Godfrey
somewhat colored
- The Pixii is not dependent upon using a smartphone.
- Judging how a rangefinder works without ever having used one isn't a very sensible way to begin.
- If you want a waist level camera, a rangefinder camera is not a good choice.
- I've been using a Visoflex 020 EVF with my M10 cameras for some time when doing macro or long lens work, and for when a vertically oriented viewfinder is helpful. I've never seen any dust accumulate in my EVF.
- A YashicaMat and a Leica R are completely different kinds of cameras; so is a Leica M or Pixii rangefinder from them. A rangefinder camera, whether film or digital, presents an equally satisfying albeit different shooting experience.
Best to rent or buy something similar to what is being talked about and get some experience with rangefinder concepts and use before passing a lot of off-the-cuff judgements based on no direct knowledge.
G
nbpf
Newbie
Right, I have mentioned the Yashica Mat and the Leica R because I have used these cameras and, like the Pixii and the Leica M, they are Optical Viewfinder Cameras. Of course they are not rangefinders but, to me, they offer a very satisfying shooting experience. I would hope that the new Pixii provides an equally satisfying shooting experience althogh through a very different viewfinder/system. As I wrote, I am not very much interested in trying out new gear but I try to stay informed on promising developments. The Pixii seems to be one but I still have to find a good review of the camera. My main source of information on cameras is Welcome to ReidReviews which I can warmly recommend also for their very good essays. The Pixii is mentioned at page 2 of the second article (Rangefinder Cameras: Seeing & Focusing The Subject) but so far there is no review of the Pixii on that site.
boojum
Mentor
There are a bunch of reviews on YT with accompanying video, of course. "One Lens Only" did a bunch, Burling also and another fellow. I like the YT reviews as I get to see the item in action and how the photo I have been shown was taken. YMMV
ASA 32
Well-known
What is YT?
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
YouTube
ranger9
Well-known
Image processing is not outsourced -- it's done internally on the 64-bit ARM Cortex A55 quad-core processor. The processed files get saved in DNG or JPEG format and stored in the camera's internal memory. There's no dependency on a smartphone or tablet at all... as long as you don't feel the urge to peek at your images as you shoot, you can just take pictures as you please and then later transfer the finished files to a laptop or desktop computer (either via a USB connection or wirelessly via the good ol' Unix/Linux CURL command) or archive them onto a USB flash drive.
If I correctly understood an email I got from the camera's designer, the biggest power consumer is not the A55 (which is actually more power-efficient than their previous processor) but something called the "bridge." This subsystem aims to speed up sensor readout speed by NOT reading the sensor column by column into the processing pipeline -- instead it dumps all the sensor data as quickly as possible into a matched high-speed SDRAM, which then sends the data to the main processor. They claim this technique lets them drive the sensor at speeds comparable to the Nikon Z8/Z9 but without need for a stacked sensor... although I haven't figured out a way to evaluate this.
Anyway, that's where the battery power is going (although some of it also is leaving the camera as heat... on cold days it's like having a built-in hand warmer!) According to one of their recent blog posts, Pixii seems to have accepted that the combination of high-power internals plus sticking to a reasonably-sized, readily-available battery means it will be a "battery-limited" camera, and they're encouraging users to just treat extra batteries like extra "film"... they even had a rather charmingly tongue-in-cheek special offer of five manufacturer-approved batteries packed via a special insert into a five-roll Kodak film case, and despite costing 175 euros it's already sold out!
ranger9
Well-known
It definitely opens up compatibility to a lot of delicious Voigtlander lenses that wouldn't work on the original model because they were "fat" enough to block the rangefinder window, which formerly was right over the lens mount a la Minolta CLE but now is offset more to the right-hand end of the camera.
boojum
Mentor
I've had a Pixii for a few years now. In some ways it is a work in progress. That aside, it takes good pictures. I bought it to take pictures. Battery life is not a big deal to me. The batteries are cheap, common and small enough to fit in a pocket. One in the camera and two spares will keep me going for a long time. I am not covering world events for AFP. I carry a few spares with the M-9, too. It is part of life.
These battery complaints and similar are negligible. If a camera takes lousy pictures that is something to complain about. The rest is trivial. As always, YMMV.
These battery complaints and similar are negligible. If a camera takes lousy pictures that is something to complain about. The rest is trivial. As always, YMMV.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
um, not for me. when i was testing my Pixii (Spring 2022), I found i needed three or four batteries just to do a light bit of shooting on a neighborhood walk of 1-2 hours. One battery fully charged in my M9 would last ten similar walks; in my M10-M, I'm often running on a single battery for a month or more... same as with my Hasselblad 907x. That's a huge difference.
I should hope that Pixii has improved on that by a vast amount by now. It's fairly important to most users.
G
(um, i thought you boughy yours after i had mine...)
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blessingx
Member
My Pixii+ arrived yesterday. Unfortunately, it severely front focuses. Even completely missing my focus chart. I know this is supposedly user correctable with the right equipment. Anyone done, and know the right equipment? I already have other concerns, but want to give it a go, which is a little difficult with approximating focus wide open.
boojum
Mentor
Thanks for sharing
JohnGellings
Well-known
This might interested people in the USA. I just noticed that B&H has Pixii Rangefinders listed on its site as New Item - Coming Soon. They are available for pre-order.
boojum
Mentor
An interesting new tangent. And a new approach to sales. I hope it works well for them and gets the little devil into more hands. But the QC has to be first-rate. Cameras shipped with focusing problems and the like will not do. I am betting that David Barth has ironed this out and is gotten the camera where he is out of alpha and beta to ready for prime time. The latest change to the rangefinder makes a difference. Allez-y Pixii!
blessingx
Member
I had planned to write a much more comprehensive post here, but to be honest I've spent enough effort on the Pixii+.
