Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
When you equate the OlympusXZ-1’sfeatures with those of the Brobdingnagian majority of full stop - and - shoot cameras , it absolutely blows them out of the body of water . We ’re talking about things like an F1.8 lens , full manual controls and manual focus , raw shot , a click - control mob around its lens system to adjust in - camera setting quickly , exposure- and white - equalizer bracketing modes , a built - in neutral density filter , a 10 - megapixel CCD sensing element that ’s big than most , a hot horseshoe for various accessory , and a 3 - inch OLED concealment . Great things , all of those .
But the problem with premium compact camera is that , despite outclass the lion ’s share of peak - and - shoot , they ultimately have to contend with one another . The Olympus XZ-1 ( $ 500 ) is certainly a versatile tv camera with a great reach of feature article , but it falls short of similar high - goal cameras in one way or another , and beginner might have a hard time catch the most out of it . This photographic camera entrust quite a bit to be want in Auto way , and accessing most of its features requires a clean bit of computer menu - dive . Some of its more - enticing feature film — the ascendance ring around its lens and its manual focus controls , in particular — are better carry out in some of its lineal competitors .
The result is a very in force camera that ’s likely to please its owners , but one that requires quite a fleck of “ quality time ” to get the hang of . The honest news program is that most of the XZ-1 ’s drawbacks can be fixed by using the photographic camera ’s array of manual controls , but access those controls sometimes takes more effort than it should .
Low-light mode
Hardware and design
No dubiousness about it , the marquee feature of the Olympus XZ-1 is its F1.8 lens ; the television camera offer that very wide aperture at its widest angle , as well as an telling F2.5 maximum aperture at full telephoto . Its 4X optical - soar lens turn over from 28 mm to 112 mm in 35 mm picture combining weight . It has a separate lens cap that accommodate on kind of slackly ; when you power it on , the lens bowel movement forces the cap off , and it fit more like a pliant cannister lid than a shape - correspond lens crown .
Like most of its premium power point - and - shoot brethren , it offer a 10 - megapixel CCD sensing element that ’s physically bigger than the sensors find in most compact photographic camera , but nowhere near as prominent as the detector found in your ordinary DSLR . The television camera has a in the altogether seizure modal value that lets you get the most out of your shots when editing and retouching them ; in raw , the camera saves image as .orf files , anda Raw+JPEG option saves both mental image data formatting .
Low - light modeMacro mode battle in miserable lightGood macro way in bright light
Low-light mode
In addition to full manual controls over aperture and shutter velocity ( 5 seconds to 1/2000 of a second ) , the XZ-1 also has a dedicated “ low light ” setting accessible via the top - mounted manner telephone dial , which opens up the aperture and uses the libertine possible shutter speed to captivate a available low - light shot without using the pop - up flash .
The results are a sundry udder : As long as there ’s some light to work out with , the F1.8 lens get useable low - light slam . However , it jacks up the ISO rather than slow down the shutter focal ratio , and the resulting prototype often reckon way more noisy than you ’d expect out of a higher - end photographic camera .
Autofocus was also a common issuance for me , especially in macro and miserable - light situations . The XZ-1 declare oneself decent performance in macro situations — as long as they ’re very well - lit , and as long as you do n’t use its iAuto mood for near - up shots .
Macro mode struggles in low light
The camera ’s menus have two macro options — a Macro setting for objects a match of in by from the lens , and a Super Macro adjust for objects still closer than that . They both work well in good lighting , with impressively shallow astuteness of field . However , neither of the two macro instruction modes kvetch in automatically when the television camera is set to iAuto fashion , and the camera has trouble locking in on a crisp shot in some situations . Autofocus searches quite a bit when objects are take for too close to the lens , even when they ’re not all that faithful .
Pressing down on the directing pad in any of the camera ’s manual fashion activates a continuous shot mode , which fires off shot in rapid succession as long as you take the shutter button . However , the uninterrupted shooting mode supercharge the ISO to very noisy levels , so it ’s probably an option best used in broad day .
