A couple of X1 Questions

[Steve Lane]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi X1 owners,

 

I am in the process of raising cash to purchase an X1, as my requirement is for a small high quality camera to compliment my existing gear. This is to be my first Leica purchase (apart from the DLUX 3 I bought for my Wife a few years ago). I have a couple of questions that I would like to ask here. I have been reading previous X1 posts for a while now and am aware that they may have been answered in the past. However, I would really appreciate updated answers now the camera has been on the market for a while. Here goes;

 

1. How well does the lens perform when shooting wide open at f2.8? I am assuming that it is pretty sharp as it carries the Leica pedigree.

 

2. Have the issues with the peeling skin, loose dials and flash pop-up problems been resolved? I also read about the shutter button dropping off, but think this may have just been a one-off...

 

3. This was to do with jpeg quality, but it looks like it was just answered in another thread.

 

I am selling off some no longer used Canon and Olympus OM gear to finance the purchase, and the cost of the X1 is far more than I usually lay out for a single piece of kit, so I want it to be right. I intend to go and take a look at one in the flesh in the next few weeks.

 

In essence, I am looking for a digital camera to help inspire my photography, pretty much as my OM4Ti did back in the days of film. I find that if I enjoy picking a camera up, I am far more creative....and I would just love to pick up an X1

[ECliffordSmith]

Hi Steve,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Reading your post it is unclear what your other equipment is and what sort of image quality and handling performance you may be expecting.

 

From an image quality perspective the lens is very sharp wide open (edge to edge) and from F5.6 -F 8 at it's best (in my opinion). I have never used F11 or F16 so cannot comment on the difraction effects.

 

The greatest complaint people have with the X1 seems to be related to performance. The camera is never very fast, this relates to on/off time, focus and write times, but at the same time this has been never anything that has caused me to miss a situation, but this of course depends on your chosen subject matter. If you are after low light, low contrast changing scenes you will find the AF wanting. If you are looking for more static subjects (like me) you may have no problems.

[Steve Lane]

Hi Ed,

 

many thanks for your reply. Sorry there was not much background information, but I did not want to bog my first post down with too much . I currently have and use the Olympus OM System for my film needs, and digitally I am covered by the Olympus E-1, 11-22 and 50mm lenses. I am wanting something smaller for my digital requirements, but I want the quality to be top notch. This lead me to the X1 a year or so ago. Since then Fuji's X100 has been brought to market, but it does not interest me as much as the X1.

 

I have been using my film cameras almost exclusively for the last couple of years, and out of the handful of lenses I own, the 35mm F2 is attached 95% of the time and has become my favorite focal length.

 

Interchangeable lenses are something I am not interested in in this case so, for my truly portable digital needs, the X1 fits perfectly. I am aware that this camera adopts a more 'sedentary' approach to photography and am happy with this as it reflects my own approach. My concerns are more that the problems experienced in the early batches are fixed.

 

I have been involved in photography for almost 30 years and always wanted to own a Leica camera. The X1 really does look like it will suit my needs. To finance the purchase, I have sold a whole bunch of EOS digital stuff off as it was used only for some studio work that I no longer, and will not be involved in anymore.

 

I guess that I am just looking for some reassurance that my purchase will not be a dissapointment in terms of build quality and lens performance. I fully intend to go and take a look at one in a local store as soon as time permits.

[nippa]

The build quality issues that you mention are real BUT I have to say that my X1 is still in pristine condition after 18 months.

I did put a guard over the LCD as I thought the surface rather soft and mostly use the camera in an ERC to reduce the likelihood of the skin peeling.

 

What I love is the sheer simplicity of the camera and the wonderful image quality even wide open.

Firmware v2 made manual focusing much easier although slow autofocus and the fixed lens limit its role for me.

I think you'll enjoy it but this is one niche camera you should try out before purchase.

[prk60091]

Hi X1 owners,

 

I am in the process of raising cash to purchase an X1, as my requirement is for a small high quality camera to compliment my existing gear. This is to be my first Leica purchase (apart from the DLUX 3 I bought for my Wife a few years ago). I have a couple of questions that I would like to ask here. I have been reading previous X1 posts for a while now and am aware that they may have been answered in the past. However, I would really appreciate updated answers now the camera has been on the market for a while. Here goes;

 

1. How well does the lens perform when shooting wide open at f2.8? I am assuming that it is pretty sharp as it carries the Leica pedigree.

