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The X1: Now an AMAZING street photography machine!


ChiILX1

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Like most Leica X1 owners, I was excited for the firmware update released on March 29th mainly for the predicted autofocus improvements. However, 2.0 brought other features less discussed. I glossed over three of these features when I first read the improvement list, namely the depth of field indicator, the manual focus position-save, and the one minute auto power-down. But after playing with these together, my experience and utilization of the X1 has completely transformed. I'm posting this to share how, and why these three features combine to turn the X1 into the perfect street photography tool.

 

I live in Chicago's loop. I ride my bicycle every day to the bus or the train station to get to Hyde Park's university campus. On nice days I go along the lakefront the whole way on my bicycle. In any one of those situations, it's a street photographer's dream, and I always have my X1 out and ready to go.

 

With the new depth of field indicator, X1 users can see the in-focus area of a picture they would take based on the current aperture set on the top dial. The APS-C sensor has a significantly wider DOF (depth of field) than a full-frame camera. In fact, at F16, DOF is from 4 feet to infinity. This is amazingly versatile since that range covers 99% of street photography situations. Even in the close quarters of the bus or train 4 feet is an easy distance to either create or just find yourself having for the photo. Sure the camera had the same depth of field present before. But without the indicator, the only way of knowing it's limits would have been to do a series of tests.

 

Think about this for a moment- a small sensor compact couldn't have produced most of the bokehlicious photos the X1 can produce, have the same low light capability, or render shallow depth of field when wanted for subject isolation, all positive characteristics of a larger sensor. But with a larger sensor than the X1, such as the M9, it's much harder to have such a deep DOF at 35mm angle of view- you'd have to have f stop 32 on your lens. In other words, the X1 has fantastic depth of field versatility.

 

The 1 minute auto power off allows me to have my X1 around my shoulder in the continuous shot mode, but powered off to save battery. This means that a simple press of the shutter turns it on, much quicker than turning the lever, and also there is no chance of accidentally putting it in self-timer mode (when you are in great haste to capture a shot you see) or having to look down at the switch to ensure you put it in the right mode.

 

Also, with the MF position saving, the lens is now focused at the same position when you turn on the camera too. So it's always in that 4ft to infinity focus range.

 

Things we are all familiar with, such as the top dial for aperture, make this simply awesome. On even a cloudy day, with auto ISO and shutter speed, I can confidently put my X1 on F16 with a simple turn of the dial and have instant photo capability. It has renewed my love for the significant changes you can quickly make on the X1 with all the simplistic controls.

 

Forget AF speed! We now have IMMEDIATE / INTERMINABLE focus for street photography. With your camera auto-powered down, press the shutter, and with a second press you have an instantaneous in-focus photo.

 

The only thing that could make it quicker is if in 2.01 (;-) they remove the useless "auto power off cancel" message, which has you wait a second to capture. But I've found that if I press the shutter when I grab the camera from my hip (to turn it on) the message is gone by the time I have framed the shot in my viewfinder and press the shutter to take the shot- especially from the hip.

 

Being in a big city almost all the time, I can't stress enough how perfect this camera is now for street photography. The combination of the simplistic controls, unsurpassed IQ, portability / stowability, DOF versatility, MF position save, and 1 minute power save (among other things) make this camera one of the best heavyweight street shooters in a small package. Thank you Leica for an excellent firmware update.

 

Here are some shots I've been able to capture with the combination of these features. I'll post other good ones when I take them in the exact situation I describe (quick composition aided by the combination of these three features). All of these I took while I was in a hurry to class on my bike, saw the scene and even though I was running late, managed to take something I really like.

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Edited by ChiILX1
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Hi, very nice article, I agree the X1 has

phenominal potential & each and every user will

tweak to his or her requirements. Knowing the camera

Is the key. Instictively choosing settings means

the photographer can concentrate on the shot.

My 1st M6 was a delight, the X1 is in that

delight sector with the proviso that there are a few

more variables (settings). Once mastered

the X1 can produces stunning results.

:rolleyes:

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Thoughtful post that I enjoyed reading - I agree that FW2 represents a nice jump ahead in usability for many of the reasons you point out.

 

If I may..., I also very much enjoyed "thumbing" through your Flickr photos of Chicago and Hyde Park. You clearly have a great eye that captures life in the city well, especially its quieter moments. I have to admit they really took me back to the times I spent in Chicago while my wife (then girlfriend) was a doctoral student at U of C. Its amazing how your collection not only jogged my memory of place but also evoked emotion of forgotten moments spent with my own friends in Chicago some 25 years ago. Ok, I'm now inspired to shoot more street with my X1.....

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@ pharyngula: I'm really happy you enjoyed them- thanks for the kind words - and I'd love to see your pictures if you post them online! Glad you and DL4guy liked the post.

 

Peter- I used to shoot wide open all the time too actually. But after I got some good practice in using bokeh and shallow depth of field to produce some good images, I thought it'd be time to try to develop other artistic methods to herd viewer focus. Of all of the galleries I've seen exhibiting street photography recently, shallow depth of field shots were almost completely absent – especially with the greats before aperture priority – for whom aperture was often only the dial that got you to the shutter speed you wanted. Their shots have a lot of other elements I wanted to work on for a while- like the "geometry" of the image, catching the right moment, or getting in around 4 feet for a shot (rather than further or closer).

