Leica X1: Peeling Skin, Poor Battery Door, Loose Dials?

[davidhunternyc]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

These are a few issues that I have been reading about with the X1. Image Quality aside, these issues and the the slow reaction times on a $2000 camera is something to be alarmed about, no? Leica is known for its build quality but maybe this is like the case of Mercedes; you pay for the 3-pointed star but you get plastic chrome accents. With full disclosure, I have yet to see the Leica X1 but I would like to see and hear about what people are talking about here. Does anyone have photos of the peeling paint and poor parts quality? I just can't even imagine...

[h00ligan]

David, just an fyi - conjecture is that the latest models addressed all the physical complaints with peeling, battery door, and tightened up the dials. Mine is in the later serial number range and I have no issues with any so far (1 week). That said, the slowness really is a bummer - a huge one (again, i'm not just talking af!).

[leicashot]

My battery door is fine, but then again I use the hand grip which covers it anyway. No peeling skin.

 

The only thing that annoys me is the loose dials. Well they're not exactly loose, but very easy to turn by accident (compared to M series), which is a pain for me as I shoot manual and like my exposure to be locked into place while shooting. AF I deal with, and if I am shooting something requiring action, I'll switch to a camera designed for it -the Nikon D3s.

[RichardM8]

Triggered by the more than a few complaints on this forum I asked my Leica dealer about it yesterday. They are a very old and established Leica dealer here in Amsterdam area and very well informed about Leica.

 

They told me that the first production run of the X1 had 'some problems'. These cameras have only been shipped to a limited number of countries (the US being one of them). In some countries Leica has its own branch while in most countries Leica is represented by independent companies (importers/distributors). It's not hard to imagine which countries are the most profitable for Leica and thus will always get the first shipments...

 

Here in the Netherlands the first shipment didn't get to our shores at all and the newer production models have none of the issues.

 

So no solution whatsoever but maybe nice to know...

 

Richard.

[bad robot]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my X1 had to be sent back for repair; the top plate was damaged. When it returned I noticed that the top dials now appear to have much better click. So I assume that Leica have now improved this function on all models. As for the speed "problem" I use the VF, screen turned off, and shoot with spot focus. The AF speed becomes irrelevant. As does the lack of zoom. I just become "at one" with camera. I know that sounds a bit "Zen".

 

I drive a car, I just get in start the engine and drive places. I don't really think about the operation of the gears or the size of the engine, I just drive it. Sometimes I have had to use another car for the day, it takes me a few moments to get use the feel of the clutch, gears, engine etc, but then it becomes automatic again. I remember a few years ago owning a hideous digital camera (Minolta DiMAGE A1). It had what seemed like 20 buttons, dials and switches on the case to access some of the many features, with as many others, hidden with in an overly complicated, many layered menu system. I would spend so much of my time trying to undo incorrect features, before I could take a decent picture. I had to keep the camera's manual in my bag. I compare that to the elegant simplicity of my X1

 

So I just pick up the X1, look though the view finder and take the picture. Some how I find the right speed and aperture. I don't use the audio cues available on the camera, I can feel the auto focus working though my hand. I am getting to know the X1, slowly being able to use it with out thinking too much and I'm gradually taking better and better pictures.

[RichardM8]

So I just pick up the X1, look though the view finder and take the picture. Some how I find the right speed and aperture.

 

Now c'mon bad robot, you know it can't be that simple...

 

How else do we continue to fill these pages??...

 

 

Richard.

[wda]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

These are a few issues that I have been reading about with the X1. Image Quality aside, these issues and the the slow reaction times on a $2000 camera is something to be alarmed about, no? Leica is known for its build quality but maybe this is like the case of Mercedes; you pay for the 3-pointed star but you get plastic chrome accents. With full disclosure, I have yet to see the Leica X1 but I would like to see and hear about what people are talking about here. Does anyone have photos of the peeling paint and poor parts quality? I just can't even imagine...

David, you will hear more complaints from people whose judgement is based on handling experience in a dealer's shop and a few genuine reports from actual users. Most owners are generally well satisfied but have no cause to report their satisfaction.

 

I have one of the first X1 cameras to reach the UK. It has continued to work well since Day 1. No peeling covering, a battery door which opens and closes properly but is covered by the hand-grip in normal use, and top dials which are looser than on my film Ms and M8. Movement of the Aperture dial is more common, generally when extracting the camera from a camera bag. Yet I have quickly solved the issue by leaving the aperture set to around f/5.6 and checking before shooting anything important. If you leave the setting on 'A', there is a risk of it turning to f/16 when you least want it. So, it is good practise to check settings before shooting anything of value.

 

The above tip applies generally. Take exposure compensation, for example. I frequently dial in -1/3 stop for outdoors photography. Occasionally I adjust that to -1.0; if you forget to 'zero' the setting after shooting, you will not get your expected exposures. So, once again, it is good practice to scan the settings on ANY camera before use to avoid unexpected results. I hope this review is helpful to you and sets your mind at rest regarding the top dials.

