Just posted: My review of the Leica X Vario

[thighslapper]

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As for the Sony A7, I also own one and am currently testing it with Leica lenses. I have been unable to lay hands on an FE lens so cannot comment on them although I have read the reviews. The Sony is impressive and I have no doubt that the Zeiss lenses will be superb. I friend of mine, a Leica fan, owns both the 35 and 55 and is very pleased. I would, however, take issue with you on price. I can only quote British prices, but the two lenses you mention together cost GBP 1,675. The A7r body costs GPB 1,750 so, even allowing for the cheaper A7 body, the rig costs considerably more than the Leica. All this, though, is missing the point since the attraction of the XV is in its combination of a fixed zoom with superb image quality in a small package. It cannot be compared directly with an interchangeable system such as the Sony A7 or, even, the Fuji X-Pro.

 

......having spent 6 weeks getting progressively more fed up with the irritating quirks and deficiencies of my A7r as an alternative/back-up to my M I finally bought an X-Vario in desperation .... and it arrived today.

 

....... within 2 hours I had a smile on my face and find this little gem and absolute delight to use ..... and all the images .... even of mundane things .... have that elusive Leica stamp on them and look great.

 

This camera is everything I wanted the Sony A7 to be ...... and sod the few extra pixels, pointless esoteric features and inability to change lenses. I wanted a reliable, compact, flexible, quality AF camera as an M alternative.... and this will do nicely, thank you. I really enjoy using it.

 

Techincal reviews and on-paper specs are hopelessly unreliable when it comes to things like cameras where there is so much user interaction and variability...... you either gel with it in the first half hour or it will get stuck on a shelf until it's starts calling..... 'ebay....ebay ...'

 

I agree with everything in you review ..... and Rodrigues + Jono's ..... and should have gone with my gut feeling after reading these .... which are real world comments after prolonged use ..... and not the pseudo-babble that gets posted by the 'experts'

[Mixalis]

......having spent 6 weeks getting progressively more fed up with the irritating quirks and deficiencies of my A7r as an alternative/back-up to my M I finally bought an X-Vario in desperation .... and it arrived today.

 

....... within 2 hours I had a smile on my face and find this little gem and absolute delight to use ..... and all the images .... even of mundane things .... have that elusive Leica stamp on them and look great.

 

This camera is everything I wanted the Sony A7 to be ...... and sod the few extra pixels, pointless esoteric features and inability to change lenses. I wanted a reliable, compact, flexible, quality AF camera as an M alternative.... and this will do nicely, thank you. I really enjoy using it.

 

Techincal reviews and on-paper specs are hopelessly unreliable when it comes to things like cameras where there is so much user interaction and variability...... you either gel with it in the first half hour or it will get stuck on a shelf until it's starts calling..... 'ebay....ebay ...'

 

I agree with everything in you review ..... and Rodrigues + Jono's ..... and should have gone with my gut feeling after reading these .... which are real world comments after prolonged use ..... and not the pseudo-babble that gets posted by the 'experts'

 

Thanks for this. Despite all the negative reviews, the X Vario remains a very pure and focused camera which, as you say, feels just right. By comparison the Sony is frustratingly complex, just like most modern cameras. I stand by my review and, thanks to this thread, I now know many more satisfied owners.

 

Mike

[thighslapper]

I posted a similar comment on the Sony A7 thread and got slagged off as a troll .....

 

Such is life .......

 

I think most M users if given the XV for a day to try would 'get it' immediately ..... and just take great photos and forget the 'specifications' .......

[JOM51]

I have a X Vario a few weeks. Yes it is expensive, maybe too expensive. But and here is big but. The image quality is great and also the ergonomics of the camera is very good. I read some post a bout the AF, that it could be better, I use quite a lot the distance scale on the lens to manual focus (like we did in the 1960's) and I am always ready for the next picture.

I much rather have a camera with simple ergonomics and good IQ, and small size. I'm very, very happy with my X Vario.

But everybody is entitled to his/hers opinion. Luckily!