 

Long story short I realized a shallow DOF isn't a tool used by classic street photographers who produced fantastic images, and if I want to become a better photographer I should expand my range of technical methods of producing the artistic or communicative affects I want in my images.

 

The other side to that I'm taking on too, is expanding the range of artistic and communicative affects I'm aware of in the first place, by visiting the Art Institute of Chicago and other galleries in the city. I think photographers have some tall shoulders to stand on if we can learn from a rich and profound history of painters and other kinds of artists.

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There isn't 'one correct' method of taking images. Some of us like the very shallow DOF ’look' and others like everything always in focus. I find that I get the best quality images from this camera wide open at ISO100. Obviously not every shot can be composed that way as a result some shots are by necessity shot at f/16. Variety is the spice of life. How boring would it be if every image looked the same.

 

However, I shoot with a leica lens because I enjoy the bokeh it's lenses give. If all I shot were panoramas I would go with a different camera and lens.

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I love the bokeh and wide-open images of the X1, but from browsing flickr, it's apparent that once an amateur photographer discovers how to create bokeh and a shallow depth of field, that's all they want to do. Too many mediocre photos get high praise just because there is a shallow depth of field. Shallow depth of field doesn't create a good photo on its own. I'm just trying to work on the other aspects so that when I do have a shallow DOF it's only part of a wider composition, not its entirety.

 

Although you can have good or bad images with a shallow depth of field, the reason I embraced shooting at F16 was to capture moments quickly in street photography situations and work on elements of composition other than a shallow depth of field.

 

@ lazaruz: I don't know who you are quoting or contradicting when you say there is no 'one correct' way of shooting with the X1. I think everyone agrees yes?

 

One thing I forgot to mention in my post- I have a Thumbs Up and this prevents the manual focus wheel from being accidentally moved while the camera rests on your chest or side with the camera on.

Edited by ChiILX1
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Why f16? Does it have to be that deep? Diffraction kicking in there..just curious why not f8-11 on a crop sensor.

 

Nice shots btw!

 

I agree. At f8, everything from about 2.1m to infinity is in focus, which will usually do the trick.

 

I also agree that the thumbs up is not only a great aid to handling, but also a guard against accidental movement of the focussing wheel. It's the only add-on I have on my X1.

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i only made a few photos using manual focus, I'm more used to the autofocus with high aperture. But I'll be in Milan in the next days with some free time (hopefully) and I'll try the manual focus with a smaller aperture (f 8 or 11 should be enough for my taste!).

If any result I'll post in the gallery. Thanks for the idea (I was too lazy to think about!)

robert

PS: my M7 is getting jealous...

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Hmmm, it might work to a fashion, but it's a bad idea. Rather like me treating my manual gearbox car as an automatic by just keeping it in 2nd gear all the time and keeping off the motorways!

 

Those disposable fixed lens cameras also use the same basic theory to ensure most subjects are kind of in focus.

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Hmmm, it might work to a fashion, but it's a bad idea. Rather like me treating my manual gearbox car as an automatic by just keeping it in 2nd gear all the time and keeping off the motorways!

 

Those disposable fixed lens cameras also use the same basic theory to ensure most subjects are kind of in focus.

This sort of comment doesn't really merit a response, but I thought it should be pointed out that these are both very poor analogies. The X1 gives a user full manual control over both exposure and focus settings. Choose your shutter speed, aperture and ISO, lock your focus point and off you go. The focal length and form factor of the X1 are crying out to be shot on the street,
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The big problem is that too many people who don't even own an X1 just want to give an opinion.

 

I don't own and X1, buy my point is valid for any camera. The proposed solution isn't unique to the X1.

 

There is only one plane of focus, dof will render objects nearer or further in 'acceptable' sharpness depending on f stop, distance to subject, viewing distance/enlargement of the image etc.

 

Yes it's a technique which many photographers use, including myself, although I tend to stick to f8, although I will still focus precisely if I have the time. Usually it's a grab shot first then focus/shoot a second frame where possible.

 

At f16 you are not getting the best from your lens, and of course, your portfolio will become rather stale if every image looks the same. Seems a waste of Leica glass and the larger sensor of the X1.

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I think the OP used 16 as an example

 

Not how I read it, he's suggesting f16 as a catch all point and shoot mode. As I said, it might work, and might be useful in some instances, but it's worth pointing out the pitfalls of such an approach. How many M users shoot with their lens at f16 all the time for the same effect?

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I don't have a cardboard camera but for about ten years, I worked with a Kodak Panoram from the 20's that had a lens fixed at F 22 and a set speed of a 30th of a second. Each sheet of film, which originally I had to cut down from 11X14 inch film before Kodak made me a special batch, had to be loaded in a changing bag. I did four books with than camera, and some of the work has ended up in MOMA and various other museums. I also got a Guggenheim based solely on work with a machine that had no bokeh. So this discussion seems a little ridiculous.

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This has become an interesting thread. Seems like war is ready to break out over 2 stops on the dial. Even If I shoot wide open a lot its nice to hear about other techniques people use, and I'm pretty sure thats what the original poster had in mind. I love my x1 more then any camera I've had before it but lets face it, cameras are not meant to be focused while looking at a screen so any additional ideas given are greatly appreciated.

 

James I find your post relevant to the conversation and picture like that belongs in any thread.

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