X1 in-depth review

[jsrockit]

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What a load of negativity from people who haven't even seen the camera, let alone used it! OK, the X1 is not an M replacement but it looks capable of producing first-class results from a compact package -- Oscar Barnack's original philosophy. What I really like is the minimalist design. As DPreview notes, shutter speed and aperture are controlled by dials, and there are no superfluous gimmicky "modes". No other camera does that!

 

Ok, I've been sticking up for the X1, but we have seen many in depth reviews and we know what their tests mean. We understand what slow AF means when they say it, we understand what slow RAW capture means, we understand what a weak flash and weak screen are, and we understand what we expect in a manual focus mode. You don't necessarily need to hold and use a camera in order to understand these things because we've used other cameras that do these things well or bad.

 

I really like the X1, but at $2000 it is overpriced. At $2000, it should perform on par with all of the 4/3 cameras. It should be good enough for any M user to pick up and think, wow, I want to use this as my take anywhere camera. Obviously, for many, it missed the mark. I think the backlash is because this camera had so much promise. It looked like the compact digital camera that every Leica fan wanted. I still like it, but you can't help but be disappointed with some of the reviews (by respected reviewers).

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[Craftsman]

My BFA is in Photography from The Maryland Institute College of Art. Thats now 40 years ago. I've had a chance to use a lot of different cameras over the years. This is my opinion based on experience, and it's only an opinion. The X1 is a dead end. The GF-1 is a much more inovative idea and has much greater potential. The EVF will be improved as will all other important aspects of the camera. Leica is a wonderful camera company but they are building on a platform that's pretty old now, just to keep their hardcore customers happy.Cramming digitial technology in an M body is a great feat but most of their sales are to existing customers. Leica prices keep even the wannabes out of the game. Where's their future. Not in a $2,000.00 fixed lens compact.Once they reach saturation with M9 sales, then what? A lot of people just hold off and buy used and even then it stretches their budget.The S2 will never sale in great numbers because of the price and pro's are already heavly invsted in another system.They're left with making White and Green cameras to appeal to wealthy, well I have everything else why not a Safari edition customers. It's really a bit sad. Outside the I love Leica crowd it's all looked on as a bit silly. I;m sure there's envy too for some that can't afford the price of admission but it's become such an overpriced camera company that they are probably losing customer faster than adding them.

[Ecaton]

All compacts' AF are to slow when speed really matters, but other large sensor/high IQ compacts offer quite good mf/zone focusing functionality (DP2, Ricoh GXR). What really disapoints with the X1, unless proven wrong by better testers than DPreview, is the alleged shutter lag (shutter lag is often confused with AF lock time, but eg Sigmas DPs have literally no shutter lag) and the unacceptable raw write time (even the DP2 clearly beats 5 seconds with a fast card).

So what is left is a beautifully designed and crafted pocketable compact, with excellent lens and best in class sensor, but inferior firmware and crippled mf/zone focusing functionality. Not good enough for USD 2000. Once next generation firmware solutions will be available for premium compact digitals, either in a X1/2 or a competitors product, the X1 will be a USD 2000 write off, which will be in about 15-30 months.

I'll stick to my DP2 and my slot on top of a waiting list at a Leica dealer will be vacant.

[c6gowin]

I went to PhotoPlus a couple months ago where I spent some time handling the X1 and viewing 20" x 30" prints from the camera. I will be getting an X1 asap based on that experience.

 

The image quality is astounding coming from such a small camera - this is a combination I have been waiting for a long time. Admittedly, I am concerned about the reported sluggish performance of autofocus, start-up / shutdown times, and shot-to-shot times. I didn't seem too bothered by the lack of speed when I handled the preproduction camera, but that could change with actual use. The only way to know for sure if the X1 is too slow for "me" is to buy it and use it. The lure of a pocketable camera with very good image quality is too much for me to resist this time around.

[jsrockit]

I hope many people hate them after they actually buy it...so I can buy one used for a lot cheaper...

[c6gowin]

HaHa, I assure you, if I hate it I will sell it and move on to something else.

[barjohn]

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We all know that one pays more for a faster CPU. Why Leica insists on using slow CPUs, slow internal memory and logic and low end LCDs in cameras they charge a premium price for is beyond me. It is evident in the M8, the M9 and even the S2 is still a question mark with its incredibly slow tethering performance. The little S90 gives you instant image review and zoom, the GF1 gives you instant image review and zoom why can't they provide that in a camera costing twice as much as the GF1? It seems to me that they are being penny wise and pound foolish. The same can be said about buffer size followed by slow writes to the SD card. While some of this may be attributable to sloppy programming that can be tightened up in firmware updates, most of it can not.

[FastFashnReloaded]

what shocks me is that shutterlag of 1,4 seconds! that´s a killer for me

 

There isn't a shutter lag of 1.4 seconds. Go out and actually TRY one.

[FastFashnReloaded]

We all know that one pays more for a faster CPU. Why Leica insists on using slow CPUs, slow internal memory and logic and low end LCDs in cameras they charge a premium price for is beyond me. It is evident in the M8, the M9 and even the S2 is still a question mark with its incredibly slow tethering performance. The little S90 gives you instant image review and zoom, the GF1 gives you instant image review and zoom why can't they provide that in a camera costing twice as much as the GF1? It seems to me that they are being penny wise and pound foolish. The same can be said about buffer size followed by slow writes to the SD card. While some of this may be attributable to sloppy programming that can be tightened up in firmware updates, most of it can not.

 

The little S90 gives boat loads of noise at anything approaching real world inside lighting conditions. FRANKLY, UNACCEPTABLE NOISE.

 

Don't you have a dinner party with Sen. Joe Lieberman to attend to?

 

You glass is always 3/4 empty. How do you live like that?

[FastFashnReloaded]

Somebody explain to me why a ,fixed lens, slow focusing , no view finder camera . that's not pocketable would be priced at $2,000.00 . Other than Leica just needs the money.

 

Why? Jealous because it is out of your price range?

 

Have you actually TRIED the camera? Honestly, it's pretty neat.

[John Thawley]

My BFA is in Photography from The Maryland Institute College of Art. Thats now 40 years ago. I've had a chance to use a lot of different cameras over the years. This is my opinion based on experience, and it's only an opinion. The X1 is a dead end. The GF-1 is a much more inovative idea and has much greater potential. The EVF will be improved as will all other important aspects of the camera. Leica is a wonderful camera company but they are building on a platform that's pretty old now, just to keep their hardcore customers happy.Cramming digitial technology in an M body is a great feat but most of their sales are to existing customers. Leica prices keep even the wannabes out of the game. Where's their future. Not in a $2,000.00 fixed lens compact.Once they reach saturation with M9 sales, then what? A lot of people just hold off and buy used and even then it stretches their budget.The S2 will never sale in great numbers because of the price and pro's are already heavly invsted in another system.They're left with making White and Green cameras to appeal to wealthy, well I have everything else why not a Safari edition customers. It's really a bit sad. Outside the I love Leica crowd it's all looked on as a bit silly. I;m sure there's envy too for some that can't afford the price of admission but it's become such an overpriced camera company that they are probably losing customer faster than adding them.

 

Print this and post it to your kitchen wall. Keep a pie tin handy...

 

I'm thinking around 3-5 years from now you'll be enjoying a lovely meal of your own words.

[John Thawley]

DPREVIEW:

Overall conclusion

 

When you first handle the XXXX you can't help but be impressed by its build quality and logical control layout. I'm quite comfortable stating that the XXXX has the easiest to use manual controls of any current digital camera. This allows for quick switching into aperture priority, shutter priority or manual focus. It's clear that Leica has also worked hard to ensure the small details are as we would expect, from the weighty yet smooth motion of the lens barrel rings to the neat compartment doors.

 

Thanks to that mechanically linked zoom and quality feel to the other controls you quickly find a photographic flow with this camera, thankfully performance is fast enough to keep up although it's still not digital SLR fast.

 

Image quality was good, resolution as high as we would expect from a X megapixel sensor, the XXXX tending towards a contrasty image by default, color balance was also good, accurate yet vivid enough to be immediately pleasing and usable. We were disappointed by the supplied RAW conversion software as it's clear that you can get more from the XXXX's RAW files, at the moment Photoshop CS appears to be the only sensible way to achieve this.

 

And now for the negative, this camera's primary problem however is its price, for $1800 you can get any other prosumer level digital camera (or two) or a six megapixel digital SLR and lenses. If it weren't for this camera's astronomical price I'd be more than happy to give it our 'Highly Recommended' rating, hence if money is no object and you like your brand labels go for the XXXX, if you're less brand conscious and want the same camera I'd suggest you take a look at the XZXZXZ (although that's still priced too highly).

 

Sounds vaguely familiar, no?

 

5 year's later there are users clambering over the XXXX

 

Not one for pixel peeping and shooting with technical specs, I'll wait for the photos and my own experience.

[marcg]

AF=1.4 secs. Even if it only equalled 1 sec, by the time the picture is taken the subject is gone.

