Sean Reid's X1 Part 2 Review is up

[jsrockit]

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Sean, what does the X1 taste like?

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[sean_reid]

Sean, what does the X1 taste like?

 

<G>

 

Cheers,

[tedmna]

Sean, what does the X1 taste like?

 

[khanosu]

Sean, what does the X1 taste like?

 

I asked a friends who is somewhat of a connoisseur at camera tasting to lick on an X1 when he handled one at a Leica shop. His took a couple of bites and liberal licks; his reply "it tastes like something you have never tasted before; not like an RF camera, definitely not like an SLR and not even like any other compact" Then he added "but it has that distinct Leica taste to it when you lick around the lens, especially right on the front lens element"

 

 

Furrukh

 

N.B. This post should not be taken in a sexual context, but more in the spirit of wine or cake tasting

[jsrockit]

But I heard it doesn't even taste as good as the Canon G11...and for $2000? Jeez.

[khanosu]

I think the more important question is, can you eat it fast enough in the street? and can you do it unobtrusively without making rude slurpy noises? If you can then it is worth every penny

 

Furrukh

[sean_reid]

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The X1 tastes really good but you have to wait about 2.73 seconds between bites if you choose to eat it raw.

 

- Spontaneity has its time and place. -

 

Off to shoot a wedding tomorrow. Have fun if the food thing keeps going here.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[coup de foudre]

Off to shoot a wedding tomorrow. Have fun if the food thing keeps going here.

 

dessert, Sean. it's all dessert. make sure to enjoy every bite...

[markpsf]

...who will use the X1 for street shooting (really unique!).

 

I may have missed it but as the camera stands right now, without assuming significant improvements through firmware, how easy is it to zone focus with the camera?

 

I can set a GF1 up for the equivalent of zone focusing pretty easily.Apparently that can be done easily with the GRD III.

 

Given what I think will be very significant payoffs from the Leica sensor and my preference for the other aspects of the X1 handling, it's really my key question.

 

I plan to go back and reread Sean's review but in the meantime....

 

Thanks.

 

 

Mark

[Guest stnami]

Leica doesn't make sensors they probably bought it off sony

[Guest malland]

...I may have missed it but as the camera stands right now, without assuming significant improvements through firmware, how easy is it to zone focus with the camera?...I plan to go back and reread Sean's review but in the meantime....

Mark, but Sean's review answers your question.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

Walks in Bangkok (GRD3)

[sean_reid]

...who will use the X1 for street shooting (really unique!).

 

I may have missed it but as the camera stands right now, without assuming significant improvements through firmware, how easy is it to zone focus with the camera?

 

I can set a GF1 up for the equivalent of zone focusing pretty easily.Apparently that can be done easily with the GRD III.

 

Given what I think will be very significant payoffs from the Leica sensor and my preference for the other aspects of the X1 handling, it's really my key question.

 

I plan to go back and reread Sean's review but in the meantime....

 

Thanks.

 

 

Mark

 

Zone focusing the X1 is very easy as you'll see when you reread the review. To zone focus the GF1 (which has no focus distance scale) the best strategy may be to mount a manual lens with a traditional focus ring. I discussed that in the GF1 review. Otherwise, one can prefocus the GF1 but there's no way to set it at a specific focus distance (one meter, six feet, etc.).

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

Leica doesn't make sensors they probably bought it off sony

 

Yes, the X1 sensor certainly does come from Sony. Very similar to the one in the D300, etc.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[hexar]

Dear Sean,

 

Any feedback from your conversations and recommendations with and to LEICA ?

[tedmna]

Dear Sean,

 

Any feedback from your conversations and recommendations with and to LEICA ?

 

Leica doesn't want the results of their taste tests and recommended taste combinations discussed, from what I can gather.

[hexar]

that`s what I feel as well from the (permitted ofcours) reluctant comments from SEAN but things might have changed. never know.

