The 12.0 million pixel CMOS can account for a maximum image size of 3986×2976 pixels, so expect to make a 34x25cm print. In the distortion department the wide and tele ends of the zoom show little or no aberrations. All of which sets the XZ-2 above much of the pack in compact digicams. The good news is that the lens is a Zuiko with a maximum aperture of f1.8 … that’s fast! And, when fully zoomed in to its 4x tele end the aperture is still a rapid f2.5. From power up to first shot took only a second, with follow on shots coming in as fast as I could tap the shutter.Ī nice touch is the switchable speed grip which can be moved to either side of the camera: southpaws please apply! Overall, the XZ-2 is a delight to use, compact and easily controlled. Some may find the menu system endless, with multiple sub menus to be honest, the setting out of camera menus has never been an Olympus strong point.Īdded to all of this is the easy to use tilting LCD screen which can be tilted 80 upwards and 50 degrees downwards … but it does not unfortunately swing sideways. This front of camera control is fully programmable and can be used as focus ring, aperture control, shutter speed control and shooting mode selector, amongst other custom functions. It is possibly the best manual focus arrangement I’ve seen on a compact digicam. It all adds up to a comprehensive package and on paper at least the Olympus XZ-1 seems a worthy competitor to the Canon PowerShot G12, Panasonic LX5, Nikon Coolpix P7000 and Ricoh GRD III.Then the big surprise, at last for me: at front, just beneath and to one side of the lens is a lever which takes you into manual control, the setting displayed on screen. ![]() Video technology is also present and 1280x720 pixel movies may be recorded at 30fps as AVI Motion JPEG files, with mono sound via the built-in mic or stereo via an external mic. Impressively, in addition to providing the Olympus XZ-1 with a small pop-up flash unit, Olympus has given it the ability to trigger compatible flashguns such as the FL-50R and FL-36R wirelessly. However, around 20 full resolution JPEG images can be captured at a rate of 7fps.Īs we might hope for a top-end compact camera, the Olympus XZ-1 allows images to be saved as raw or JPEG files (or both simultaneously) and there's plenty of control over the appearance of images via the Picture Mode and Gradation (dynamic range) options (auto, high key, normal, low key). The Olympus XZ-1's Trupic V processing engine allows 1.2-million-pixel images to be captured at up to 15fps (without the mechanical shutter moving) in High Speed Sequential shooting mode. Light measurements may be made using 324 Digital ESP, centre-weighted average or spot metering. In case ISO 100 isn't quite low enough, the XZ-1 has a built-in ND filter that can be used to cut out three stops of light. In these advanced modes shutter speed can be adjusted in the range 60-1/2000 sec, with the bulb option allowing exposures as long as 16 minutes, while sensitivity can also be adjusted in 1/3EV steps from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. ![]() ![]() In the absence of a viewfinder, images are composed on the XZ-1's 3-inch 610,000 dot LCD screen.Īlthough there are 6 Art Filters and 18 automatic scene modes (including a double exposure mode) that tailor the exposure and white balance etc to the subject, enthusiast photographers are more likely to choose the XZ-1 because it has program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual exposure modes. There is, however, a port that allows an optional electronic viewfinder (EVF) to be attached and mounted in the Olympus XZ-1's hotshoe. Unlike the Canon G12 and Nikon P7000, the Olympus XZ-1 doesn't have an optical viewfinder built-in, though given the pokey nature of the Canon and Nikon units, this isn't that much of a hardship. The chance of blur from involuntary camera movements spoiling images is further reduced by the Olympus XZ-1's sensor shifting image stabilisation system, which is claimed to extend the safe handholding shutter speed by up to 2 stops. It also means that faster shutter speeds are available in low light to help cut down camera-shake. This affords a much higher level of control over depth of field than is normally available with a compact camera. Impressively, even at its longest point this lens has a wider maximum aperture than the Canon G12 and Nikon P7000 lenses at their widest setting.
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