Those familiar with the ascendance halo around the crystalline lens ofCanon ’s PowerShot S95will translate how to use the Olympus XZ-1 ’s own interpretation of the feature . You flex the control halo to correct unlike in - camera options depending on the shooting modality you ’re in , which loosely saves valuable bit of fare - dive : Aperture anteriority style permit you adjust the f - stop using the ring , shutter priority mode let you align shutter stop number using the ring , program mode lets you dial in the ISO , and so on .
Good macro mode in bright light
However , the XZ-1 has a twosome of notable drawbacks compared with the control ring on the PowerShot S95 : first , you do n’t get the straightaway switch and customization of ring preferences that you do on the Canon , which has a dedicated “ Ring Function ” button on its top ; and second , you never get the option to apply the control band as a manual focus control , which hampers that feature significantly . rather , you use the camera ’s back - mounted scroll wheel / counselling domiciliation to adapt focus manually . The customization options for the control ring are frustratingly limited to the contextual presets for each fashion .
The Olympus XZ-1 also partake in a less - impressive feature with theCanon PowerShot S95 : the lack of a raised handgrip , which make the camera slimmer but less safe for one - handed shooting . In cosmopolitan , ramp up quality is solid , with the celebrated exclusion of the camera ’s pappa - up flash . The flash simply feels too plasticky and snap - off - prostrate for a $ 500 tv camera .
The XZ-1 ’s 3 - inch OLED screen , however , is sharp and holds up fairly well in wide daylight . Although it does n’t have an optical view finder like the Nikon Coolpix P7000 and Canon PowerShot G12 , you’re able to at least “ ascent ” to the Olympus PEN serial publication ’ eye - level EVF , which can plug into the XZ-1 ’s red-hot horseshoe . Other compatible appurtenance let in Olympus ’s tentacle - similar macro lights , a stereo system mic for video seizure , and PEN - series external flashes .
Another lineament shared with both the P7000 and the G12 is a built - in indifferent tightness ( ND ) filter , which lets you use slower shutter hurrying with wide - open apertures . It ’s utilitarian for capture image of menstruate water or other long - shutter / widely - aperture combination , but plow the feature on and off takes a bit of carte - diving event .
Shooting video is handled via a dedicated phonograph recording button , which lay aside a moment of clock time when you ’re examine to capture action immediately . The XZ-1 shoot 720p television at 30 build per second in AVI data formatting , but you do n’t get the frame - rate choice , resolution , or manual control in video mode that you do with other camera in its class .
In size , it ’s most in line with the not - quite - pocketablePanasonic Lumix LX5orSamsung TL500 , with a skeletal frame that clocks in at 4.3 inches encompassing , 2.5 in tall , and 1.6 column inch deep . It ’s not heavyset enough to be a comfortable fit for most pocket , although prominent - sizing coat pockets are fair game .
All in all , given its versatility , this is a television camera that could truly benefit from more physical control and buttons . Its control layout is fairly basic , while the XZ-1 ’s menu scheme is extensive , leaving a few too many useful characteristic buried deep within menus . More straightaway - access code control and customization options for the control ring could have really boosted the XZ-1 ’s overall ease of exercise . It has all the region to be a category - run tv camera , but it ’s missing the ability to get at many configurations promptly .
Performance, image quality, and video quality
regrettably for the Olympus XZ-1 , our lab uses a camera ’s auto setting for its immanent image - timbre testing in the realms of photo character , color accuracy , sharpness , and distortion . Similar to Panasonic ’s Lumix photographic camera , the XZ-1 underexpose paradigm in its Auto mode , which led to give-and-take - score rating of Fair for both exposure lineament and colour truth . Sharpness and lack of distortion were proportional strong suit , however , as the Olympus XZ-1 garner rating of Very Good and Good in those category , respectively .
press the thumbnail to see the full - size of it sampling photos used for our subjective examination .
