colonel Posted February 28, 2014 Share #1 Posted February 28, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) The main issue when using the XV today is the perceived stigma that some on-line forum participators try to instill on the XV and its users. In actual use its wonderful (depending on the relevance of the occasional erroneous green focus indicator to you) and the pictures are stunning. And non-forum addicts tend to think its quite cool My main beef is not having a AEL button, although this could be addressed in a firmware update and is kind-of work-aroundable by using the manual dials. The build, handling and operation is super. There is no APS-C zoom combination that gives the range of quality this camera does, certainly in this size. Any more light and the size would have shot up. FF competitors have much bigger lenses of variable quality. In terms of innovation, despite the fixed fixed zoom nature I would say the manual focus implementation is really excellent and something other competitors should address. The "virtually no" extension to the zoom is also excellent. Lastly the truly silent shutter, shared only with the RX1 and G1X, is essential for many of the uses I put it to. Of course you are paying for the Leica name, build, 2 years guarantee, 1 year passport (in UK), etc. but we all know that right. Lastly, in terms of light, we of course would all wish for more. But its worth remembering that: a. The sensor is fine to 3200, even 6400 is usable b. At 28mm its f3.5. Which is only 1/2 a stop off the X1, X2, Ricoh, Coolpix and many other fixed APS-C compacts. And you get up to 70mm thrown in as well best rgds 12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 28, 2014 Posted February 28, 2014 Hi colonel, Take a look here Reflections on the XV. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
firoze Posted February 28, 2014 Share #2 Posted February 28, 2014 The main issue when using the XV today is the perceived stigma that some on-line forum participators try to instill on the XV and its users. In actual use its wonderful (depending on the relevance of the occasional erroneous green focus indicator to you) and the pictures are stunning. And non-forum addicts tend to think its quite cool My main beef is not having a AEL button, although this could be addressed in a firmware update and is kind-of work-aroundable by using the manual dials. The build, handling and operation is super. There is no APS-C zoom combination that gives the range of quality this camera does, certainly in this size. Any more light and the size would have shot up. FF competitors have much bigger lenses of variable quality. In terms of innovation, despite the fixed fixed zoom nature I would say the manual focus implementation is really excellent and something other competitors should address. The "virtually no" extension to the zoom is also excellent. Lastly the truly silent shutter, shared only with the RX1 and G1X, is essential for many of the uses I put it to. Of course you are paying for the Leica name, build, 2 years guarantee, 1 year passport (in UK), etc. but we all know that right. Lastly, in terms of light, we of course would all wish for more. But its worth remembering that: a. The sensor is fine to 3200, even 6400 is usable b. At 28mm its f3.5. Which is only 1/2 a stop off the X1, X2, Ricoh, Coolpix and many other fixed APS-C compacts. And you get up to 70mm thrown in as well best rgds Succinctly stated. Thank u 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted February 28, 2014 Share #3 Posted February 28, 2014 The main issue when using the XV today is the perceived stigma that some on-line forum participators try to instill on the XV and its users. Thats the main issue by far. Anyone that actually handled this camera, used it, and looked the results would find it difficult to give back. I had to phone Leica this week for a replacement charger (which exploded.... and was replaced within a day) and took the opportunity to tell them as much. Unusual for me .... as a nascent grumpy old man ..... who is impressed by very little these days ..... 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted March 2, 2014 Share #4 Posted March 2, 2014 As DXO Mark just published, the sensor is excellent and many aspects including the lens are excellent in my view; however, as the images below illustrate, the AF issue is highly annoying and Leica's failure to fix this is inexcusable. The images below were taken seconds apart. One camera was the XV and the other was the XT-1 with kit lens. Both were hand held and shot when the green conformation showed and the camera beeped to indicate focus lock. One is a 100% comparison and the other at frame fill. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542027'>More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 2, 2014 Share #5 Posted March 2, 2014 Hi John, you're really not having much luck with the AF on your camera. This is after it went back to Leica? As you've posted a photo with the XT-1 what do you think of it? Regards, Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunos Posted March 2, 2014 Share #6 Posted March 2, 2014 As DXO Mark just published, the sensor is excellent and many aspects including the lens are excellent in my view; however, as the images below illustrate, the AF issue is highly annoying and Leica's failure to fix this is inexcusable. The images below were taken seconds apart. One camera was the XV and the other was the XT-1 with kit lens. Both were hand held and shot when the green conformation showed and the camera beeped to indicate focus lock. One is a 100% comparison and the other at frame fill. This isn't exactly an apples for apples comparison. Look at the shutter speed. You are shooting at 1/40th. What do you expect! 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 2, 2014 Share #7 Posted March 2, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) This isn't exactly an apples for apples comparison. Look at the shutter speed. You are shooting at 1/40th. What do you expect! Good point. John even mentioned it was hand-held. John, is this still a problem with tripod and/or faster shutter speeds? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted March 2, 2014 Share #8 Posted March 2, 2014 (edited) As DXO Mark just published, the sensor is excellent and many aspects including the lens are excellent in my view; however, as the images below illustrate, the AF issue is highly annoying and Leica's failure to fix this is inexcusable. The images below were taken seconds apart. One camera was the XV and the other was the XT-1 with kit lens. Both were hand held and shot when the green conformation showed and the camera beeped to indicate focus lock. One is a 100% comparison and the other at frame fill. This is camera shake. Perhaps the default minimum shutter speeds on auto are an issue for this user.... I had exactly the same problem with the Sony A7r ....... in my hands I needed speeds of 2xf to avoid blurred images when zoomed in ...... I, and many others have had NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER with AF on the XV ......... this is a 100% crop .... 1/80 at 70mm at about 20cm ...... AF on the head and every shot spot on ....... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited March 2, 2014 by thighslapper 12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542141'>More sharing options...
