![]() The sensor may be a touch noisier than the one used by Canon, Nikon and Samsung but the slightly brighter lens makes up for some of that difference and it's rare to need to shoot above ISO 800 where that difference starts to become visible. This underlying image quality, combined with the excellent JPEG processing with which Olympus has made a name for itself, makes it easy to take impressive images every time you pick up the camera. ![]() This is made all the more useable by that sensor being parked behind such a bright lens. The image quality is exactly in line with what we'd expect from a camera with a sensor of this size - considerably better than most compacts other than its immediate peers. At F1.8-2.5 it's brighter at every point than either the Panasonic or Samsung, and is in a completely different league to the F2.0-4.9 offered by the Canon S95 to which it's otherwise so similar. With a maximum aperture that can't be matched. Not only does it offer a very versatile lens range (28-112mm equivalent), but it does so The XZ-1 steps in towards the more compact end of this spectrum and does a great job of balancing flexibility with pocketabilty. This now includes a fairly broad range of cameras, varying from the 'point-and-shoot with manual-override' of Canon's S95 up to the big, bulky, button-and-dial-covered Nikon P7000 and Canon G12, via the middle-ground option offered by Panasonic's LX5 and Samsung's TL500 (EX1). But it's a very welcome addition to what's become an exciting part of the market for the keen photographer. The XZ-1 is a rather late addition to the burgeoning enthusiast compact sector and, in some respects, a surprising one - the XZ-1's potential market can't help but overlap with the E-PL2's, to an extent. Video not up to the standard of the stills (and in the inefficient, though convenient, M-JPEG format).Lens a little prone to flare in bright light.Auto ISO can use long exposure times in low light.No direct access to ISO or White Balance.No option to customize any buttons (though controls are generally very good).No ability to adjust noise reduction level.Lack of AEL/AFL button rules out focus and recompose technique.USB charging is convenient (but makes it awkward to keep a second battery charged).Ability to control flashes wirelessly a major plus.Art Filters are good at encouraging creative photographic thinking.Low light mode makes it easy to make the most of the camera's strengths, quickly.Simple control system still gives high level of manual control.Good high ISO capability for a small-sensor camera (and rarely needed thanks to the bright lens).Reliable exposure metering and great color response make it easy to get good images.Lens impressively sharp with generally good corner sharpness at wide apertures.Fastest (brightest) zoom lens of any current compact.
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