In our lab ’s subjective tests for video lineament , the XZ-1 turned in comely but unremarkable results for movie gaining control in smart Inner Light and grim light . Our sample video shoot in bright indoor conditions wait politic , but muted in color and a minute underexposed . In low light , the camera brightens up the picture just enough to see what ’s going on , but gloss accuracy is n’t one of its strong suit . The camera earned a grudge of Fair for picture quality , and audio capture through its pinhole - like , top - mounted mike was also snitch as Fair .
The sampling clip used for our immanent video test are below . Select “ 720p ” from the drop - down bill of fare in the lower left corner of each histrion to see each clip at its maximum resolution .
The XZ-1 ’s battery lifetime falls in the “ Good ” range , with a CIPA valuation of 320 shots per charge of its rechargeable lithium ion bombardment .
Scene modes and creative controls
Multi Exposure modeSome of the best things about the Olympus XZ-1 are its unequaled setting mode , trope - editing tools , and art filter , as well as its in - photographic camera grooming guides .
In the scene - mode menu , a span of selections stand out from the relaxation of the pack , which include now - ubiquitous offering such as “ Portrait , ” “ Landscape , ” “ Sunset , ” and “ firework . ” The camera ’s Panorama mode works otherwise from most , as the photographic camera guide on you through the three - gibe panorama process in a video - game - like fashion : You line up an accelerometer - labor ball with a circle of on - screen crosshairs , and the photographic camera child’s play each shot in sequence once it ’s properly lined up .
The other fun - and - unique view mode is Multi Exposure mode , which overlays two consecutive images on top of one another for an aesthetic - looking shot . Alas , you ca n’t change the relative opacity of each shot in the two - stroke succession , but the results can be passably fun .
Multi Exposure mode
The creativeness kicks up a few nick when you practice the XZ-1 ’s Art Filter modes , which let you do everything from mimic a disputation - shimmy crystalline lens ( Diorama ) to further colors to ridiculous levels ( Pop Art ) to make everything front somewhat baleful ( Dramatic Tone ) . There are six Art Filter modes in all , and they ’re generally a lot of fun to play around with .
Dramatic Tone mode
Grainy Film fashion
Dramatic Tone mode
For your more traditional photo - editing needs , there ’s also a fairly extensive selection of in - camera redaction public-service corporation . you could brighten up shadowy areas with the “ Shadow adjustment ” tool , fix your family members ’ red - eye , adjust color saturation in shots , and do some basic image - cropping and resizing . The edits are applied to a written matter of your original shot , so you retain an uninfluenced transcript of the source photo .
By press the center “ okay ” button in iAuto mode , the camera exhibit a computer menu of adjustable mental image effects ( “ Blur Background , ” “ Change Color Saturation , ” “ Change Brightness ” ) that help novice shooters learn the fundamentals of manual exposure tweaks without needing to realize the nitty - gritty of aperture options , shutter speeds , and the like . Also in the mixture are a few generic shooting peak for the best ways to photograph kids , pets , efflorescence , and food — although none of the information face is mind - bogglingly insightful , except maybe when read as post - modernist haiku or zen koans . ( “ Focus on pet ’s optic . Grab attending with food or toys . ” )
Macworld buying advice
The XZ-1 offer up a nice mix of creative filters , tutorial manner , and modern options , but it has an impose price tag , a sometimes imposing menu organisation , and a very impose field of force of competitors . pocket-size ball of fire such as the Canon PowerShot S95 might be a better set for occasional users , while more - gain ground camera such as the Nikon Coolpix P7000 and Canon PowerShot G12 offer better overall performance out of the box . The XZ-1 also track the premium point - and - shoot pack in terminal figure of TV tone ; you ’re secure off with the Panasonic Lumix LX5 or the PowerShot G12 if pullulate video is gamy on your to - do list .
But it feels unfair to rap a tv camera that does so well once you master its manual options . The XZ-1 ’s blending of manual features and tutorial modes make it a good fit for experienced shooters or anyone who wants a pocket-size photographic camera they can get to know and at long last develop into . anticipate a learning curve , but one that at long last tender some nice rewards at the remnant of it . As a point - and - shoot camera , it ’s fantastic . As a rival to the other camera in its class and toll range , it has elbow room for improvement .
Grainy Film mode
