Thread: Olympus XZ-1 Reviewed by Imaging Resource

ISO800, cropped only otherwise straight out of camera
She has gotten very camera shy so no time to zoom :(
1/160sec f1.8 approx. 50% crop

Full Frame

Shot hand-held at 112mm-e, F2.5, 1/13 sec, using the VF-2 helped stabilize this low light image at ISO 400

That was fast - nicely done, Lilli!

What are the highlights of the camera for you - clearly it works very well at a slow shutter speed, as evidenced in your second shot.

Some very nice and crisp images Lili! You are doing good with that XZ-1. It'll stoke my CBA ... gulp!

Str8t OOC ISO 400

28mm-e F1.8 1/30 Sec

-oh dear... she's beautiful... the shots are so crisp... Now I want an XZ1 as well as everything else!!

Originally Posted by BBW

That was fast - nicely done, Lilli!

What are the highlights of the camera for you - clearly it works very well at a slow shutter speed, as evidenced in your second shot.

Thanks!!
Highlights;
1-Fast lens at all focal lengths, this is awesome, one need not shoot at ISO 1600 near as much. Which is good with small sensor camera. Olympus recognized this; the low light mode use wide apertures to keep ISO as low as possible.
2-The UI is very similar to my PEN; learning curve is quite shallow.
3-Brilliant LCD- Viewing angles are crazy good
4-The size and weight are superb, very easy to carry while not ruining ergonomics, esp love the aperture ring (in A mode) round the lens.
5-The zoom control, while not a fan of powered zooms this is one of the better ones, if it moves in discrete steps there are so many you cannot tell; it is easy to zoom precisely.
6-The hot shoe and EVF dock; using the excellent VF-2 really allows one to take advantage of the long end of this fast lens; both the camera and EVF fit in a tiny leather bag for easy carrying
I have yet to try it in the daylight; taking it with me as I run errands now!

Thank you! she was playful rolling around posing for me ;)
I love Oly colors and the lens is superb!

Is the AF speed better, the same, or slower than the digital Pen?

The AF of my EP2 is louisy. The GH2 runs rings around the EP2.

Originally Posted by Armanius

Is the AF speed better, the same, or slower than the digital Pen?

The AF of my EP2 is louisy. The GH2 runs rings around the EP2.

I never used the original PEN nor any of the Panny's; I do have the E-PL1 which is quite fast. The XZ-1 matches theAF speed of the E-PL1 with both the 14-42mm kit and the 17mm Pancake.
With the last lens the E-PL1 is just a touch wider and taller than the XZ-1, however it is about 3/4" thicker and about 30-40% heavier ( I cannot find my digital scale right now...).
Shot to shot, excluding AF, the PEN is a bit faster, but the XZ is no slouch at all when shooting Super Fine jpegs.
Silkypix Pro does not understand the ORF files of the XZ :( so not doing raw).
I do feel the XZ ecological niche overlaps that of the PENs to a degree.
Oddly the E-PL1 with the 14-42 kit is 100$ less than the XZ-1 right now.
I found my copy of said Kit to be extremely good, superb carry lens.
But on my PEN I prefer using the Pancake, again my passion for fast glass manifests itself ;)
But with the XZ I can have my Cake and eat it too; a FAST zoom, qucik AF and SILENT shutter.
I cannot emphasize the last point enough.
It is why I used a bridge camera and my little Fuji compacts so much; esp with cats noise is the Enemy.
The lens extending, zoom and AF motors are nearly silent.
The Shutter even more so.
Le Sigh, Le Pant
:)