Would you buy a Leica X 113?

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kknox

kknox
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As most of you know we don't need a new camera, it's a want. I have sold off my Leica digital a while back. Moved to a Fuji X-Pro & XT-1, with a number of lens. These are great cameras, but I shoot mainly 35mm in full frame format. The 23 Fuji X is a big lens, when I shoot my film M4 it's always with a 35mm.

The 35 1,7 Summilux looks like is great combo on the Leica X 113, for ago to camera to carry daily.

Your thoughts?
 
kknox said:
As most of you know we don't need a new camera, it's a want. I have sold off my Leica digital a while back. Moved to a Fuji X-Pro & XT-1, with a number of lens. These are great cameras, but I shoot mainly 35mm in full frame format. The 23 Fuji X is a big lens, when I shoot my film M4 it's always with a 35mm.

The 35 1,7 Summilux looks like is great combo on the Leica X 113, for ago to camera to carry daily.

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

I bought one. I was interested to look at the X113 because I already own the X2 and find that the simplicity of controls and quality of photos out of the X2 is just more to my liking than any other fixed lens digital camera I have used, but I wished for improved manual focus control, a little more lens speed, and even a little bit larger body (my hands are on the large side). The minute I handled the Leica X, I knew it was exactly what I was hoping for.

To give you an idea of the simplicity: I took it out of the box, fitted a battery and memory card, and then walked through the menu. The camera was completely set up and ready to shoot about 3 minutes later, without looking at the instruction booklet. Finally a digital camera that is as simple to understand as my Leica M4-2! There are a couple of details in the instruction booklet worth reading it for, but otherwise this is a camera in the film camera aesthetic of simplicity.

The improved build quality and feel, the excellent AF/MF focusing control, improvements to responsiveness, LCD resolution, EVF resolution, and the truly excellent new Summilux lens makes this camera shine. The X2's Elmarit is a very, very good lens ... the X's Summilux is a healthy jump better performing.

A couple of things to be aware of about the Leica X:

- The X lens does not collapse or extend at all (internal focusing), and the body is a bit larger than the X1/X2 (it's quite close in size to my M4-2 body-wise, although lighter). So it carries more like a lighter weight M4 than the X2, which carries more like a lighter weight Barnack Leica.

- To retain the best quality possible when shooting at close range, the Summilux f/1.7 lens is programmed to reduce maximum aperture by closing down the diaphragm a bit. Here's the curve of its operation:

leica_X-distance_vs_max-aperture.png

So at sub-4' distances, the maximum aperture you can use regardless of what you set the dial to follows that curve. This is not a big deal to me ... I mean, really, what sensible photographer uses a 35mm wide angle lens wide open at very close focus distances like that other than when they have made a mistake? ... but there are a few folks outraged by this on DPReview and Steve Huff made a big deal of it in his usual goofy review of the camera. (He also moans and wails about the lack of a built-in EVF...) This behavior is well documented in the instruction manual, and Sean Reid's review mentioned it too.

- There's another exposure-related limitation on the X as well: regardless of what shutter time you set, you'll only get up to 1/1000 second if the lens is set to anything smaller than f/3.5. This is due to the fact that the leaf shutter cannot open and close fast enough with a small lens opening to achieve the 1/2000 second shortest exposure time.

Personally, I like the Leica X typ 113's slightly larger size and the two exposure related limitations don't bother me at all. The size makes it a more comfortable camera to hold and work with, and neither aperture nor shutter limitation makes any difference in my shooting at all. The EVF is a bit bulky, but I tend to use the camera with either a Leica or Voigtländer 35mm OVF fitted instead, just like I use the X2.

G
 
they are all playing catchup to Fujis X100, other than that its just another camera which will suit some.
 
fireblade said:
they are all playing catchup to Fujis X100, other than that its just another camera which will suit some.
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I tried the Fuji X100 when it came out and was not pleased at all, not with the lens nor the controls, nor the fussy menus, nor with processing of the raw files. That's why I bought the X2—it was better than the X100 on all those counts. The X Type 113 is even better than the X2, and the image quality seems far nicer than the X100S to my eye.

Of course, none of these cameras is perfect nor can do everything well. They are all compromises in one direction or another. I find the X2 and X extremely suitable for me.

G
 
The close focus is annoying, but not a deal break.

