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View Full Version : I bought a compact camera - Olympus ZX-1 first look by me

Mondo
08-09-2011, 22:20
A quite summary/review, I won't go into great details on its spec, if you want to read up on it. There are plenty of info for that online. The main one that I concern about is

F/1.8 lens (with IS) (F/2.5 at length)
HD 720 video at 30fps
10mp
SD card

First - Size

It is tiny to what i am used to, actually fit in my pocket.

Picture speaks a thousand words.

Aluminium (or some kind of metal alloy) body, well screwed together, the only plastic part is the flash pop up, lens cap, dials and some buttons.

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/2655/photoyas.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/199/photoyas.jpg/)

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/210/photo1pei.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/829/photo1pei.jpg/)

Second - Photo

First outing with it, it cannot be in a more difficult situation. I basically got the camera at 1pm at Birmingham, took the train to London and charge the battery on the way down on the train and in the hotel, then left at 6. Didn't read the manual (can't, the manual is in the CD, not a booklet!) so I winged it like a man would lol

So I went to see Kate Voegele in a gig in Dingwalls in Camden...dark, spot lights (red for that matter, it is a bitch for camera sensors).

I set the ISO to 100, and intend to take more videos than pictures really but I did take some pictures. All these are 1/15th, ISO 100, some at 1.8, some at 2.0 or 2.5.

I shot all the photos from the same spot. (can see in photo 3)

1
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/451/jbt11071.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/31/jbt11071.jpg/)

2
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5619/jbt11072.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/594/jbt11072.jpg/)

3
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/1091/jbt11073.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/707/jbt11073.jpg/)

4
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5831/jbt11074.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/148/jbt11074.jpg/)

I am pretty please with it, considering the condition, first time using it (it means it is not difficult to get to grips with), really good IS capabilities to compensate 1/15th that I was shooting with.

Most of my rejects were blurred shots from her moving as I was shooting at 1/15th.

Third - video

What is odd is the metering, spot metering in particular. Although you can choose different zones to focus, when I used spot metering (had to, 1 singer with spotlight on stage), when shooting video, you get a grid that has a centre part and if I deviate out the main subject out of that centre square, it over expose the singer.

Also, the AF also keep on hunting in video mode in the dark...then later I found out when I got back to the hotel there is a manual focus, although it was too late so I haven't figure out how to use that yet.

Video is pretty good, not had a chance to watch them all yet so may put them up later but pictures wise...not bad eh! All in all considering!
Mark
08-09-2011, 23:06
It's amazing what compacts can do when they don't overdose on pixels, though no doubt that big fast lens helps too. If only average Joe would understand that more pixels doesn't mean better picture. :)
Matblack
10-09-2011, 09:10
Nice camera

That woman needs a sandwich

MB
Stan_Lite
10-09-2011, 13:11
Nice camera

Agreed.

That woman needs a sandwich

MB

Several.
Toby
10-09-2011, 14:42
Sandwich? She needs Scooby Snacks tbh.
Del Lardo
10-09-2011, 17:43
Agreed.



Several.

A pie sandwich.


Is the lens fixed or does it have built in zoom. I'm starting to think that I want something more than a traditional compact but I would never carry a full SLR so this could be an alternative.
Mark
10-09-2011, 21:32
4x (28-112 equiv.)
Stan_Lite
11-09-2011, 05:38
A pie sandwich.




What a brilliant idea. Gonna have to have a pie sandwich when I get home on Thursday :D
Kitten
11-09-2011, 15:08
my friend swears by pie sandwiches. Chunky chap.

Ray, what price range is it?
Matblack
11-09-2011, 22:45
~£350

MB
Mondo
12-09-2011, 08:58
It's about £315 to £322 on Amazon (prices fluctuates daily).

And Kate does not need a sandwich, she's gorgeous as she comes :D
LeperousDust
18-11-2011, 06:12
Oooooooooooooh i need a new camera, old school IXUS is truly giving up and it's beaten to hell. I love the idea of a nice camera ala DSLR but i know it wont get the right use and opportunity from me. On the same theme as the ZX-1 i'm looking at a canon S95 (refurbished) for £183.95 + Delivery right now.

Apart from several good reasons like, it's Christmas soon i should be saving, and i don't truly need a camera right now, blah blah blah (;D). That's a decent deal right? Means i could have a nice camera that fits in my pocket but actually takes, wait for it, *good* compact camera pictures on a night out, and in my travels?

Anything bad about it? Apart from the fact the s100 seems to have literally just been released and probably poo's all over it, albeit for twice the price.

Also i have zero posts over at TP because i use it to just browse, and they won't let me see the classifieds section (:p) anyone else here tell me if there is anything nice second hand compact style (like this s95) there worth a punt otherwise? I'm never scared of second hand or refurbs :)
Mondo
20-11-2011, 03:04
S95 is the alternative and for £180 is a no brainer :)

There is no S95 current on sale on TP, they normally go for £230 on there it seems.
LeperousDust
20-11-2011, 23:01
Hmmmm seems like i might be buying myself a new camera soon then! It's hard to ignore such a lovely camera at that price. Fairly sure i paid about the same for my IXUS about 3-4 years ago!
LeperousDust
20-11-2011, 23:16
Haha found my old thread (http://www.boat-drinks.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7962)!