Leica Why I like my X1

Ah, OK. You are probably correct. I wouldn't choose to have a grip either, Kathy. Perhaps that choice comes down to the size of one's hands and fingers but it's just fine as is for me, too.
 
I received an email from Leica's Facebook folks which list all of their new cameras or versions: New Product Announcements: Leica V-LUX 2, Leica D-LUX 5, Leica X1 Black and Leica M9 Titanium | Facebook And you're right, Kathy, the black version of the X1 does not have an attached grip. She's just dressed in black leather now.

P.S. I don't know if anyone else subscribes to the Leica blog, but I do. Sometimes I'm super interested, sometimes not. Today's was spotlight interview with a young Jordanian photographer, Nasser Kalaji .... I can see that in this blog they're trying to expand their horizons by showing how people from all over the world and from such diverse cultures enjoy the same cameras. This photographer has three Leica's and one is the X1.;) Here's part of the conversation:
Q: You mention that you use three Leica cameras. Is there any difference in the kind of work you do with the Leica X1, V-Lux 20 and D-Lux 4, and what characteristics of each camera work best for your kind of shooting?

A: The X1 has amazing low light capabilities so I try to use it in low light settings more than the other two. I think the X1 is also very good for shooting portraits because of the richness of the files it produces. The V–Lux 20 on the other hand has an edge in terms of flexibility due to its superior zoom capabilities. It’s a technological marvel really and I use it primarily when I need to be discreet. Nevertheless the D-Lux 4 remains my overall favorite, and it’s my number one choice.
Just felt like adding this in here as some food for thought.
 
I was walking through the market this morning and I came across a photo shoot. I hauled out my X1 and took a quick picture completely forgetting that the the last time I had used it was in very bright sunshine and not a shady courtyard. The result was a woefully underexposed image.

photoshoot1.jpg


Can this image be saved? After playing around with it in lightroom this is what I ended up with.

photoshoot.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


In the raw image you can see noise in the dark areas and overall I find it rather flat. But, I was pretty pleased with the results.

Kathy this is absolutely amazing...a throw away becomes a keeper....wot a keeper!!
 
Nasser, I haven't read your linked preview yet but I wanted to make sure you saw my post above - #43, in which I just yesterday mentioned the article I read about you via the Leica Blog. Pretty interesting coincidence - must be that this information superhighway really is all connected.:D

Welcome to Serious Compacts and thank you for this first post of yours. I'll be reading your preview a little later on today or early this evening. I just began reading and see that you wrote this in March which I'm assuming was before the update in the firmware and am hoping you've found improvements...but am sure you've covered that in your article. I'm afraid I have to get offline for a bit, however I'll be back later and will be reading your preview with great interest!

P.S. By the way, it would be wonderful if you felt like sharing some of your photography here with us in the forums.
 
Got to this link through google alerts, I did a preview on the X1 , pls check it out and let me know what you think


The Leica X 1 | Immortal Entertainment's Blog

Nasser, I just finished reading your Leica X1 preview from March and enjoyed your impressions of the camera both good and bad, as well as your photographs. My favorite photo was the same as yours, I think - the one of the two boys gazing up at the two television sets, with the array of sneakers for sale in the background. You certainly showed how well this camera can do in low light and at higher ISO speeds.

From that entry, I ended up reading your friend Laith Majali's mini preview of the X1, enjoyed his take on the camera and his photos, as well. But I couldn't stop quite yet, and decided to read a bit more from your blog working my way back in time to the entry about your photojournalism workshop in June (sounded great!) and ended with the entry regarding Leica's competition "Eternal Cairo" which, in turn, reminded me to go back on to the current Leica Blog and reread the interview they did with you "Nasser Kalaji: "My photography is rapping through images." " It was a fascinating interview and one well worth reading for anyone who has an interest in street photography, the Middle East with its many layers, the hip hop counter culture and film scene. Really enjoyed it very much, Nasser.

I see you have 3 Leicas you use right now, and if you wanted to start a new thread about the V-Lux 20 and/or the D-Lux 4, that would be great. It's going to be interesting to see what this upcoming X1 firmware update is going to do to enhance the X1. Please consider yourself invited back for a report in on your impressions. In the meantime, I certainly hope you'll add your thoughts on any of these cameras whenever you're up for it. I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your work, Nasser and glad you got that Google Alert!(y)
 
Hey man , thanks for taking the time to go through our blog and check out all the different work we do, we do this so that we can communicate our reality to people all over the globe and it means a whole lot to us to get that sort of feed back and interest.

I will def try and participate more in your forums and I will always try to link our entries and updates to your website.

This conversation sooo makes me want to go out and shoot , so i think i am gonna go do that now and I will certainly share some of the work I do with V lux and the D lux and other non leica cameras that I use .

peace

nasser
 
I saw the thread title and thought I'd resurrect this one with an update. (at least this is why I like my x1) I've been fortunate to have just about every new camera that has been introduced in the past 5 years and two of them stand out for one particular reason, the two are the Olympus E-P1 and my just recently acquired Leica X1. The reason they are special to me is an indefinable "3D warmth" right out of the box with little or no altering in Aperture or LR. I took my Nikon V1, FT1 adaptor a couple of lenses and traded for the Leica which is now affordable that the X2 is out. I've read there is not that much difference between the two anyway so we'll give it a go. When I got home, the first shot I took after stepping out of my car was my house as the late afternoon sun was peeking through the trees, I thought to myself, this is a great summer evening! Much to my surprise the X1 captured the warmth, the sense memory of all the elements one hopes they can capture to reflect upon on some crisp Fall day.
 
Bruce, I love your house, and i love that light. I totally understand what you are saying about those 2 cameras. They have an immediacy to them....like you are within the photograph, not just looking at it.
 
The reason they are special to me is an indefinable "3D warmth" right out of the box with little or no altering in Aperture or LR.

There is an unmistakeable color/warmth and handling of light/shadows to the Leica images-- obviously a product of their in-camera software. This I discovered while camera shopping and trying to figure out why a Leica D-Lux# cost so much more than the Panasonic Lumix LX# when they had the same body, the same lens, and the only difference seemed to be how each was branded. This was one of the articles I read. Life is Good!: Panasonic LX3 vs Leica DLux4, Part 1 Now, I had read more and had told myself 'if ever' it would be the Leica-- though at the time it was not a D-Lux 4 I wanted but the X1. I suppose the same results could be achieved in LR-- but there is just something about the magic of downloading something from a camera and going 'wow' before post processing. Anyways I wax poetic on equipment I still do not own, but just wanted to add my little mark of appreciation here. :)
 
Thanks for the link Kristen, (I saw very little, if any difference in their comparisons between those two candidates btw) I agree that there's more than the sum of parts and the red dot. The X1 just plain nails warm subtleties that my eyes see, very analog.
 
Thanks for the link Kristen, (I saw very little, if any difference in their comparisons between those two candidates btw) I agree that there's more than the sum of parts and the red dot. The X1 just plain nails warm subtleties that my eyes see, very analog.

It amazes me that they have two different brands on them Bruce, but when I see the photos.. well.. the price difference 'kinda' makes sense.
 
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