living with the XZ-1

[SmartWombat]

Things I don't like.
The control dial:
- no lock to prevent it turning in your pocket
- no physical index "bump" to feel where it's at

The rear controls:
- the macro button doesn't select macro
... press left button [..] and then Info and then left/right to select the focus mode

And that's about it.


It's a minor annoyance that on wide angle you can see the flash is shaded by the VF-2.
But operating in remote control flash mode makes up for it when I put my Metz 58 AF-2 in slave mode. A very powerful combination.


I don't carry the 1D bodies every day, or the GH-1 or the E-P1.
Maybe the camera that you can carry with you that you use is your best camera ...

[Photo-John]

Good post, Paul. I agree about the macro button on the 4-way controller. I actually meant to ask the Olympus folks about that when I was with them in Colorado.

What about Adobe RGB color space? I haven't been able to figure out how to get it to shoot in anything but sRGB.

[SmartWombat]

On a pocket camera I can live without it, though Adobe RGB would be on my wish list.
As is shipping with a wrist strap as well as a neck strap.

Because it works with the micro 4/3 accessories, I can use a hähnel remote release for the E-P1 with the XZ-1 as well as the mft Metz flash.

Discovery this morning:
As long as the camera is in the right mode, you can press the OK button to bring up the settings, and if the last thing you did was adjust the AF then it's right there with just left/right presses - or rotating the rear ring controller.

[micha56170]

I got mine yesterday and I am as happy as I could be.
Even with described flaws this is the compact I've waited for.
Tested it with ISO 3200 and cleaned it with Noise Ninja, great result (RAW changed to tiff with Irfan View, then CS5 and NN (the Adobe RAW converter is not ready for this cam:mad2: )
I couldn't find a hand/wrist strap in the package, not so happy with the neck strap.
But as a total package: This cam is a charm:thumbsup:

Mike

[SmartWombat]

There is a beta of the new ACR available, and a beta of the Lightroom 3 that will work with these raw files also.

[mikelim]

something to contribute here:

a rather detailed review on the XZ-1:

Olympus XZ-1 - The Fastest Lens on the Block



there is an analysis of the image performance:
"While shooting in JPEG, noise reduction just seems a tad aggressive, smoothing away too much detail in the process; and there's no way to tone it down in the menu. Even though that problem can be sidestepped by shooting in RAW, not every consumer who buys the camera is likely to do so."



mike

[micha56170]

"While shooting in JPEG, noise reduction just seems a tad aggressive, smoothing away too much detail in the process; and there's no way to tone it down in the menu. Even though that problem can be sidestepped by shooting in RAW, not every consumer who buys the camera is likely to do so."mike

I do not think this is the typical consumer camera, so raw workout is not the problem.
Why buy a camera way more expensive and be not willing to squeeze the advantage out of it?
The avererage user should have stayed with the 6.3 MP models like Fuji F30/F31, there you get jpg ooc in your desired quality.
Mike