Spring-loaded, it leaps forth with a thumb-shove of the manual catch provided top left of the back plate, its minimalist appearance adding to the camera's cachet of cool. As well as two rather stiff top plate dials via which manual adjustments can be made to shutter speed (from 30 seconds to 1/2000th of a sec) and the aforementioned aperture there is a disc-shaped flash neatly sunk into the top plate. And there is the ability to incrementally alter aperture from f/2.8 to f/16 via the dedicated top plate dial.Īs a result, and this was also true of the X1, the X2's looks mirror its maker's rangefinder cameras, such as the M8. However it is a Leica lens, an indicator of quality worn as a badge of pride when licensed to other manufacturers, including Panasonic. As with the original X1 though, the provided 24mm f/2.8 lens on the front (36mm equivalent in 35mmm terms due to the 1.5x crop factor at play here) cannot be detached or swapped. This pumps out a purported 16.2-megapixel effective resolution. Well for starters the 12.9 megapixel APS-C sensor of the X2 has been upgraded in what's claimed to be a 'brand new' 16.5 megapixel CMOS chip, boasting an effective 16.2MP. So, in the wake of these, can the rarified Leica X2, which still inevitably commands a luxury price tag, claim to be top dog for 'real' discerning photographers? Between the release of forebear and successor - with the X2 originally announced last May - players such as Fujifilm and more recently still Nikon have pitched 'more affordable' APS-C incorporating alternatives such as, respectively, the 'X' series and Coolpix A. This, the second generation of Leica's high-end premium digital compact to incorporate an APS-C sensor naturally follows on from the 2010's original X1. So one that effectively delivers on such a promise is arguably akin to photography's holy grail. Ease of UseĬompact cameras with features we'd at one time have found more familiar on a DSLR are very much in vogue. Also new to the X series is an optional Viso-Flex high-resolution electronic accessory viewfinder (£360) with 1.4 million dots and a 90° swivel function for shooting from unusual angles, and a bright-line optical viewfinder (£269) which provides a bright and clear view at all times, with no impact on the camera’s battery power. The recommended retail price of the Leica X2 is £1575 / $1995 / €1550. Other key features of the Leica X2 include an improved autofocus system, a sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,500, maximum shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second, JPEG and DNG RAW file support, and a continuous shooting rate of up to 5 frames per second. The image-stabilized Leica Elmarit 24mm f/2.8 lens provides a focal length of 36mm in 35mm terms, there's a pop-up flash and a hot shoe, and the X2 offers a full range of advanced controls from manual exposure to manual focus. The X2 has an APS-C sized, 23.6x15.8mm CMOS sensor with a 3:2 aspect ratio, which promises to deliver similar image quality to a DSLR camera. The Leica X2 is a 16 megapixel compact camera with a 36mm fixed lens and a 2.7 inch LCD screen.
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