Leica X1 review

Is this the compact camera enthusiasts have been begging for?

Leica X1
There's no questioning the X1's good looks

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Leica X1 review: Our sample images

Colour image

While the Standard colour setting left this image lacking a bit of life, the vivid colour mode shown here has injected it with more of the vibrancy present upon capture

Metering

This scene is a good candidate for underexposure, but the X1's metering system has ensured that all the main details remain well exposed

white balance

The camera's auto white balance system does an excellent job to retain the correct mood of images, even when there's little colour detail in the image

Noise

The overall level of noise at the top sensitivity of ISO 3200 is minimal, but the camera does an excellent job to process it out of JPEGs without sacrificing detail

Colours

JPEG: While brighter areas are brought in a touch in JPEG files, their raw counterparts files show more pleasing colour

raw colour

Raw: While brighter areas are brought in a touch in JPEG files, their raw counterparts files show more pleasing colour

Detail image

Raw file: Sharpness in JPEGs is slightly higher than in raw files, but overall JPEG quality is still no match for what can be achieved with some careful raw processing

JPEG quality

JPEG file

Distortion

Distortion is well controlled

House

Railings

Wall