 

2. Have the issues with the peeling skin, loose dials and flash pop-up problems been resolved? I also read about the shutter button dropping off, but think this may have just been a one-off...

 

3. This was to do with jpeg quality, but it looks like it was just answered in another thread.

 

I am selling off some no longer used Canon and Olympus OM gear to finance the purchase, and the cost of the X1 is far more than I usually lay out for a single piece of kit, so I want it to be right. I intend to go and take a look at one in the flesh in the next few weeks.

 

In essence, I am looking for a digital camera to help inspire my photography, pretty much as my OM4Ti did back in the days of film. I find that if I enjoy picking a camera up, I am far more creative....and I would just love to pick up an X1

 

1. take a look at some of my shots- almost all taken wide open- i think the elmarit is superb wide open

 

2. i have had my x1 for about 15 months and no issues whatsoever re: peeling skin/flash popup or shutter falling off- the dials are "looseish" by that I mean it is easy to unintentionally move them (by rubbing against your coat etc) i use the lcd info so it is not an issue (i check the setting before snapping)

 

3.i only shoot jpg- i am not a talented photo editor although i have aperture/lightroom etc...and the people who view my photos (my wife especially) think they are spectacular...whether they could be better if i shot raw- who knows.

 

if you use it consistently- you will fall back in love with photography....(be aware because this is a different type of camera- there is a learning curve (because it is different than a rangefinder or a DSLR or even a "simple" p&s- i think it is the most "filmlike" digital i have ever used-) which if mastered will make you love the camera-

in use it reminds me of an old Rollei 35 or a leica minilux

[Steve Lane]

Thank you for your replies - I really appreciate them. Nippa, what attracts me to the camera is similar to what you like - it's simplicity. I have longed for something that it devoid of features that I will never use, i.e. shooting modes, movie functions etc.

 

prk60091; many thanks for the link to your pictures - I can se that I will have no worries about shooting wide open, or the quality of the jpg images the X1 produces.

[Guest badbob]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

 

I found this on a Nikon forum, oddly enough. According to the photographer, shot with the X1 in evening light at f2.8, handheld, JPEG only. The faces look pretty good given the constraints.

[robert blu]

As other friends already said the lens/image performance of this camera are really good. Sometimes can be slow. I lost some photos because of this. But I got many more photos than usual because of the size-weight which makes the x1 a camera which I have with me most of times, when even my not large and heavy M7 would have been at home.

robert

PS all the photos in this thread and this other of my blog have been made by the x1.

[Steve Lane]

Thank you for your additional replies. The results in the links, along with other sample images I have been looking at convince me that the X1 is right choice for me. I will be making the purchase in the next few weeks (my fund is not quite there yet :-)), and look forward to posting some results.

[markgay]

Ed (CliffordSmith) is right on the mark.

 

You do not have to worry about image quality. It is superb for its category. Operational speed is an issue - the camera is slow, by any comparison, DSLR or M.

 

I can add only the following: all small cameras have limitations but if you want to have a digicam with you at all times, one which produces competitive RAW files, this is still the best camera on the market.

 

Sorry I've not updated my website lately but here is my review:

 

Money Circus: Russian Winter 2010 Leica X1

 

Money Circus: Leica X1

 

Money Circus: Leica X1 at Usachevsky Market

[wda]

Steve, welcome to the forum!

As an early adopter I can say that my delight and satisfaction with the X1 camera have never waned. Simple though it seems, it does reward some conscious effort to master it and produce top quality results.

 

Regarding the flash, my only criticism is that its release is quite sensitive. Inadvertent pressure, during shooting,can release the pop-up flash. It is immediately recognized and quickly replaced. Irksome, maybe.

 

Do shoot Raw to get the very best from this excellent little camera. I guess that the moment you handle it, you will like it! Good Luck!

[Aperture 2]

RAW is the way to go to exploit all the capacities of the X1, the jpg quality is a non issue (good quality anyway). Sharp lense, no peeling problem for me...