As I mentioned above, my copy arrived severely front focusing. Here is a test shot.
Pixii nicely offered to repair, but I had heard it was user correctable, so requested instructions and ordered the suggested tools. Once I opened I found a repair instruction drawing didn't match the camera internally (unless I completely misunderstood). By that time I had also found a slightly ill fitting lens mount, the disadvantages of the two displays being linked, and the compromises of keeping wifi off for battery life (it goes from a possible innovative phone app to basically exactly what Lieca, Fuji, etc. offers). So after a week I contacted them for a return. And although every response I received, when I received one, was kind/cordial, there were a ridiculous number of emails over the course of a full month from requesting the return to actually receiving instructions on how to return.
If I'm honest, there's a possibility that during that strange delay I would have adjusted my expectations and now been posting here as a happy Pixii+ user, however my model wasn't usable and I had barely shot it, so it had to go back anyway. The camera was sent and I waited for a refund. A few weeks after it was received I contacted them again. It was to be issued that day. Waited another week. They had forgotten. Then they issued about two months to the day from my original return request.
What does this mean for anyone else? I'm not sure. I could have been very unlucky, but from other comments (search for "Paper Weight" at New kid on the block: The Pixii rangefinder camera review gives you the full story for instance and rumored - I'm not on FB - there are other examples there) I'm not alone and considering the required number of emails to get a refund, I suspect many, at some point, give up. I am not sure if this is by design. There were at least four times I assumed all my money was lost (and with what I consider a non-functional body).
So consider my experience, or worse, as a possible outcome if you order. Plenty of examples of happy owners here and elsewhere to consider too. The above B&H news though may minimize some risks for US buyers.
I am happy it's worked out for others and I wish it did for me. It's an interesting concept and I'll continue to follow their development, but considering the money I lost, I'm unlikely to "donate" again.
On the plus side, I discovered this site in the process.
As I mentioned above, my copy arrived severely front focusing. Here is a test shot.
Pixii nicely offered to repair, but I had heard it was user correctable, so requested instructions and ordered the suggested tools. Once I opened I found a repair instruction drawing didn't match the camera internally (unless I completely misunderstood). By that time I had also found a slightly ill fitting lens mount, the disadvantages of the two displays being linked, and the compromises of keeping wifi off for battery life (it goes from a possible innovative phone app to basically exactly what Lieca, Fuji, etc. offers). So after a week I contacted them for a return. And although every response I received, when I received one, was kind/cordial, there were a ridiculous number of emails over the course of a full month from requesting the return to actually receiving instructions on how to return.
If I'm honest, there's a possibility that during that strange delay I would have adjusted my expectations and now been posting here as a happy Pixii+ user, however my model wasn't usable and I had barely shot it, so it had to go back anyway. The camera was sent and I waited for a refund. A few weeks after it was received I contacted them again. It was to be issued that day. Waited another week. They had forgotten. Then they issued about two months to the day from my original return request.
What does this mean for anyone else? I'm not sure. I could have been very unlucky, but from other comments (search for "Paper Weight" at New kid on the block: The Pixii rangefinder camera review gives you the full story for instance and rumored - I'm not on FB - there are other examples there) I'm not alone and considering the required number of emails to get a refund, I suspect many, at some point, give up. I am not sure if this is by design. There were at least four times I assumed all my money was lost (and with what I consider a non-functional body).
So consider my experience, or worse, as a possible outcome if you order. Plenty of examples of happy owners here and elsewhere to consider too. The above B&H news though may minimize some risks for US buyers.
I am happy it's worked out for others and I wish it did for me. It's an interesting concept and I'll continue to follow their development, but considering the money I lost, I'm unlikely to "donate" again.
On the plus side, I discovered this site in the process.
boojum
Mentor
You have been through the wringer with your camera. And that should not be. It should arrive complete, ready to go. So QC is sadly lacking. And that the whole return process took so long is disturbing. They are not acting in a businesslike manner and as such will scare off new business. I am really sorry you have had such bad luck.
JohnGellings
Well-known
They have a good opportunity with B&H. However, they need to get their act together …
TL7
Member
Pixii has had enough time to get their act together...years now..
You build a good solid reputation by excellent QC and great customer service...not lip service.
At least now because they are working thru B&H...they/B&H will take responsibility for the bum cameras and warrantee repairs...and not the up the creek... customer.
You build a good solid reputation by excellent QC and great customer service...not lip service.
At least now because they are working thru B&H...they/B&H will take responsibility for the bum cameras and warrantee repairs...and not the up the creek... customer.
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boojum
Mentor
I hope that someone gets warranty work together. I have had good luck, so far, with my Pixii. Others have not. The concept is a good one and the images are very good. But it has to operate 100% of the time for 100% of the owners. Yes, this is impossible. I know. But they had better get damned close or shut the doors. And I would hate to see Pixii shut the doors. I wish them only the best for now and for the future. But they have to get their sh1t together.
JohnGellings
Well-known
They aren't a mainstream company... just bringing this camera to the market is something nobody could have predicted. It will take time to deal with the other parts of the business. I mean, we are talking about rangefinders being out of alignment after being shipped across the world, not dead on arrival cameras, etc.
boojum
Mentor
I want to see them succeed and prosper. I like their camera. And David Barth has a lot on his plate. Maybe he got B&H to take a position in Pixii for a cash injection. Whatever. I just hope the Pixii-B&H deal is good for everyone. The next month or so will be interesting. Allez-y Pixii!