kathyh
Veteran
- Location
- Ottawa, Canada
- Name
- Kathy
I am writing this at the suggestion of BB. It is not a review. Rather it is my appreciation of what I like (and don’t like) about the X1.
Photography is a hobby for me and as such I want it to be enjoyable. The X1 makes it very enjoyable. It is small, light, quiet, easy to use and has superb image quality.
It is not perfect, nor is suitable for all kinds of photography. But as a walk-around, always-with-you camera it suits me fine. I carry it, when it’s not on my wrist, in a soft, padded lens case in my purse. Several of the early reviews felt you needed the additional hand grip to make it really comfortable to carry so I dutifully bought one. I used it for a week and decided I like it better without - but, I have small hands and felt that it only added weight and size. The one accessory I think is necessary is a view finder for use in bright light. That again adds a little weight and size but it’s a compromise I’m prepared to make.
The X1 can operate noiselessly if you want. Or, you can can have various confirmation beeps and simulated shutter sounds. I initially turned off all sounds but, I found it disconcerting not to know if the picture had been taken. So, I turned on the shutter simulation to low. I’m sure that no one but me can hear it.
I mostly use manual exposure. Aperture and shutter speed are set using dials on the top. ISO is set using a dedicated button on the back. There have been complaints that the dials are too loose and can be turned by mistake. I have not found this to be a problem. By using manual exposure I feel I have learned more in the last 4 months than I did in the previous 4 years when, for whatever reason, I let the camera make some of decisions.
I use AF because my eyes are not what they used to be and the camera does a better job than me at nailing the focus. In the reviews there are complaints that the focus is slow and while it is certainly slower than the G1 (my other main camera) I find it adequate for what I shoot. I sometimes use zone focus which leads to my major complaint with the X1. When it powers down to conserve the battery it automatically resets the focus to infinity when you reactivate it. Very annoying.
I shoot raw because I like the latitude it gives me in post-processing (done in lightroom). The dynamic range of the X1 is noticeably superior to that of the G1. I find the colours out of the camera are as I remember them. I went and looked at some jpegs and they looked reasonable but I never use them so can’t comment on their adjustability. This is one of the minor irritations of the X1 - you can’t shoot raw only.
I found there was real learning curve learning to shoot with one focal length (effective 36mm) and in the 9:16 aspect ratio. Neither of these were what I was used to but I’m getting better at it and I’ve enjoyed the process.
The major draw back of course is the cost. It’s expensive, especially when you add in a viewfinder and maybe the grip (and in Canada sales taxes). Is it worth it? For me, the answer is yes.
Photography is a hobby for me and as such I want it to be enjoyable. The X1 makes it very enjoyable. It is small, light, quiet, easy to use and has superb image quality.
It is not perfect, nor is suitable for all kinds of photography. But as a walk-around, always-with-you camera it suits me fine. I carry it, when it’s not on my wrist, in a soft, padded lens case in my purse. Several of the early reviews felt you needed the additional hand grip to make it really comfortable to carry so I dutifully bought one. I used it for a week and decided I like it better without - but, I have small hands and felt that it only added weight and size. The one accessory I think is necessary is a view finder for use in bright light. That again adds a little weight and size but it’s a compromise I’m prepared to make.
The X1 can operate noiselessly if you want. Or, you can can have various confirmation beeps and simulated shutter sounds. I initially turned off all sounds but, I found it disconcerting not to know if the picture had been taken. So, I turned on the shutter simulation to low. I’m sure that no one but me can hear it.
I mostly use manual exposure. Aperture and shutter speed are set using dials on the top. ISO is set using a dedicated button on the back. There have been complaints that the dials are too loose and can be turned by mistake. I have not found this to be a problem. By using manual exposure I feel I have learned more in the last 4 months than I did in the previous 4 years when, for whatever reason, I let the camera make some of decisions.
I use AF because my eyes are not what they used to be and the camera does a better job than me at nailing the focus. In the reviews there are complaints that the focus is slow and while it is certainly slower than the G1 (my other main camera) I find it adequate for what I shoot. I sometimes use zone focus which leads to my major complaint with the X1. When it powers down to conserve the battery it automatically resets the focus to infinity when you reactivate it. Very annoying.
I shoot raw because I like the latitude it gives me in post-processing (done in lightroom). The dynamic range of the X1 is noticeably superior to that of the G1. I find the colours out of the camera are as I remember them. I went and looked at some jpegs and they looked reasonable but I never use them so can’t comment on their adjustability. This is one of the minor irritations of the X1 - you can’t shoot raw only.
I found there was real learning curve learning to shoot with one focal length (effective 36mm) and in the 9:16 aspect ratio. Neither of these were what I was used to but I’m getting better at it and I’ve enjoyed the process.
The major draw back of course is the cost. It’s expensive, especially when you add in a viewfinder and maybe the grip (and in Canada sales taxes). Is it worth it? For me, the answer is yes.