[Guest badbob]

The important thing for me is that the overall quality is very

high. You won't be disappointed.

[harley yunam]

These are a few issues that I have been reading about with the X1. Image Quality aside, these issues and the the slow reaction times on a $2000 camera is something to be alarmed about, no? Leica is known for its build quality but maybe this is like the case of Mercedes; you pay for the 3-pointed star but you get plastic chrome accents. With full disclosure, I have yet to see the Leica X1 but I would like to see and hear about what people are talking about here. Does anyone have photos of the peeling paint and poor parts quality? I just can't even imagine...

 

 

 

I got my x1 in Auckland since i could not find any in hongkong, new york , amazon,

and singapore. It's cheaper and available. for only about $1700. the negative comments about the x1 is a concern but i have owned previous leicas (m6, m7,m8 )and despite

some negative comments too , i have not encountered any problems. I have full trust

and confidence in the leica name. My x1 is arriving next week after being routed to hongkong to avoid taxes. im looking forward to snapping away but i want to thank some

x1 users for the honest comment.

[alexc]

After three month of almost daily use:

No Peeling Skin,

Battery Door works fine, if it was metal would be better of course

Initially I also had this feeling that dials are loose, in reality it does not bother me at all now. I just check the dials more often.

 

I liked this camera from the very beginning. If it was faster... , but this was known in advance. So no disappointments whatsoever.

[Douglasco]

My earlier x1 had the above issues, but with the replacment camera all the problems have been fixed except the focusing issue but that it not a problem for me.

[NZDavid]

Loose dials are a hassle but not too bad, the slow AF is a real PITA. I also keep missing shots, because it hasn't focussed where I wanted it to. Even compared with dinky P&Ss it seems slow. Guess I am far more used to the accuracy and precision of RF focussing.

[Jeff Kerridge]

I have had mine for 3 months, with no issues whatsoever.

Build quality is just fine- picture quality is superb.

[erure]

I had all of those build issues as well as the front plate of the lens (with the serial number on it) slightly poking out. I got a replacement coming tomorrow and crossing my fingers that it doesn't have any problems. I love the X1's photos, but I hate that it had all those build problems... And it's weird because my serial was pretty recent -- 3818xxx.

[Guest badbob]

Loose dials are a hassle but not too bad, the slow AF is a real PITA. I also keep missing shots, because it hasn't focussed where I wanted it to. Even compared with dinky P&Ss it seems slow. Guess I am far more used to the accuracy and precision of RF focussing.

 

I could miss opportunities with the X1 due to slowness, but fortunately that's nowhere near as bad as the experience I had with my Panasonic G1 camera, and what I would fear if I bought a GF1 etc. With the G1, it had a default setting to actually disable the shutter if the camera thought it didn't have correct focus. I got so tired of it not taking the shot when I wanted that I turned that feature off. Of course, then I got a lot of out-of-focus images.

[h00ligan]

Bob, doesn't the x1 do the same thing? for example if I am too close - where maybe I want to take an abstract, i'd have to go to mf anyway... same for the gf1. I know what you mean as far as the odd time it misses focus.. but on the gf1 at least, with its great af, that's maybe 1 in a thousand or more shots.

[Guest badbob]

Bob, doesn't the x1 do the same thing? for example if I am too close - where maybe I want to take an abstract, i'd have to go to mf anyway... same for the gf1. I know what you mean as far as the odd time it misses focus.. but on the gf1 at least, with its great af, that's maybe 1 in a thousand or more shots.

 

The only problem I had with the G1 was with the long zoom, so yeah, I think the GF1 with a shorter lens would really kick 'em out. And you're right about too close with the X1. The macro setting does work, but it's tricky, since sharpness changes with the light and f-stop, etc. If I were shooting close with the X1, or far away in low light, I'd take a few with different focus settings.

[erure]

I got my replacement X1 today. So far everything looks okay and I'm hoping this one is a keeper I remember feeling that the dials were loose but this one feels like the dials are a bit tighter, which is great. The vulcanite isn't peeling off and I sure hope it stays that way. The serial's 3822xxx on this one.

[Hythe]

I got my replacement X1 today. So far everything looks okay and I'm hoping this one is a keeper I remember feeling that the dials were loose but this one feels like the dials are a bit tighter, which is great. The vulcanite isn't peeling off and I sure hope it stays that way. The serial's 3822xxx on this one.

 

Well folks, I hate to say this but after I had waited about three weeks, I got a replacement X1. Higher serial number BUT it also has got slightly lifting vulcanite!!! So the replacement X1 is now going back to the Leica Store Mayfair. Can you beleive Leica didn't (thoroughly) check a replacement before sending it !?

 

Looks like this is going to run and run. The store said they had not heard of anyone else with the lifting vulcanite problem . . . . hmm

 

Like someone else here commented a while ago, Leica will be in danger of losing everything if they neglect quality control. After all here we are with faulty Leicas and word is spreading.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[ChiILX1]

Has anyone tried slightly tightening the screws on the dials so that they don't turn as easily? Come on...