X1 First Impressions

[markpsf]

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I finally got a chance to spend a few hours with my new X1 yesterday.

My way of learning is always to go out and shoot without reading the manual first and then, based on my experience, read up on the pieces that I didn't pick up intuitively. So that's my next step.

 

First ergonomics. I bought the grip. I have tried the camera with and without. With my large hands it's a no brainer. It feels great with the grip...not without. I'm using a wrist strap, courtesy of Luigi and Leicatime. That also works perfectly for me. And I have one of the classic Leitz SBLOO viewfinders. When I'm not shooting "blind" I love the viewfinder for framing. It really connects me with my subject(s) and to the process of "seeing."

 

The LCD screen is borderline adequate for shooting in broad daylight and it was a very bright sunny day here yesterday. It was also just above the acceptable line for reviewing photos. I needed to find shade to do it effectively.

 

Having noted these limitations, as have others, none of this got in the way of what was

very enjoyable shooting.

 

I didn't find it difficult to find a good distance setting for zone focusing. In this case of course the good light helped create a broad range for zone focusing. And then shooting from my waist "blind" was easy.

 

For my purposes the autofocus speed was fine and although the write time was a little slow when shooting RAW this didn't interfere. I didn't lose any shots.

 

I love the camera. The sensor and lens combo is spectacular. The overall handling is really easy and the basic simplicity is a welcome relief after years of feeling like I was falling into an abyss of menu manipulating.

 

I think I only got about 4 photos out of 50 that are worth playing with and only one that

I think is interesting. But this was a first shoot and actually I think my normal hit rate isn't that much better. I'm really happy when I get a half dozen really good shots from a few hour shoot. More important for me is the process itself. And playing with the X1 for the first time was great fun.

 

As for sharing photos...I will only do that when I feel the quality is at a higher level. But that will be a function of my learning and my ability, not of the camera. It's a keeper.

 

Mark

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[diogenis]

Mark, do read the manual, because you need to know what you are doing with the various AF modes and lightmetering zones. This is not an M8, and it is more complex. Other than that it's a very good camera.

[wda]

Mark, that is a fair summary of what is, after all, a very 'personal' experience. We all have an individual approach to our photography.

 

Do study the manual; you have paid for it and it contains some very useful information. Certainly mastering the focus modes will pay dividends, the more so when using the external viewfinder. I can now almost anticipate where multi-focal point focusing has settled when I hear the focus confirmation sound. Increasingly I am shooting with the viewfinder fitted as standard and rely on accurate prediction of the focus points. It rarely lets me down. Any really important subject is checked before moving on to the next subject. Frankly, I am surprised how easy and accurate it is.