The Leica X Vario

Mercedes > Leica

Mercedes > Leica

Hi,

When i buy a merc even in the newest smaller categories of cars, i get an excellent and useful vehicle, even the smallest engine will provide me a lot of acceleration, speed and thrill, not to mention safety, quality and luxury....

Why leica makes exactly the opposite, they try to convince me their middle range "perfection" must be very expensive and slow in order to achieve seriousness...also has to be too large...

😀
 
Haven't seen one in person yet, but from the final, released product pictures, it does indeed look like a "mini M".

I've read about a thousand bashing, silly comments from people who've never touched one. At the same time, five reviews/mini-reviews from people who've actually touched one have been posted ... and all of them praise the feel, the controls, the menus, the image quality, and the camera overall despite also mentioning the relatively slow lens and high price.

Seems to me that a camera which gets good marks from the people who've actually handled and shot with it, despite their explicit cognizance of its shortcomings, is probably a pretty nice piece of equipment.

G
 
So far, Leica does not include an external finder in their published, English language accessory list. Of course an external EVF finder coud be added in the future.
 
I wonder, is there any appreciable advantage that this camera might have to, say for instance, a Nex-5N with it's standard kit zoom lens attached, besides
better ergonomics... maybe?
 
willie_901 said:
So far, Leica does not include an external finder in their published, English language accessory list. Of course an external EVF finder coud be added in the future.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the Leica Visoflex finder is what's intended, or the Olympus VF-2 (same device). Perhaps the X Vario also supports the new Olympus VF-4 ... that would be fantastic.

G
 
Jack Conrad said:
I wonder, is there any appreciable advantage that this camera might have to, say for instance, a Nex-5N with it's standard kit zoom lens attached, besides
better ergonomics... maybe?
Click to expand...

Perhaps a (much) better quality lens. The NEX kit zooms are not noted for their excellence. Leica's compact, fixed lens cameras have always had superb lenses, just like their high end cameras.

The ergonomics are worth something of a premium to a savvy user. A better quality lens would also be worth a premium as well. Whether that makes it worth the high price is something that only a buyer can evaluate.

I hope Leica has in mind to create an Xm model as well. Same form factor, sensor, format, and control layout, minus the aperture knob, with a focal plane shutter and an M-bayonet lens mount ... I'd buy it without a second thought at the same price as the X Vario. 🙂

G

(btw: my 90mm lens is an M-Rokkor 90mm f/4, same lens as the Elmar-C 90mm f/4, providing a similar EFoV as the X Vario's lens at full tele. I usually shoot with it at f/5.6-f/8. ... )
 
It sounds like folks are wondering if the Leica EVF works with the x vario and it did at the store. The camera handles quite well, but its large with the long lens and finder up top.
 
Leica Launches $3,000 Point And Shoot

Leica Launches $3,000 Point And Shoot

Ouch... 🙁
Leica Launches $3,000 Point And Shoot

Leica, once a camera manufacturer that made great tools for photographers and now little more than a boutique fashion brand catering to dentists, has just played a fantastic little joke on the world. It’s called the X-Vario, and it proves that Leica thinks you’re a sucker. Why? Because it’s a $3K compact.

The body is styled to look like Leica’s M cameras, which are indeed excellent, but out of reach price-wise to actual jobbing photographers ($10,000 without a lens). The camera itself could be pretty exciting: It has a 28–70mm equivalent zoom, plus real dials to adjust shatter speed and aperture (although the aperture dial isn’t on the lens). It has a big, 920,000-dot LCD, and a big APS-C sensor.

The problems are that a) the ƒ3.5–6.4 lens is a joke and b) there’s no viewfinder. To turn your X-Vario into a camera that you can hold up to your eye will cost you another $500, or the price of a good camera.

The maximum aperture of ƒ3.5 will not only make the camera rather poor in low-light situations, forcing you to select a higher ISO or just brave camera shake from the slow shutter speed (made worse by not having a viewfinder and therefore being able to steady the camera against your head), but it will preclude the lovely shallow depth-of-field beloved of the modern photographer who has been starved of selective focus by more than a decade of tiny sensors.

And ƒ6.4? It’s not even worth a comment.

This might all sound like nitpicking, but this is a three grand camera we’re talking about here. There’s no excuse for not doing it properly.

So, instead of buying this, I’d say you might prefer something by Fujifilm or Olympus. Maybe grab a Micro Four Thirds or X-Series body and use the leftover money to take a photo vacation. Or you could buy an adapter and use Leica’s truly awesome M-Series lenses on a proper camera.
Click to expand...
Source: http://www.cultofmac.com/231503/leica-launches-3000-point-and-shoot/
 
Godfrey said:
I'm sure the Leica Visoflex finder is what's intended, or the Olympus VF-2 (same device). Perhaps the X Vario also supports the new Olympus VF-4 ... that would be fantastic.

G
Click to expand...

Very likely... It's just a fact that right now you can not order a Leica external finder if you buy a new M-Mini
 
Well since it's not on Leca's published list of accessories, as of today, how would you know it even works?

Des anyone actually know? Otherwise, the odds are 50:50.. better than most casino bets though.
 
willie_901 said:
Well since it's not on Leca's published list of accessories, as of today, how would you know it even works?

Des anyone actually know? Otherwise, the odds are 50:50.. better than most casino bets though.
Click to expand...

This was posted on GetDPI by subscriber ptomsu (http://www.getdpi.com/forum/520125-post22.html):

As I already posted in another thread I tried one today - with the EVF - and I was positively surprised how great this combo works. Also holding the camera in hand you immediately understand why there would not be space left for a built in EVF, without making the camera significantly larger. Also the "slow" zoom contributes to the size (small size) of the camera. I operated it directly in comparison with the new M and it is substantially smaller.

The sensor seems to be really excellent at higher ISO which justifies the slower and smaller lens. One can argue that a faster lens allows for better isolation - true, but I think this camera is not designed with those in mind who want/need F2.0 and faster.

But what it gives you is a nice, compact, very well built and easily to operate travel and everyday camera, which is definitely on the upper side of the pack.

I am very tempted to get one!
Click to expand...

Far as I'm aware, Leica is only offering the one EVF at present, so it must work, which means the Olympus VF-2 will work as well.

G

Edit::

This test also supports the notion that the X Vario is fully compatible with the current Leica EVF. http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/leica-x-vario/leica-x-varioA.HTM#
 
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