firoze Posted March 2, 2014 Share #9 Posted March 2, 2014 ^ Superb macro shot! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted March 2, 2014 Share #10 Posted March 2, 2014 Here are two shots taken this morning. One on the left using AF and the one on the right using MF. Note the one on the left is at 1/100 and not zoomed as far. The one on the right is zoomed to 46mm and at 1/60. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542411'>More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 2, 2014 Share #11 Posted March 2, 2014 John, you need to be more stringent in your method to draw conclusions. So: tripod and make sure to crop the spot where the AF focused. And the same focal length. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted March 2, 2014 Share #12 Posted March 2, 2014 The AF was right on the center of the star. I was just illustrating that camera shake was not the likely culprit as the slower shutter speed and longer FL was shot by the same person seconds apart. The AF was at a shutter speed and FL that it should not have been an issue. The camera has to work the way I use it. I rarely use a tripod so that isn't meaningful to me. However, Gerd's examples were shot with a tripod and illustrate the issue with graphs to support the observed behavior. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted March 2, 2014 Share #13 Posted March 2, 2014 (edited) I never thought I would be in a Leica Forum having a cushion photographing competition ..... All on AF (MF results were the same) My conservatory at night, rather dark, low contrast, wall lighting, nice crappy low contrast subject for AF to struggle with...... Took lots and all the same results ...... First pair 1/6 sec hand held iso 200 70mm, original plus 100% crop Second pair 1/80 sec, auto iso at 2000, 70mm, original plus 100% crop They are all in focus..... albeit a bit dark as I had somehow set the camera to -0.7ev .... Have you managed to incur some terrible Leica curse or X Vario disease ? I can see this running forever ...... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited March 2, 2014 by thighslapper 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542446'>More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted March 2, 2014 Share #14 Posted March 2, 2014 More Pillow Pictures ........ sounds like I'm peddling soft porn ..... Forgot the XV has an integral flash ....... These are 70mm pairs at 100 iso with flash and auto iso without flash ..... which barely manages 1/30 at iso 3200 because it was so dark....... still no problems with AF accuracy ...... although it is noticeably slower than at higher light levels .... Try as I might .... and in increasingly difficult circumstances ... I cannot get AF to misbehave..... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542536'>More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 3, 2014 Share #15 Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) The camera has to work the way I use it. I rarely use a tripod so that isn't meaningful to me. .That is nonsense. By the same argument I could demand that the M produce sharp images @ 1/30th and 400 mm handheld because want to use it that way, if needed I do, and sometimes it even works - but not often. You don’t “test” a camera for sharpness by waving it around. That way you can never be sure that you have excluded motion blur. And you have not. The soft images you show have more blur in one direction than in another. There is no way to tell whether they are defocused or not. You may well have an AF issue on your camera despite us not being able to judge it on these shots but I would advise you to send it to Solms to sort it out. As you can see by the other images in the thread it appears not to be typical of the camera Edited March 3, 2014 by jaapv 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted March 3, 2014 Share #16 Posted March 3, 2014 The camera has to work the way I use it. Enough said. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
XVarior Posted March 3, 2014 Share #17 Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) Just to give something different than a pillow. let's consider it a change of theme. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited March 3, 2014 by XVarior 14 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542731'>More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted March 3, 2014 Share #18 Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) I have to say that the 'awful AF issue' seems to have been beaten to death .... and beyond (ground to dust ?). The majority (AF ok) will just have to agree to disagree with the minority (AF dodgy) and leave it at that. Assuming that the AF deniers are sane and sensible (and there is no reason to suggest otherwise) then the inescapable conclusion is that they have faulty cameras ....... As I don't have a problem, I will just shut up about this topic in future ..... as further discussion is competely pointless..... Like XVarior I'm off to take photos of something more rewarding than cushions in the dark ...... Edited March 3, 2014 by thighslapper 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted March 3, 2014 Share #19 Posted March 3, 2014 I fully agree with you and I should have stopped much earlier. Enjoy your photography! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmldds Posted March 3, 2014 Share #20 Posted March 3, 2014 I have only taken less than 50 shots but have had no problem with AF. This shot was taken of my laptop screen, my very first shot upon opening the box. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/222820-reflections-on-the-xv/?do=findComment&comment=2542827'>More sharing options...
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