DSLR or X1? Suggestions welcome for upcoming buyer

[lerc42]

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Hi there, new to the forum here.

 

I need some quick tips/guidance as to what could be my best bet in my next camera. I am upgrading to something more professional and with higher IQ.

I am not a pro by all means, I have some experience with digital photography but I wouldn't call myself a beginner either.

 

I fancy architecture and travel photography since I am an architect by trade. Therefore I love urban, cityscape, wide angle shots.

 

I currently own a consumer sony cybershot for nothing serious low quality photos, but I also have a Canon Digital Rebel DSLR with various lenses, including wide angles.

 

In this upgrade I am deciding between an X1 or a Canon 7d DSLR. I know they are two completely different cameras, one even records HD video, but in all honestly I have heard such great things about the X1 and Leica in general that it's hard to ignore it. I handled the X1 today along with the 7d and they are 2 different feels but both shoot beautiful things. One is compact the other is not.

 

My canon still takes great shots, even at 6.3 MP!!!! With all the lenses I have great flexibility, but man, that 7d sure is an impressive camera! The X1 I believe takes DSLR quality pics in a small format, but that single lens can be limiting no? Or is that lens perfect for my type of photography? What about any upcoming EVIL cameras that might "kill" the X1? Should i wait on the X1 and go for the 7d?

 

 

Price is really not an issue here, but for a lower price I am getting with the 7d a robust pro camera that even shoots HD video.

 

So any inputs or suggestions are welcomed for someone who is torn between the 2 cameras.

 

Thanks for the help!!

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[JeTexas]

On one hand, going with the Canon would be a good investment to keep you utilizing all those lenses that you've already invested in. With the X1 you will miss shots that you could have grabbed with a zoom. Last weekend if I'd had a zoom I could have caught a family of dolphins frolicking in and out of an irritated fisherman's net. Instead, I got a far-off shot of a fishing boat and some blobs in the water.

 

HOWEVER, this weekend I sure enjoyed being able to slip the X1 into the pocket of my slacks to catch photos at a formal dinner where it would have been very awkward to carry around my DSLR.

 

Either camera will looks amazing compared to your old Canon.

[prk60091]

in the number of similar threads on this and other forums the best advice i have seen given is: take your current camera put a 35mm (film equiv) lens on it or put your zoom at 35mm (film equiv) and shoot....if you are constricted then go with the 7D if you are liberated then the x1 is the camera for you now....

 

there will be "better cameras" made in the future- some by Leica some by others....

what is your time line- immediately? then the x1 is the "best". 6mos-1 year from now there will be at least 1 serious competitor the fuji x100. 1 year-2 years... who knows- maybe even the x2....

 

good luck on your journey

[jsrockit]

Last weekend if I'd had a zoom I could have caught a family of dolphins frolicking in and out of an irritated fisherman's net. Instead, I got a far-off shot of a fishing boat and some blobs in the water.

 

Funny...

 

The X1 is a suplemental camera for most of us. If you feel you need a new DSLR and like using the DSLR, get that first. I find that the people who love the X1 are those that don't care for DSLRs.

 

Do you use primes or zooms?

[wda]

Lerc42, Welcome to the forum!

 

From the facts you have given I would say you need a system camera to cover your architecture photography, fitted possibly with appropriate wide angle and perspective control lenses. It seems to me that is essential. As a compact high performance carry-anywhere camera capable of top quality results, the X1 could be high on your list as a complement to your bigger system. If your existing DSLR meets most of your current needs for wide flexibility and quality, just add the X1. If not, and if size bulk and weight of that system are not serious impediments to your photography, then upgrade your current DSLR system.

 

There is an alternative. As you are tempted by the Leica brand, why not consider a digital M system (M8/M9) which could well meet all your needs, at a price. Then you can take out with you just the body/lens combination to meet your daily needs. In my case I use my X1 to complement my M-system which gives me great flexibility and performance.

[phancj]

I think the choice depends on the following:

 

1) if you need extreme portability and good IQ but you have to move your feet to compose then the X1 is fine. it is a fixed lens.

 

2) if you want flexibility, and if you are doing architecture shots I think you may sometimes need very wide angle. In that case the 7D with its cropped sensor(I think) will be the same as the X1, may be limiting for you. You need a full-frame like the 5DMk2 or Nikon D700. Also tilt and shift lenses are great for these systems.

 

Ultimately the easiest way is to get ANY camera with 35mm including zoom and see if you can live with a fixed 35mm.

 

CJ

[h00ligan]

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7d, no brAiner..you like wa, the x1 isn't.

[phancj]

Hard to say if wide angle needed, depend on what kind of architecture shots.

[RichardM8]

It's probably me but this type of threads keep amazing me...

 

 

"Hey should I buy the pickup truck or the little Lotus Elise".

 

 

No offence but what kind of 'answers' are you looking for Lerc42? I mean, the differences in size, weight, features, interchangeable lenses, view finder are all pretty obvious don't they?...

[hamey]

I have been using Leicas for over 40 years, but don't want to own or recommend Leica digi's unless it's the brilliant DMR.

 

Go for the Canon 7D, they (Canon) know how to build Digital cameras and if you want to use Leica lenses you can use the R lenses with a crop 1.6 but still much better then the X1, simply you cannot go wrong

 

The X1 is a fixed lens, fixed focal length pocket camera and IMHO it's an over priced digital toy.

 

Good luck on your choice.

 

Ken.

[phancj]

To many, all cameras are toys.

 

The X1 is not a toy to me, if all toys take photos like it, then its a toy.

 

I find the dslrs like lego bricks, very big lego bricks. Heavy so I hardly bring them out.

