Just Tried an X-1 and Couldn't Get a Sharp Hand-Held Picture in the Shop

[Tenor1]

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Is the X-1 difficult to hand-hold while taking indoor shoots with moderate light?

 

The X-1 is available at my local camera shop and I tried it, but could not take a sharp picture. The salesman had the same problem. Unfortunately, the battery went completely dead and we couldn't see any settings to figure it out.

 

A lot of my shooting is inside churchs, handheld and using available light. My DL4 takes sharp pictures in that situation and I want to make sure the X-1 can do better before purchasing it. For my needs, the DL4 at ISO 200 works just fine. I just wanted to upgrade the lens quality.

 

We then tried the Panasonic 4/3, but I couldn't stand the loud shutter after using Leicas for such a long time.

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[J. Cunha Ramos]

I have just received my X1 and had no problem whatsoever. It has a wonderfull image quality.

 

Have a check on the focusing options (you have several). Could it be that the manual focusing was "on"?

[Douglasco]

Its a shame you had a salesman that, from what you say appears not to know how to use the camera correctly, before selling something they should at least read the manual. The X1 will be a better camera than the DL4 for shooting inside a church I have both cameras and do not use the DL4 that much now. The image quality is excellent.

[ronnysoh2009]

Same experience here when my wife and I first purchased the X1.

Well over 75% of the shots were ruined by camera shake.

But when I took the same shots with my M8.2, camera shake wasn't

a problem.

 

I figure it has to do with Newton's First Law: for the same given

hand muscle spasm force, the degree of camera shake is inversely

proportional to the camera's mass. So the lightweight X1 being like

what, 4 times lighter, than the M8.2, was going to go through 4 times

larger shake movements than the M8.2.

 

The cure I found for myself is to make certain that the shutter speed

does not go slower than 1/60. Handholding the X1 at speeds of 1/30

gets my shots a bit more shake-prone, and even worse at 1/15. With the

M8.2, I can handhold even at speeds like 1/15 or 1/8 with nary a problem.

 

Good thing is with the X1, I can bump up the ISO to levels higher than

I would with the M8.2, in order to achieve faster shutter speeds.

[Tenor1]

Thanks everyone, those suggests all make sense. I'm going to have them recharge the battery and try it all again. I hadn't read anything here about problems like this.

[h00ligan]

I suffer from very mild tremor, and I don't always find 1/30 to be fast enough (blood sugar, fatigue, whAtever else) but I do find 1/40 gives me sharp photos with 99.9. When you go back totrythe camera, make sure you have the camera set to 1/30 min leave shutter speed auto, allow auto iso, then underexposed by 1/3 to get 1/40. The x1 files have sooooooo much headroom it's really not a problem to nudge back. I don't do this all the time but I find it a good trick when situations necessitate 1/30 is not enough

[grober]

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Carlos,

 

The X1 is very appealing because it IS so very quiet. But it is also v-e-r-y slow in all of the camera's auto functions.

 

However, due to its large sensor size and superior Leica glass, it captures beautiful images when one mounts it on a tripod (or other firm surface) and the photographer thinks before releasing the shutter.

 

-g

[andybarton]

Don't forget that you are most likely holding the X1 at arm's length - the worst position to try to hold something steady, when compared to a normal camera, clamped to your forehead.

[patrick parker]

in the playback mode when you zoom in the photograph you've taken ,it just does not look sharp ocus, it always looks out of f. i've only seen this with the x1. it's impossible to check how sharp your pictures are before downloading them.

[Danielsan]

But it is also v-e-r-y slow in all of the camera's auto functions.

 

He dont need fast AF in a church, a church is everything but not fast

[JanCderidder]

at slow shutter speeds I use the strap as a sort of stabilizer, as in expanding the tension between the neck and the cameras through the strap, this proves to be a very good solution.

 

Also due to the lightweight camerabody I usually take a smal light carbon tripod along especially for when in buildings/churches, it's tiny and very lightweight nothing for a Dslr but perfect for the X1

[Tenor1]

The pictures were out of focus after downloading them. I just called the store hoping to go back and try again but the camera was sold. I'll have to wait till this weekend to try again.

[hoppyman]

Carlos it may be that the camera was simply set wrongly during your brief trial. It does sound as though the salesperson is not very familiar with the product. The camera is certainly capable of giving you great results in lower light. Like any new camera of course it takes some learning. I kept trying to put it to my eye and I can't focus well on the rear screen without glasses anyway:o

Here's a grab from a brief play with the camera over lunch and Leicas (includes Forum member and S2!)

 

X1 in window light

[NZDavid]

Don't forget that you are most likely holding the X1 at arm's length - the worst position to try to hold something steady, when compared to a normal camera, clamped to your forehead.

 

"Normal camera"? Seems just about everyone shoots like this now. But I agree. As well as being impossible to see the LCD in bright light, this way of shooting dramatically reduces stability. One reason why they brought in image stablilization. Make sure shutter speed is fast enough -- at least 1/15 handheld, though some people may be able to go slower.

 

As for focusing, I still find AF a lot harder and more imprecise than manual RF. However, the X1 should do well indoors, especially at high ISOs. Below, church in Schiltach, Black Forest, April 2010, 1/50, f/2.8, ISO800.

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[jsrockit]

I suffer from very mild tremor, and I don't always find 1/30 to be fast enough (blood sugar, fatigue, whAtever else) but I do find 1/40 gives me sharp photos with 99.9. When you go back totrythe camera, make sure you have the camera set to 1/30 min leave shutter speed auto, allow auto iso, then underexposed by 1/3 to get 1/40. The x1 files have sooooooo much headroom it's really not a problem to nudge back. I don't do this all the time but I find it a good trick when situations necessitate 1/30 is not enough

 

I suffer from this as well (tremors, hypoglycemic, etc.) and I get usable results down to 1/10 at times (not sharp, but usable). The X1 has been the camera that I can handhold at the lowest speeds.... most likely due to its shutter.

 

To the OP, are you sure you were at a decent high ISO number? Also, remember the X1 has a larger sensor than the DL4 so it won't be as forgiving with DOF.

[h00ligan]

Sorry my reply was all crunched.. I think I'm now finished with the ipad, I just can't get the bloody typing to work with any sense of speed.

 

I can go to about 1/10-1/15 regularly leaning against a wall or something, but not with a wrist strap and free standing. I'll be trying the neck strap as mentioned above, something I'd already intended trying.

[Guest badbob]

Autofocus on the X1 can be tricky. In the attached, with the camera set to the setting next to spot focus (9 point?), and with the center trees about 300 feet distant, all 12 of the shots I took were way out of focus, although the scene had good contrast.

 

I switched to manual focus and everything was OK.

 

I haven't had any problems with autofocus in churches, or even in the photo club with the lights turned off.

 

I do have a question about manual focus. On the X1, the pointer can go past the infinity marker, and I'm not sure if infinity is on the infinity symbol, or past it to the right.

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[RichardM8]

For me, the only natural way to use the AF is to use (=select) the center AF square only. Works reliable and consistent.

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[h00ligan]

I agree Richard. It's rareni want a point autoselected. Or even the closest object in focus.

[eelekim]

For me, the only natural way to use the AF is to use (=select) the center AF square only. Works reliable and consistent.

 

Big or small (spot) square? I've never tested the different modes. I think I have to.