Nice portrait shot Jeff I was not too sure about the Ultron 28, but you have convinced me
Not too sure about BIF Joe, one of the reasons to still keep the DSLR's.
Good take Andrew! The Pentax K-7 is a great camera, and relatively compact. I have only heard really good stuff about this camera.
It is frustrating trying to find a almost pocket-able companion to the 5DII or D700, and still maintain decent IQ consistently. Another decent choice with the very compact DSLR's is the Canon 550D which is the same size and marginally lighter than the K7. Nice thing about the Canon is you already have the lenses.
Probably should be posted elsewhere, but I think the reason why the M8/M9 thread exists are for some of these reasons
I'm a big fan of the K7, but it's completely different to the X1, you could fit 4 X1's into the volume of a K7 with lens (even a small prime like the DA21 limited). I agree discussion of alternatives and other systems should be elsewhere, this is a pictures thread.
While waiting for M9 and lenses to be recalibrated, I thought I might share, a photographer that I respect and resonates a style that I aspire to, is "Bruce Percy".
His style and thinking relates in parallel to the philosophy of the M series cameras. His recent ebook on "portraiture, a street photographer's approach" is amazing.
Andrew: The Pentax K-7 is a proper DSLR.. the problem is that albeit smaller than a 5DII, it's still DSLR sized. The idea with the X1 for me is to be able to have a pocketable camera that produces decent quality images. While it is still a bit too large to comfortably have it in a trouser pocket, I live in Sweden where it's cold two thirds of the year - and it is definitely small enough to always have in a coat pocket...
Meh, I don't like street photography. With a wide angle, you need to get close to get decent shots but I don't really have the nerve for that.
Denoir, Whilst I know (and can plainly see) you are at a much higher level than myself - I really am enjoying your work. I only have a 7d with 15-85 and 50/1.8, no L glass so maybe i'm benefitted by my ignorance
I may have missed some of your posts (i tried to catch up) but is it true that you have mentioned camera shake at shutter speeds at which that shouldn't be possible? If so that may really explain a lot. I feel like I am getting shake when I really shouldn't and have been chalking that up to my own technique being flawed. I don't have that issue with my 7d, and it has only been marginally improved by the ovf I bought. The next step is to stop using a wrist strap and go to neck I suppose
Additionally I would really love it if you shared some *secrets* about sharpening, as even when there is no camera shake I can't seem to find a method of sharpening that renders anywhere NEAR your result (pk sharpen, unsharp mask, smart sharpen, etc).
Anyway, do you think you are going to move on past the x1 then? I'll have to look at some of your full frame shots as your results with the x1 seem outstanding to me.
One side note: I actually found the x1 tough for portraits due to focal length. Get too close and get distortion and 2.8 @24mm isn't exactly mind blowing for subject isolation.
h00ligan: Regarding camera shake, yes I'm having some problems with the X1 on that front. At 1/30 I get perhaps 50% without shake. At 1/60 it's perhaps 80-90% but I've even encountered it at 1/125. This is mostly due to that the camera is extremely light so you don't have the inertia that you have with a large DSLR and that counteracts movements of the camera.
As for the X1, I'll keep it. The image quality it occasionally can produce is its redeeming feature. Would I buy it again? No. And I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. Still, it's something that I can (when the weather gets colder) have in my coat pocket and I'm sure I'll find some use for it on occasion.
There is one thing though that I need to look into more. I've discovered that Lightroom does a really terrible job at developing the RAW files - at least if you use default settings. My complaints about lack of dynamic range seem to be a result of poorly developed RAW files. In fact the Leica DNGs seem to have more latitude than 5DII RAW files - you can push them several stops up and down without much loss in quality. So I think I'll have to see if I can make a better preset than Adobe's default settings.
Yes!!! Lightroom is AWFUL at default with the X1, I totally agree. I also agree on the headroom comment, it's great. Thanks so much for sharing the sharpening, I'll definitely try the mentioned methods. Much appreciated.
I'm planning on trying to make an import setting in Lightroom for the x1, I have to find the sweet spot first though. If you do manage to make one, I'd be eternally grateful if you shared it, as your knowledge far surpasses mine. Even your colors seem much better than what I can get.. although the sun here and available shooting time causes me a lot of issue. working on that too!
Again please keep sharing, great stuff, I'm enjoying your photos a great deal. M2 on your link looks much better to me.
Very nice set, Luka! When the X1 performs, it is very nice indeed for its size. Though I have played with a numbe rof alternatives, Canon S90, G10 and G 11, various Panasonic M4/3, and they also can "under the right circumstances" produce shots that are quite satisfying.
Rumour is that the Canon G12 will incorporate a APS-C sensor. If it does, and keeps the form factor and optics of the G10/11, that could end up as my small camera of choice.
Regarding the camera shake, you are aware that the XI has a stabilizer that requires a menu-actuated option, of course. Even that does not work for you, or you find the solution/results unacceptable?
Thanks Philippe! Regarding the stabilization.. it's a joke. It only works if you shoot JPEG and only for shutter speeds between 1/8 and 1/30. It works by taking two consecutive shots and then tries to combine them. Even under ideal conditions the result of the combination is crap.. and Leica states as much in the manual as well. As I shoot RAW (which you must to get any kind of quality out of the camera) I could not use it even if I wanted to.
As for the G12, if they indeed introduce an ASP-C sensor then the optics and therefor form factor will have to change. You n ed a much bigger lens to cover a 1.6 crop sensor than a tiny 1/3" one..
I have played around a lot with the Panasonic GF1 and my conclusion has been that it's a much more useful camera than the X1. The AF is excellent and the default 20/1.7 pancake lens is very good. The Leica may have a 2 stop advantage in ISO, but that is negated by the slower f/2.8 lens. Having said that, under the right circumstances the Leica 24 Elmarit blows the Panasonic away. It is a much better lens. In fact it's an excellent lens attached to a not-so-good body. I suppose a NEX-5 with some proper Leica or Zeiss M-mount glass (say 24/1.4 Summilux-M) would give the best possible results.. but it would not be nearly as compact as the X1..
Luka, I am not sure why the G-12 would have to be that much larger than a G-11 if at all. That one is already larger than a X-1, even though the X-1 has an APS-C sensor, so it could be done IMHO.
Otherwise, preliminary testing (not by me, though), indicates that the Sony NEX are indeed much better than the glass that Sony sells with them, so it would be a real possibility with some smallish Zeiss Biogons.
My fiancee has the S90, and it is a very good P&S, but no comparison to the X1. As Philippe suggested, the NEX 5 with a Zeiss Biogon 35/2 or 35/2.8 may make a decent setup. Daniel from whom I bought the M9, has the NEX 5, and we tried the ZM 35/2 Biogon. Appears to work well, but with the adapter it is becoming comparable in size to small DSLR IMO, without the advantages. Tough call... Great stuff though
Luka - get a thumbs up for the X1. He just put them up for sale recently. That should help with the shake as they help stabilize the camera in your hands.
I was not too sure about the Ultron 28, but you have convinced me 
