera (For me at least) is to set it on Auto ISO but limited to 3200 Max, and then to always manually choose the shutter speed.

 

This stops the camera making its own choice which will always be 1/30 in poor light, which is often too slow, or going to the opposite extreme in good light for instance where mine in Auto everything will choose a ultra high shutter speed but maximum aperture, meaning I can no longer control whatever depth of field I need. In short Leica's inbuilt programing is plain daft but you can use your brain and own photographic knowledge to make this camera a very worthwhile tool.

 

Enjoy it! Don Morley.

[jhluxton]

Having taken many photos with the XV during August I can say in terms of picture quality it is superb. I have used it in a variety of situations in doors and out in good and bad lighting and I think I am getting to understand its occasional quirks. I have had the odd out of focus shot when on auto, but I really do mean the odd one.

 

The only niggle I have with using the camera is the location of the movie mode button, perhaps it's me but I have accidentally activated that on a number of occasions which has resulted in missed photos.

 

The movie mode is not important to me. On the V-lux 3 it is impossible to operate unless the control dial is rotated. Having two separate buttons next to one another on the XV just appears to lend itself to the finger hitting the wrong button. It is a pity the movie mode cannot be switched off / on by the shutter speed dial, or not even included it isn't a feature I need or use.

 

The second niggle concerns the bundled "M" series neoprene case which came with the summer hand grip promotion in the UK.

 

Though I keep my camera in a Billingham bag for extra protectionI thought I would also use the neoprene case. Unfortunately after just a two week's use the loop which keeps the case attached to the neck strap nearly wore away having become caught around the strap eye. I nearly lost the case but fortunately spotted it just before the last couple of threads parted. Surely a better way of securing the case to the strap could have been devised?

 

Apart from the two niggles above I am really pleased with the XV. I had said I would use it ass a replacement for the Digilux 3, but since it arrived I have not used my X1 has it replaced both cameras?

 

I will probably have to wait for the dark days of winter before deciding if it has replaced the X1 as I might still need that camera's abilities in low light.

 

 

John

Edited September 12, 2014 by jhluxton
Correction

[thighslapper]

yes ..... disabling the movie button like on the M240 would be a help .......

 

the number of times I have changed aperture and then been very confused till I realised I was in fact taking a video by mistake......

 

I have a hilarious selection of what look like drunken home movies with me cursing and swearing in the background ......

[Manoleica]

yes ..... disabling the movie button like on the M240 would be a help .......

 

the number of times I have changed aperture and then been very confused till I realised I was in fact taking a video by mistake......

 

I have a hilarious selection of what look like drunken home movies with me cursing and swearing in the background ......

 

x2