 

Dslrs no fun no more.

[phancj]

And Lerc42,

 

Good luck trying to find DMRs and R lenses in the market, and if you find them pray they don't break down soon coz there's no warranty. Thats apart from thr exorbitant price you'll be forced to swallow.

 

If you choose the canon buy new high-end canon prime lenses. If you buy cheap lenses then the X1's IQ will most likely trump it.

 

The X1 takes phenomenal photos. Go to the forums to look. better still, go try take some photos and review them on your computer. You may be shocked how the images compare favorably with dslr shots. I can also tell you the X1 has better IQ than my D300 with primes, not to mention extreme portability which is a big plus for many.

 

My two cents.

[NZDavid]

I shoot quite a lot of houses (I'm a journalist and I know quite a lot of architects).

 

You absolutely need W/A. At least 24-equiv, maybe 21 or wider. That rules out the X1, despite its excellent IQ.

 

DSLRs are of course big and bulky and once you add a really good W/A lens without too much distortion, that gets expensive.

 

Even more expensive but still a possibility if budget is not a limiting factor [!] would be an M9 plus Leica rangefinder W/A lens. Or a film RF camera and scan.

 

More economical and still very effective would be a W/A compact. I have a Ricoh GR-D with a fixed 28 and a 21 attachment. It's not bad. The new Leica D-Lux 5 or Panasonic Lumix LX5 would be worth checking out. They have an ultra W/A attachment, and are said to have very good dynamic range. And of course a smaller sensor is not all bad: you have greater DOF, which is useful for architecture.

 

Also worth looking at would be the EVIL (electronic viewfinder, interchangeable lens) cameras with their slightly larger sensors, like the Panasonic GF-1 or Olympus Pen models. Both Panasonic and Olympus make ultra wide angle zooms for these cameras, and they would be more compact than a DSLR.

 

Hope this has added more complexity to the question!

[lerc42]

Thanks for all the great replies, it has been of some help. I currently have a wide angle on my Canon and get pretty decent shots. It is about time to update the body on my DSLR, but that Leica sure is amazing for street shots which is what I really like. In the end the all that matters is IQ, given that the Canon already gives me flexibility with lenses but no IQ, maybe I should consider what complements each other.

Thanks again.

[jsrockit]

but that Leica sure is amazing for street shots which is what I really like.

 

The AF is too slow for really fast action street shots. The only way to get around this is to figure out your own manual focus technique that works for you or anticipate the action that is coming by prefocusing. Others will tell you that I am wrong, but I'm not.

[fotografr]

If you want the versatility of a dSLR, but don't want the weight, you might consider waiting for the V Lux 2. Leica releases V-Lux 2 superzoom: Digital Photography Review

[h00ligan]

Wow, he really just got a recommendation skip a dslr or x1 for a v-lux 20 with tiny sensor?

 

Phanc, he stated he preferred wide angle, that wasn't my conjecture.

 

Also, js is not wrong.

[h00ligan]

And Lerc42,

 

Good luck trying to find DMRs and R lenses in the market, and if you find them pray they don't break down soon coz there's no warranty. Thats apart from thr exorbitant price you'll be forced to swallow.

 

If you choose the canon buy new high-end canon prime lenses. If you buy cheap lenses then the X1's IQ will most likely trump it.

 

The X1 takes phenomenal photos. Go to the forums to look. better still, go try take some photos and review them on your computer. You may be shocked how the images compare favorably with dslr shots. I can also tell you the X1 has better IQ than my D300 with primes, not to mention extreme portability which is a big plus for many.

 

My two cents.

 

 

The 15-85 zoom beats the x1 for the most part, but requires some vignetting correction on the wide end. It's generally considered l sharp but not l fast. It's inexpensive and a great range for walking around in the day. That can be supplemented with a sigma 30/1.4 which is as sharp as the leica too IMO.

 

I'm sure someone can dance out some charts, but no need to go prime if you don't want. The 17-55 is a 2.8 non l lens, $1200 and as or more sharp than the x1 as well.

 

There are a lot of non l prime options with that system.

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[fotografr]

Wow, he really just got a recommendation skip a dslr or x1 for a v-lux 20 with tiny sensor?

 

From a recent veview:

 

"Behind the lens sits the V-LUX 2's image sensor, with 14.1 effective megapixel resolution. The 1/2.33-inch RGB MOS image sensor is a large part of enabling the camera's impressive speed, and reducing image noise. Analog-to-digital conversion is integrated into the sensor itself, along the edge of the array. The pixel structure has minimized wiring area, and uses a "Micro Light Tube" structure that increases transmission efficiency from the micro lens to the photo diode below, minimizing signal loss and crosstalk between adjacent red, green and blue pixels."

[ravinj]

Sharpness is a very overrated virtue and debates about certain lenses being sharper than the X1 are pointless. Each lens/sensor combination renders images with its own signature.

 

Buy a camera that you can carry easily and that fits your shooting style.

 

For some of us, X1 is the best thing since sliced bread as we can't be bothered with fiddling with lenses and carrying a brick or shooting video. We just want a small and light device with a very high image quality. For others, X1 does not fill the bill because they need a wider lens or need to zoom or need ultra fast focus to nail that football goal.

 

X1 is good enough for pros for use in stock photography. Stock photography is very demanding in terms of noise, sharpness and image quality and the agencies scrutinize the images at 100% before acceptance. So make your decision based on the fact that X1 delivers in IQ but may have other factors that may render it unfit for your purpose.

 

Do not discount small size and a near-silent shutter of X1. I have taken many pictures with the X1 where a DSLR would have been disallowed or frowned upon. While a small P&S would have worked in those situations, I would not have obtained the output quality.