I agree with Huff, though. A camera of this price should have an EVF, built-in or bundled.
 
Marketing boys at Leica don't understand how many more units they would sell if they threw in an EVF, even at cost price to move the X113....as is it won't break any records nor will it get a look-in.....but do they really care?
 
I already have an x1 with VF. Upgrading? It's tempting but too expensive for my budget. I would prefer to put beside the x1 a camera with possibility to shoot longer lenses, like the xt1. If I had not the x1 I would seriously consider the 113.
robert
 
Nope. To my eye, the X113 is one of the best looking digital cameras I've ever seen, I like its controls and I'm sure it's made very well, but it doesn't have a viewfinder.

It's close to what I think of as maybe an ideal every day camera, but too many flies in the ointment. I'm sure Leica will get there eventually, but this isn't it.
 
I was looking for an everyday "take along" camera as a companion to my M240, and the 113 was on the short list. Although I was ver impressed, in the end, I ended up with (a great deal) the X2.

Some reasons:

1. The Typ 113 wasn't pocketable enough, so I figured if I was willing to bring around a bigger and heavier camera, I'd take the M240 + 35 Cron.

2. I already had the EVF2, so at least no more extra expense for a VF.

The Typ 113 is a great camera, though. If I didn't already have the M240, and had either an X1/X2, I would probably upgrade. I also had the Fuji X100s in the past, but for some reason, I fell out of love with it. It was a great camera, though, especially for color work.
 
robert blu said:
I already have an x1 with VF. Upgrading? It's tempting but too expensive for my budget. I would prefer to put beside the x1 a camera with possibility to shoot longer lenses, like the xt1. If I had not the x1 I would seriously consider the 113.
robert
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the ideal camera to have in the bag alongside the X is the V-Lux type 114... Aside from the M4-2 with a 50mm on it, that is. :)

G
 
I love the design and the simplicity of the controls, but would not buy it at that price. Especially at $600 for the viewfinder. The VF is just under he cost of a new GR. And there are just too many other good camera options now.

John
 
Godfrey said:
I'm thinking the ideal camera to have in the bag alongside the X is the V-Lux type 114... Aside from the M4-2 with a 50mm on it, that is. :)

G
Click to expand...

I use very oft my x1 beside the M7 (or sometimes the Rolleiflex) which is the main camera in this case. I have an 100 iso film in the analog camera and use the x1 if I need higher iso, like in interior. It' s a good combination, I know the purist will be horrified :D by this combination film + digital!

robert
 
I guess it's horses for courses but I would find a lens that changed aperture by over a stop between infinity and minimum focus distance a little annoying.

Aside from this it seems like a very nice camera.
 
A pretty fair review. I think his lukewarm conclusion is more Ming's usual ambivalence to the 35mm FoV than any real fault of the camera; Ming is happier with the FoV of the GR's 28mm equivalent FoV. Those who use the 35mm focal length as their standard will likely be more taken with it.

Keith, remember that max aperture is limited only between 4' and 8". The rest of the way from 4' to infinity it is f/1.7 (see table earlier in the thread). You don't generally notice it unless you're shooting small objects indoors, and then the little bit of added DoF is actually a plus. I don't find it affecting my photography in any practical way.

G
 
I'd give it very strong consideration; I have the Fuji X100, which I quite enjoy, but the Sony RX1 is another contender. What draws me to the X113 is the film-M-like body size and shape, the shutter speed dial and manual focus right with hard stops. The lens is a touch faster than the X100's and according to Ming Thein gives better subject separation than the X100. The X100 can produce some lovely images, but I feel they lack something, a clarity or pop combined with a naturalness that I have yet to be able to wring out of Lightroom.

The Sony RX1 has been on my 'maybe' list for some time, particularly because of the full frame sensor and f2 lens, which will produce the best subject separation at the 35mm focal length. The sensor is reportedly excellent and the lens/sensor combination has been very favourably compared with the Leica M9 and 35mm Summicron. But it doesn't handle/feel like a M body, which appeals to me very much.
 
helenhill_HH said:
I wish it had a VF.... But I suppose using an external one works fine
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Helen has noted a reason I wouldn't. Plus I've recently bought an M type 240, so I'm broke. And in many (expensive) ways rather removes the need. I suspect it's a wonderful camera, but it just doesn't suit my purposes and needs right now...

...Mike
 
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