LEICA X1

A review and Photo example of the Leica X1 digital camera.

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The LEICA X1 is a compact camera with an integrated lens and an APS-C size sensor manufactured by Leica.

The operation system is simple, and is controlled by two dials on the top of the camera. If you set the shutter speed and aperture to A, you can leave it to the program AE mode, set the shutter speed to the so-called shutter speed priority mode where the aperture is automatically adjusted, set the aperture value to the aperture priority mode, and set both to manual mode, which is a logical operation for a camera. I feel that this simple operation system is an advantage of Leica cameras.

The Ricoh GR series and Fujifilm’s X100 series are comparable models, but their operation systems are quite different. Photographers who are used to Japanese cameras may be more familiar with Ricoh and Fujifilm, which have exposure ± dials, but once you get used to the Leica’s operation method mentioned above, you will feel comfortable using it.

The Leica X1 is a camera that seems to assume autofocus (hereinafter referred to as AF), but it also has a manual focus (hereinafter referred to as MF) mode for when the camera is not in focus, and this can be quickly changed by pressing the down button on the cross key. The lens barrel of the X1 and X2 is just a tube, and the focus is controlled by a rotating dial on the back of the camera, so it’s a shame that you can’t control the focus with the barrel.

Perhaps as a result of this reflection, the successor models, the Leica X Vario Typ107 and Leica X Typ113, have a lens barrel that allows you to switch between AF and MF and control the focus.

The lens is an Elmarit 24mm fixed to the camera, and an APS-C size sensor, so the actual shooting range is cropped, and the focal length is equivalent to 36mm in 35mm format. The images drawn by the Elmarit 24mm and 12 megapixels have a quality that is still good enough in 2024.

Compared to the later improved LEICA X2 and LEICA X Typ113, the startup is slow, and the AF operation and data writing during shooting are generally slow.

In addition, the battery fixing claws are easily broken, and there are many used cameras with broken claws. I saw spare parts being sold on Ali Express in China.

The battery is the BP-DC8 for the Leica X series, which is nominally good for 260 shots, and I still had the battery left after taking about 200 shots.

The exterior colors are black and steel gray, as shown in the photo, and a limited edition (80 units) called the Leica X1 Ostrich Edition has been released, with the leather on the steel gray body changed to ostrich.

The X1’s hot shoe terminal only supports external flashes, and is not compatible with devices that require electrical signal exchange, such as EVFs. A viewfinder that only shows the 36mm shooting frame is sold separately.
The X2 was improved so that an EVF could be attached, but the appearance with the EVF attached gives the impression of being tacked on, and there is no sense of unity, and I feel that the design of the X1, which has fewer bumps on the top surface, is superior.

What I like most about this camera is the design of the pop-up flash.
The cylinder that is integrated with the camera is seamlessly connected to the camera even when it is popped up during use. Due to reasons such as insufficient light and height, the flash was made larger and raised higher on the X2, X-E, and X-typ113, which made the camera more practical but ruined the camera design when using the flash.

Specification and Competitor

Model name	LEICA X1	FUJIFILM X100	RICOHGR
Actual focal length	24	23	18.3
35mm equivalent focal length	36	35	28
Lens Construction	8elements in 6groups	←	7elements in 5groups
Max aperture	2.8	2	2.8
Leaf blade	7	9	9
Min distance	0.3	0.1（マクロ）	←
Number of pixels (Megapixcel)	12.2	12.3	16.2
Image Sensor Size	APS-C	←	←
Viewfinder	none	EVF-2	none
Back LCD Panel	2.7	2.8	3.0
LCD resolution	230,000 dots	460,000 dots	1,230,000 dots
Battery-type	BP-DC8	NP-95	DB-65
Memory card	SDHC	SDHC	SDXC
Release date	2010	2011	2013
Body color	Black Glay	Black Silver	Black Limited color

Model name	X1	X2	X-Vario	X	X-E	X-U
Actual focal length	24	24	18-46	23	24	23
35mm equivalent focal length	36	36	28-70	35	36	35
Number of pixels (Megapixcel)	12.2	16.2	16.2	16.2	16.2	16.2
Image Sensor Size	APS-C	APS-C	APS-C	APS-C	APS-C	APS-C
Viewfinder	none	EVF-2	EVF-2	VISOFLEX1	EVF-2	none
Back LCD Panel	2.7	2.7	3.0	3.0	3.0	3.0
Battery-type	BP-DC8	BP-DC8	BP-DC8	BP-DC8	BP-DC8	BP-DC8
Memory card	SDHC	SDXC	SDXC	SDXC	SDXC	SDXC
Release date	2010	2012	2013	2014	2014	2016
Body color	Black Glay	Black Silver White Olive Paul Smith Daimaru Tokyo à la carte	Black Silver Tokyo station Nagoya Galeries Lafayette	Black Silver Maroon White Moncler	Titan	Black x Silver