I've almost bought the X1 several times but didn't end up going through with it.
It seems from announcements so far the X2 uses a 16mpx sensor probably the same one found in the NEX-5N, C3, K5, D7000, and A55 as well as others. I'm sure it has some Leica tweaks.
It also appears to accept a EVF?
Does anyone know the screen size and resolution and if there's a movie mode?
While I'm sure the AF won't be all that fast and 35mm F2.8 equiv isn't terribly exciting, the X1 samples I've seen always impressed me.
Screen is still the rather low rez 230K I believe.
Hopefully its at least less reflective than the old one because that display was literally impossible to see in sunlight.
X1 was a decent camera when it came out and pretty unique in offering APS-C IQ in a compact package, but these days there are so many other options such as the Fuji X's, NEX's, Samsung NX, and even m4/3 which with the EM-5 gives great performance.
I'd mainly be curious to know the price which I haven't seen listed. Old one was $2k so if this is priced the same it would be reasonable but if its $3k or so I couldn't see it being too popular
millsart wrote:
X1 was a decent camera when it came out and pretty unique in offering APS-C IQ in a compact package, but these days there are so many other options such as the Fuji X's, NEX's, Samsung NX, and even m4/3 which with the EM-5 gives great performance.
I am starting to wonder which manufacturers are paying attention to what the competition is doing and which ones are not. As you say, this space is starting to feel a little bloated, especially with what will surely be the highest-priced APS-C mirrorless camera.
corposant wrote:
I am starting to wonder which manufacturers are paying attention to what the competition is doing and which ones are not. As you say, this space is starting to feel a little bloated, especially with what will surely be the highest-priced APS-C mirrorless camera.
There are people who will always buy a Leica because its a Leica.
Other than that I'm not sure why one would choose this over the Fuji X100 given the fact that the X2 is about double the cost and features a slower lens.
I have the Nex-7 with the Zeiss ZA 24mm F1.8 (35mm equiv) but this camera would be significantly smaller if I'm not mistaken.
Sure, but if you can deal with a longer focal length, you could use the Sigma 30/2.8, which would even things out, especially if you're using the EVF on the X2.
michael49 wrote:
There are people who will always buy a Leica because its a Leica.
Other than that I'm not sure why one would choose this over the Fuji X100 given the fact that the X2 is about double the cost and features a slower lens.
Because nobody says the Leica X2 has Fuji like rendering but several people say the Fuji X100 has a very Lecia like lens signature.
For fun hobby purchases, the reasoning is often not rational.
I can't believe both this and the M-Monochrom have 230k rear screens. Those first came out in like 2006. Heck, a 460k screen is now looked down upon as a negative, even though they are fairly usable, but let's face it, 920k or bust is the standard nowadays. 460 could be acceptable on the X2, but on the M-M, it's just embarrassing....it's a 5 figure camera, they can put a screen on it that at least keeps up with modern advanced point and shoots.
My guess is Leica simply doesn't have the electronics engineers who can keep updating the screen electronics and display logic for higher resolution screens.
With the exception of Mercedes, that seems to be the case for the majority of German firms. They suck at electronics.
I can understand the part where Leica products are niche and so the R&D and engineering costs need to be amortized over a small volume and thus the high cost. However if the task of updating the screen electronics is such a big challenge for them then I would think that the higher prices represent the overheads of an incompetent engineering team rather than the overheads of a niche product.
FlyPenFly wrote:
My guess is Leica simply doesn't have the electronics engineers who can keep updating the screen electronics and display logic for higher resolution screens.
With the exception of Mercedes, that seems to be the case for the majority of German firms. They suck at electronics.
You could be right redarding Leica, but there are many other German firms besides Mercedes that are competent in electronics like BMW, VW, Bosch, Siemens, Continental, Cassidian, ...
While I think the X1/2 does look good in black (the silver looked very cheap on that camera, though I loved my gray M9) that add-on EVF just looks absurd. Functional, sure, but it just dwarfs the camera and defeats any size advantage it has. I had the VF-2 for my EP3 and while it did work, it just made a rather awkward handling camera.
Then the fact they want over $500 for what appears to be the same accessory Olympus sells for $229
I wonder how much replacement red dots cost on Ebay ? I should buy a pack of them and some used VF2's (mine was only $160) and start selling my own "Leica EVF" for $450, I'd clean up.
And hey, what would you rather have to impress onlookers ? Just some white lettering or a red dot, which will alert everyone within a square block that you've got a Leica. You don't take pictures, you make photographs.
