Leica X1 or Olympus E-P2????

[Ghosthunter]

Hi

I will soon be in a position to buy a new camera but can't decide between the Leica X1 and the Olympus E-P2

I have had a GF1 and E-P1, both of which were super cameras but not quite up to DSLR quality but close!! Looking back on images I think the E-P1 was better for IQ and I would be happy with an E-P2 with the great EVF and interchangeable lens system.

I have a Canon S90 which I consider to be damn good and am constantly surprised by the image quality.

I have been looking at the Leica X1 and am completely smitten by it. I have read many reviews and although it has it's faults (low res screen, single lens, slow AF & stupidly high price) it is still a camera I would love to own. I'm not usually one for 'labels' but Leica is a brand I would be very proud to be seen with so this will influence my decision, sad I know but I can't help it The Image Quality of the X1 looks stunning and at the end of the day this is what it's all about...Image quality but I'm not sure I could live with a fixed focal length? Saying that I was happy 90% of the time with the GF1 and E-P1 with the Pany 20mm f1.7 lens.

If the X1 was under £1000 it would be a winner but £1395 here in the UK is just mad...but....

Your thoughts....

 

[pictor]

The E-P2 has the same sensor as the E-P1 and thus the image quality does not differ. The X1 is an excellent camera and as far as I have seen, it delivers a much better image quality. The price is high, but the E-P2 isn't cheap either. However, Lightroom 3 is included with the X1. If you don't own Lightroom 3 yet, the X1 won't be as expensive as it seems to be at first sight.

 

[christilou]

I have both the above cameras and you will probably have already looked at the two pictures I posted at the weekend for comparison? I think you need to consider exactly what it is that you will want to shoot as this will influence whether or not the fixed Leica lens will be okay for you. Another thing to think about is this: I bought my X1 without a viewfinder and even living in dull old England I find that it really is essential for me. Having already tried a cheap Helios viewfinder I think I'm going to have to fork out another £250 for the Leica Brightline vf after all

 

[Streetshooter]

Output! What do you do with your images?
If your just making web based images, then the difference between the 2 is not so great.
I have made 16 x 20 prints from the Pens and G series camera that are stunning.

Vision! What do you think/know is your natural FOV?
If your not seeing 35mm FOV, then maybe the versatility of the Pen will be needed.

I liked the X1 but it was not responsive enough for me.
The GF1 is. I'm waiting for the X2 to see what improvements come along.

For me, I could use 1 lens for the rest of my life if the camera was responsive. Many need the flexibility of lenses.

 

[Ghosthunter]

Thanks for the reply's.

To be honest the images are for my own pleasure and to post up on Flickr and on forums like this and therefore will be reduced to 1024 pixels on the longest edge for internet usage only. I may get a half decent printer but not that interested in printing larger than A4 and even then it will only be 1/2 the page as i like borders on printed pics.

I don't specialise in any particular type of photography, I just take my camera (Canon 40D) along on days out and shoot what I think I'll like. Have a look at my Flickr to see what I shoot. I have just got back from my holiday in France and just shot whatever took my fancy. On my Canon i have a 24-105mm f4 L lens which is superb and would like a similar quality lens for the E-P2 if i go for one of those.

I am leaning towards the E-P2 as I could get very decent shots for the web with a decent prime and have the flexibility to pop on a macro lens or whatever if I ever felt the need. The X1 is superb but for the money I would have liked to see interchangeable lenses, faster AF, AF/AE lock and a few other things for the price.

 

[BBW]

I am only going to pipe in here for a minute but I want to say that I believe when Don used the X1 for a week or two that it was before the current firmware update. I do not find the auto focus slow. What I do wish, as I've said before, is that the focus lock and metering were not tied together. Is it terrible - no, but it would be fantastic if they could just fix this one thing with another firmware update.

These two cameras are so different. The PEN offer interchangeable lenses, the X1 doesn't. I still have my E-PL1 with the 20mm and the 9-18mm but I have not used it since I got the X1. What does that mean? It means that I have been concentrating on the X1. What does it imply? The same thing.

Very difficult to compare these two. You know, I actually dream about this stuff. Lately I'm consistently dreaming about taking photos with the X1. It's true!

If you can borrow one or buy one from a place with a good return policy, that would be my suggestion. Andy, if you have time on your hands you might find this worth a read through: https://www.photographerslounge.org/f42/my-new-leica-x1-our-budding-relationship-271/. Although I started the thread, others have added to it with their thoughts and photos, too.

I've actually considered selling my PEN set up and possibly buying another small serious compact with a zoom lens, but I'm still thinking about it all. There's something about this X1 that is under my skin.

 

[BBW]

Andy why did you sell your E-P1 and GF1?

By the way, when I posted above I hadn't seen your post. The E-P2, or the E-PL1 would certainly offer you a great set up for interchangeable lenses and you know they are good cameras. I know the E-P2 is more attractive.

 

[Ghosthunter]

Why did i sell the Gf1 and E-P1, well it was to buy the Canon 550D as i thought i would prefer that but as it turned out it was not a good copy so went back and i needed another DSLR for my hols, then you get sucked into buying this lens and that lens and before you know it your up to your britches in expensive gear!! I recently lost my job so need to downgrade and would prefer a rangefinder type of camera. I did say once that the GF1 with 20mm would be the camera of choice if all i could have was 1 camera and Lens but that was before the E-P1 which i think gives better image quality. SO a E-P2 with a really decent lens would give me a close contender to the X1 without the X1 drawbacks. I get this niggle in the back of my head that says a fixed prime will be to restrictive. BUT the IQ of the X1 is Soooooooo nice.

Cost wise i expect by the time i have bought the E-P2 and EVF and a decent lens it will be about the same money as the X1, maybe more!! so the X1 becomes quite a cheap camera really.

Here is an image from the E-P1 with Pany 20mm f1.7. I find it is pretty good and sharp considering it was low light, in fact i was pretty amazed when i saw it in lightroom. I don't think the X1 could do much better?????

View attachment 29431

 

[BBW]

Andy, I am very sorry to read that you recently lost your job - that's terrible. Perhaps the wisest thing to do is to hang in there for a bit, Photokina is coming up and it may have some effect on prices and offerings. I was kind of like a woman possessed when I bought the X1 because I'd read so much about it and well, you I won't repeat my story again.

 

[Ghosthunter]

If I knew I would be happy with 24mm then I'd go for the X1 but I'm not sure I would be. BUT going by IQ I could be persuaded!! Are they still in short supply?

 

[BBW]

Can't say, Andy and I imagine it's different here in the USA vs the UK. I used a website that tracked and notified me regarding when it became in stock, but I think it's only based around stores here in the states: NowInStock.net Product Availability Tracker and In Stock Notification System. I also obsessively checked my favorite seller B&H Photo and signed up for notification from them, as well.

P.S. Great shot and crystal clear - love that car, too!

 

[Ghosthunter]

I have just been looking at images from your 'X1 relationship' thread and i must say (again) WOW! The images really are SO nice especially the mono ones which i am a big fan of.

hmmmmmm!

 

[BBW]

Well thanks but remember I didn't even know what I was doing 99% of the time...and check out the ISO speeds on some. 3200! That was because I had it on Auto ISO. I also had been wedded to Aperture 3 which started behaving very oddly for me (and some others) and recently switched to my "free" LR which I think does much better, for me....though I have miles to go. There are many better photographers than I who use this camera to its fullest.