Messsucherkamera Posted December 19, 2012 Share #1 Â Posted December 19, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) For the X2 owners/users out there who are street photographers, I have been wondering how the X2 performs for street shooting. Â Alot of autofocus cameras struggle with low light situations and moving subjects. Are these issues that you experience with the X2? Â I am also wondering if it is possible to switch off the autofocus on the X2 to use zone focusing and hyperfocal techniques with this camera. How much manual control do you have with this camera? Â If you want to work exclusively with exsisting light, can you suture off the onboarx flash or does it pop up and fire whenever it wants to? Â Also - I am a firm believer in using lens hoods. Does Leica make a lens hood for the X2? And does the lens have filter threads? Â Any information you can pass along would be greatly appreciated. Â Thank you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 19, 2012 Posted December 19, 2012 Hi Messsucherkamera, Take a look here Questions about the X2 for street photography. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Johanb Posted December 19, 2012 Share #2 Â Posted December 19, 2012 Hi there! Â I'm an X2-owner since a couple of months. My two cents: Â AF is quite slow, but it is very easy to zonefocus or preset the distance. The firmware display a nice distancescale where you can see DOF. Also with 35mm (eq) you don't have to be very spot on. Â The flash only fires if you pop it up (I guess, never used mine). Â Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Messsucherkamera Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share #3 Â Posted December 20, 2012 So you can zone focus with the X2, correct? Â The reason I ask is that in street photography, you need to be able to fire the shutter instantly. Â My M4-P and other M bodies excel at this. In street photography, if there is a time lag between pressing the shutter button and exposure, you have missed your decisive moment. Â I could shoot a lot more if I didn't have to pay $4.29/roll for Tri-X, though. But if I'm missing my decisive moments due to shutter lag, I'm wasting my time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedei Posted December 20, 2012 Share #4  Posted December 20, 2012 So you can zone focus with the X2, correct? The reason I ask is that in street photography, you need to be able to fire the shutter instantly.  My M4-P and other M bodies excel at this. In street photography, if there is a time lag between pressing the shutter button and exposure, you have missed your decisive moment.  I could shoot a lot more if I didn't have to pay $4.29/roll for Tri-X, though. But if I'm missing my decisive moments due to shutter lag, I'm wasting my time.  if you are looking for speed....i would highly encourage you to look at the Ricoh GRD-3 or GRD-4.......lighting fast if pre-focused.....and super quick even on autofocus. i've never used a faster camera before....it's the ultimate street shooting pocket digital camera with a fixed lens (28mm), IMO! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Albertson Posted December 20, 2012 Share #5 Â Posted December 20, 2012 You can zone focus with the X2, and I often set it up that way to cut down on shutter lag. Manual focus is by a thumbwheel on the back of the camera, and a section of the screen on the back is magnified as a focusing aid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanb Posted December 20, 2012 Share #6 Â Posted December 20, 2012 I'd say that if you go all manual (zone or prefocus) there's no lag at all. Â I'd say a bigger problem with missing shots is that the camera goes in to a semi-sleepmode quite fast and has to be awaken by semipressing the shutter. This has caused me to miss a few shots. Â I usually shoot manual settings and manual focus if there's anything moving. Semipress the shutter as i raise the camera and take the shot. This way I think it's lagfree. Â But as always, test before you buy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDFlood Posted December 20, 2012 Share #7 Â Posted December 20, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) I use my X2 exclusively for street photography, usually at night. I think it is ideal, the metering / focus seems to work extremely well, even under very dark conditions. The size allows me to shoot one handed, at a distance and just frame with the LCD. I have the grip. If there is a shutter lag, I am completely used to it. JD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDFlood Posted December 20, 2012 Share #8 Â Posted December 20, 2012 Also, if you are shooting film, I would not assume you will shoot the same way digitally. I shoot one to three hundred photos per session. I also have other cameras, Fuji XE-1, Nikon d800, canon g12. You really want the APS-C sensor size for low light conditions... Nothing smaller. You loose too much light gathering ability. The IQ of the X2 is amazing for it's size sensor, bests the Fuji, and it's simplicity and orientation to serious photographers is singular (ok, the M is probably in the same ballpark). I have had my X2 for six+ months, Shot thousands of photos, wonderful unassuming and powerful camera. I am sure you can find a hood somewhere. I think I'll look for one, it is a good idea... It is always raining up here. JD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted December 20, 2012 Share #9 Â Posted December 20, 2012 I used AF exclusively on the X2. No problem there Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Messsucherkamera Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share #10 Â Posted December 21, 2012 Also, if you are shooting film, I would not assume you will shoot the same way digitally. I shoot one to three hundred photos per session. I also have other cameras, Fuji XE-1, Nikon d800, canon g12. You really want the APS-C sensor size for low light conditions... Nothing smaller. You loose too much light gathering ability. The IQ of the X2 is amazing for it's size sensor, bests the Fuji, and it's simplicity and orientation to serious photographers is singular (ok, the M is probably in the same ballpark). I have had my X2 for six+ months, Shot thousands of photos, wonderful unassuming and powerful camera. I am sure you can find a hood somewhere. I think I'll look for one, it is a good idea... It is always raining up here. JDIf all else fails, I suppose you could get a generic rubber lens hood for wide angle lenses and trim it a bit if it vignettes... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedi996sps Posted December 21, 2012 Share #11 Â Posted December 21, 2012 If all else fails, I suppose you could get a generic rubber lens hood for wide angle lenses and trim it a bit if it vignettes... Â Sony RX1 perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 21, 2012 Share #12 Â Posted December 21, 2012 Another vote for the GRDIII. Zone focussing is easy, AF is fast and it has a rather nifty "Snap Focus" facility that offers the best of both worlds. It is also so small that you will be carrying it not leaving it at home or in your bag. Â Regards, Â Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricardojh Posted December 22, 2012 Share #13 Â Posted December 22, 2012 I love the feel and result from the X2 for the street - 800 ISO, F8 and zone focus 6-10 ft, small and sturdy! Enjoy the holidays! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Muller Posted January 6, 2013 Share #14  Posted January 6, 2013 So you can zone focus with the X2, correct? The reason I ask is that in street photography, you need to be able to fire the shutter instantly.  My M4-P and other M bodies excel at this. In street photography, if there is a time lag between pressing the shutter button and exposure, you have missed your decisive moment.  I could shoot a lot more if I didn't have to pay $4.29/roll for Tri-X, though. But if I'm missing my decisive moments due to shutter lag, I'm wasting my time.  For the 2000USD or so you can buy a trolley load of film without the hassle of learning to use a new, slightly flawed camera..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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