I do believe however if LEICA does not adress shutter lag , MF focus scale and some minor flaws the camera will nog end up with serious Photographers . It`s a pitty because so much potential in the philosophy behind the camera. Why not delay the whole thing and come up with a state of the art version. Hardware is received well but ..

Would this be an option ?

[barjohn]

Sean,

Just read your review on the GF1 and your interspersed comparisons to the X1 and thought you did an excellent job fairly presenting pros and cons for each. I would like to add one element to your test comparisons and that is low light LCD and or EVF image for composing and focusing (especially MF). The reason being that I found on the E-P1 the noise level of the on screen image made composing or focusing either difficult or impossible. Even though the G1 has a higher resolution EVF, the noise level in low light made it less usable then the one in the GF1. For some reason, the GF1 LCD view (same LCD as used on the G1) shows much less noise in low light.

 

One other comment on AF speed. The E-P1 uses the same sensor as the GF1 yet can't achieve anywhere near the GF1's AF speed. This would tend to indicate that there is more to the AF speed than the sensor refresh rate though I'm sure it is a major contributor.

 

There was one thing you didn't mention with either camera and that is how quickly the review image appears and is available to be zoomed. With the E-P1 it was slow compared to the GF1 that appears instantly and can be zoomed right away. How is it on the X1?

[markpsf]

Sean:

 

I did reread your review, but given your description of the process with the X1 I guess it doesn't seem that "easy" to me. It clearly seems doable but it doesn't come across as exactly user friendly. I have a hunch that the problem lies in my own ability to visualize something that you've experienced directly and that if I had the camera in front of me "all would be revealed."

 

With the GF1 I'm really very happy with some presetting and then operating in AF since the AF is excellent.

 

And BTW, I think your new review of the GF1 is both helpful and right on...as usual.

 

Mark

 

 

 

Zone focusing the X1 is very easy as you'll see when you reread the review. To zone focus the GF1 (which has no focus distance scale) the best strategy may be to mount a manual lens with a traditional focus ring. I discussed that in the GF1 review. Otherwise, one can prefocus the GF1 but there's no way to set it at a specific focus distance (one meter, six feet, etc.).

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[hexar]

Dear Sean,

 

How much faster is the AF in the GF1 than in the LEICA X1 in absolute figures (secs) ?

Will the GF1 be more close to DSLR AF or still nearer to standard P&S speed but just a tad faster ?

 

Thanks again in advance

Hexar

[sean_reid]

Sean,

Just read your review on the GF1 and your interspersed comparisons to the X1 and thought you did an excellent job fairly presenting pros and cons for each. I would like to add one element to your test comparisons and that is low light LCD and or EVF image for composing and focusing (especially MF). The reason being that I found on the E-P1 the noise level of the on screen image made composing or focusing either difficult or impossible. Even though the G1 has a higher resolution EVF, the noise level in low light made it less usable then the one in the GF1. For some reason, the GF1 LCD view (same LCD as used on the G1) shows much less noise in low light.

 

One other comment on AF speed. The E-P1 uses the same sensor as the GF1 yet can't achieve anywhere near the GF1's AF speed. This would tend to indicate that there is more to the AF speed than the sensor refresh rate though I'm sure it is a major contributor.

 

There was one thing you didn't mention with either camera and that is how quickly the review image appears and is available to be zoomed. With the E-P1 it was slow compared to the GF1 that appears instantly and can be zoomed right away. How is it on the X1?

 

I haven't tested the E-P1 so unfortunately I can't comment on how it performs. There is more to AF performance than sensor fps, of course, there's also how the camera uses that data.

 

That's an interesting point about EVF noise differences between the two Panasonics. I don't have the G1 here and I have not tested the EVF for the GF1 so I can't compare them first hand.

 

The X1 review image comes up almost instantly but turning the rear wheel to magnify (or any other button on the camera) cancels the review image. To magnify, one needs to press play and then magnification seems just about instant.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean