jsrockit Posted December 23, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 23, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hmmm...let me start some trouble. The review's for the micro 4/3 cameras are very good, even great. The Ricoh GXR is being raved about. The reviews for the X1 have been mediocre. Why is it that I still want the X1 when these supposedly superior options exist? 1) I am a sucker for a minimal design with simple menus. 2) 35mm equiv is my favorite lens length. 3) I like having a shutter speed dial and aperture dial marked as such... i.e. dedicated. 4) Aesthetics do, unfortunately, come into play when I purchase something (outside of the Olympus, the rest are ugly IMHO). 5) The shortcomings of the X1 will not effect my style of Photography. 6) I tend to use one lens when I go out for the day...and that lens is always btwn 35-50mm (unless I choose to use my Ricoh). 7) It's cheaper than another digital M with lens... and it is smaller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 23, 2009 Posted December 23, 2009 Hi jsrockit, Take a look here GF-1, E-P2? Who cares.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pappde Posted December 23, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 23, 2009 And there it is. Agree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted December 23, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 23, 2009 A fair summary of your subjective analysis. Who can argue? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted December 23, 2009 A fair summary of your subjective analysis. Who can argue? I'm sure a few will... opinions get shot down with frequency around here. The reason I made this thread is because I've read so many people who cannot understand why anyone would buy a Leica X1 when the GF-1 and E-P1(2) exist... even saying that the only people who would buy an X1 are people with more money than sense. Well, in general, I have a decent amount of sense. Additionally, I am not rich. I don't own a car, house, etc. The only few things that I have that are nice is my Leica, computer gear, and some music making gear. Yet, I still want the X1. The difference between Leica gear and other camera gear, for me, is that the Leica stuff is comfortable and gets used. It begs to be used. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tategoi Posted December 23, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 23, 2009 What about this, you insist on a Leica, because you are snobbish. Just like some people who insist on a Prada or LV. Or a Patek, when a Seiko can tell time as good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted December 23, 2009 What about this, you insist on a Leica, because you are snobbish. Just like some people who insist on a Prada or LV. Or a Patek, when a Seiko can tell time as good. See, this is what I mean... people assume it is snobbery, when in reality it is a personal preference. I am not a "status" type of person. I don't own rolexes, porsches, etc... I don't even wear logos on my clothes. I just happen to think Leica makes the best tools for my style of photography... and I tend to like more of a purist approach in my cameras. Oh yeah, and Happy Holidays to you too tategoi! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb Posted December 23, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 23, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) 1) I am a sucker for a minimal design with simple menus. 2) 35mm equiv is my favorite lens length. 3) I like having a shutter speed dial and aperture dial marked as such... i.e. dedicated. 4) Aesthetics do, unfortunately, come into play when I purchase something (outside of the Olympus, the rest are ugly IMHO). 5) The shortcomings of the X1 will not effect my style of Photography. 6) I tend to use one lens when I go out for the day...and that lens is always btwn 35-50mm (unless I choose to use my Ricoh). 7) It's cheaper than another digital M with lens... and it is smaller. 8) The files it produces are extraordinary for a compact or ANY camera. (Bottom line here). 9) It has an utterly silent shutter (like my beloved albeit bulky Digilux 2 and D-Lux/LX cameras). Good for stealthy (okay I'll admit it 'Leica-style') photography. I also find reasons #1, #2 (I'd estimate the 35mm focal length was used in 95% of all my shots with the M), #3 (I also think the P, A, S, M approach here is sheer genius or is that part of reason #1), and in particular #5 high on my list, too. As for your reason #4, well I DO like the looks of the GF1 and the LX/Dlux series are pretty good too (the DLUX in particular with grip and finder). The collapsing front lens on the X1 is a little weird to me. But then I've always found that approach weird in ALL compacts. Telescoping lenses (the end up looking like a Mayan Pyramid) in many compacts has always been problematic for me visually (although for some reason it's been least offensive for some reason on the DLux/LX cameras...perhaps it's the brushed metal barrel). I'd prefer the lens to just be there extended all the time (like the way the Lumix 20mm f1.7 pancake lens on the G cameras is). If for any reason so there's one less thing to wear out mechanically. I don't think the 35mm lens would be all that protruding. Finally, after years of seeing M cameras and their 'rightness' of proportion for me visually, seeing a camera that looks like an M with the rangefinder area sawed off seems VERY weird. That said, the grip and finder really help with that hangup. The grip I feel will make the camera better balanced both physically and visually. And the finder helps me get over the sawed off Rangerfinder section issue I'd mentioned. Finally regarding reason #7, if and when I should ever get an M9 or beyond with a 35mm lens, the X1 will be history. The M is only MARGINALLY larger, produces FAR better images, has a solid optic(s) and vastly more rugged (hey it even comes in black). I will use whatever the latest DLux camera (also with grip and finder) as my little backup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted December 23, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 23, 2009 I think you forgot reason number 8. It produces much better high ISO files than the M8 or M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtodrick Posted December 23, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 23, 2009 What I find sad is that this thread even exists! Why should you have to (or feel you have to) justify your use of the X1. I go through the same thing...I used to have a bagful of SLR gear...now my shooting has evolved to a style that is perfectly handled by the Dlux 4...yet I'm constantly 'justifying' it to my friends who all claim you can't make decent images with a P&S. To the extent that a few of them have questioned my honesty when I show them images...claiming they couldn't come 'from that itty-bitty camera'. Why can't people understand that not everyone has to use the same piece of gear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 23, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 23, 2009 ...Why is it that I still want the X1 when these supposedly superior options exist?... Because you decided not to buy a s/h R-D1 or M8 and a 28/2.8 lens instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
markpsf Posted December 23, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 23, 2009 Thanks for speaking for me as well. I'm also glad to see that at least one person wrote with the snobbery, label appeal, accusation. In a world with so much unpredictability it's good to know that when I read these threads there's at least something I can consistently count on! Happy holidays all...and may the first month of the New Year bring all that it promises to bring. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted December 23, 2009 What I find sad is that this thread even exists!Why should you have to (or feel you have to) justify your use of the X1. Ah, it was just for fun and to stir up some sh*t... . I don't need to justify anything, but I do get a little offended when people assume you are just blidly buying Leica because of the logo. I'm sure some do that, but most of us here do not. Because you decided not to buy a s/h R-D1 or M8 and a 28/2.8 lens instead. I did buy the M8 and love it. I just decided that, as a glasses wearer, the 28mm is not the best frame for me (so, I use a 35mm / equiv 47mm on M8). Since the X1 is a 36mm equiv, and I could use a high quality, but smaller second camera, that could be my 35mm equiv body. I need to see it in person though. Another rangefinder is not an option for this purpose... and especially not that R-D1...too much of a crop factor for me. The m8 is bad enough with regards to the crop factor. I went and looked at the GF-1 and the E-P1 during lunch today and they aren't as horrible as I remember, but still... . IMHO, Olympus is headed in the right direction though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 23, 2009 Share #13 Posted December 23, 2009 Why on Earth start a thread to "stir up some shit?" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted December 23, 2009 Why on Earth start a thread to "stir up some shit?" For fun. Nothing wrong with a healthy debate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 23, 2009 Share #15 Posted December 23, 2009 For fun. Nothing wrong with a healthy debate! Ah, it was just for fun and to stir up some sh*t... . Hmmm...let me start some trouble. I see... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #16 Posted December 23, 2009 Sorry Bill, I did not mean to offend. I think you are just annoyed at the language I chose to use. Obviously, I really made a thread about why I still like the X1 since so many people are dismissing it, but I knew some people would not agree...so that is the "trouble" / "stir some shit" parts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stkorn Posted December 23, 2009 Share #17 Posted December 23, 2009 I actually agree with all 7 of the OP's points but nonetheless just put in my order for an ep-2. It just seems a better value to me. I've been a Leica shooter for years but I am really excited about the capability to shoot HD video, I think manual focus will be easier than on the X1, and actually like the idea of a high-res EVF that tilts to 90 degrees, not to mention the option for longer lenses (even legacy ones). Besides, I still have my M7, M2 and CL for when I want the classic Leica experience. However, I have no doubt that the X1 will also be an excellent camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted December 23, 2009 Share #18 Posted December 23, 2009 Nice post, JS. I thought you were blowing hot and cold on the X1. I agree with 1, 3, 7 first of all, followed by 5, 2 and 6 about equal. Aesthetics is a nice bonus and definitely a selling point. I would like the possibility of going wider or semi-tele, maybe as an add-on attachment instead of a zoom. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stnami Posted December 23, 2009 Share #19 Posted December 23, 2009 The review's for the micro 4/3 cameras are very good, even greatjsrockit you stated that these cameras didn't exist as far as you are concerned so what would you know........... ........................ you seem to have misinformed yourself of what you are doing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share #20 Posted December 24, 2009 jsrockit you stated that these cameras didn't exist as far as you are concerned so what would you know........... ........................ you seem to have misinformed yourself of what you are doing. Ah well... they don't exist as far as my wallet is concerned. However, I do read reviews for cameras I don't want as well. I do like the Olympus more now than ever though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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