 

Sorry, but Even with the M9 and also we see with the M8, Leica's tradition of excellence in engineering trumps everything else - but they don't have the same tradition in micro-electronics and related programming and it shows.

 

What is very sad to me is that they pride themselves on excellence and this is where their reputation is made yet the flaws in their three digital cameras to date can't even be put down to earlier generation technology which has been well implemented but slightly out-of-step with the present day. Their digital problems are pure and simply errors. If they had been mechanical engineering problems, Leica would have spotted them and they would never have been allowed to get out of the door.

 

Leica's digital quality control simply is not up to scratch and they need to sort it out.

 

It seems to me that they are trading on their tradition of excellence and the loyalty of their existing customer base. But this kind of goodwill can run out if they are not careful.

 

In the same way that Aston Martin and Jaguar were bought up by Ford, I can imagine the same thing happening to Leica photographic one day, by the Japanese - if they aren't careful.

[Craftsman]

What makes you think it's out of my price range?. I could easly afford the X1 or M9, but I think they are both over price. And yes I have tried the camera.Pretty neat doesn't equal value .

 

 

QUOTE=FastFashnReloaded;1160852]Why? Jealous because it is out of your price range?

 

Have you actually TRIED the camera? Honestly, it's pretty neat.

[marcg]

What makes you think it's out of my price range?. I could easly afford the X1 or M9, but I think they are both over price. And yes I have tried the camera.Pretty neat doesn't equal value .

 

 

QUOTE=FastFashnReloaded;1160852]Why? Jealous because it is out of your price range?

 

Have you actually TRIED the camera? Honestly, it's pretty neat.

 

I'm afraid that there are some people who think that red dot=value.

 

I'm a bit frightened that Leica may think the same thing. That could really be fatal.

[taildraggin]

... Leica is a wonderful camera company but they are building on a platform that's pretty old now, just to keep their hardcore customers happy.Cramming digitial technology in an M body is a great feat but most of their sales are to existing customers. Leica prices keep even the wannabes out of the game. Where's their future. Not in a $2,000.00 fixed lens compact.Once they reach saturation with M9 sales, then what? ...

 

Dunno. I think Leica one of the few camera companies moving ahead. From a couple of Nikon guys:

 

Thom Hogan - Industry Review

 

and here's why:

 

Rockwell on M9

[bradhusick]

I was hoping the X1 would be at least as good as the GF-1, despite the price difference. I was disappointed. And yes, I have handled the camera, albeit briefly.

 

I will be sticking with the GF-1 and the excellent 20mm and 45mm AF lenses, plus my M lenses. Others may choose differently.

[markpsf]

The GF1 is great. I have it and love it. But the sensor and processing differences result in photos with a very different look from those of the X1 and the feel and controls are very different.

 

Apples and oranges.

I may choose to have one of each.

 

Mark

 

 

I was hoping the X1 would be at least as good as the GF-1, despite the price difference. I was disappointed. And yes, I have handled the camera, albeit briefly.

 

I will be sticking with the GF-1 and the excellent 20mm and 45mm AF lenses, plus my M lenses. Others may choose differently.

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[NZDavid]

...Obviously, for many, it missed the mark. I think the backlash is because this camera had so much promise....

 

I think the backlash is mainly due to the time lag between announcement and actual delivery. Instead of commenting on user experience, people are reduced to academic argument and commenting on the specs and early reviews, and as a result, inevitable distortions and inaccuracies creep in (1.4 secs shutter lag. Really?). I still like the design concept and am eager to look at the results. As I said earlier, it's never going to replace an M, and I am still delighted with results with film Leicas, but as a digital companion camera with a first-class lens costing less than a new Leica lens by itself, the X1 still looks appealing.

[peterb]

Boy the stress meter sure went up on this thread rather quickly.

 

Look, like it or not, Leica has come up with a compact camera that couples a sizable, proven APS-C sensor with a Leica-quality Elmarit lens called the X1 and they want $2000 for it. (That's THEIR bottom line).

 

Now if you've yearned for a compact camera (and a Leica no less) that is capable of producing superb images that rival a superb (albeit bulky) APS-C DSLR and don't mind the much discussed short comings of getting there then you'll consider forking over your $2000 for it.

 

But on the other hand if you think in spite of the images it produces (and perhaps may have also concluded that the images it produces are only marginally better than cameras that produce them for less) that the shortcomings are waaaaay too unacceptable for a camera at this price then you won't give Leica your $2000.

 

And that's YOUR bottom line.