Verdict
The Leica X1 looks and feels like a proper camera that is worthy of the Leica name, and it is capable of recording high-quality raw files.
However, it is let down by its poor AF performance, low-resolution screen and intermittently slow processing. Those who have grown up using Leica M-series cameras may feel that an AF system is anathema, but the problem with focusing manually with the X1 is that the view on the LCD screen isn’t clear enough to be confident or accurate.
Fortunately, there is a distance scale that appears on the LCD when the manual focus option is activated, and this enables hyperfocal distance focusing.
A pricetag of £1,395 is more commonly associated with a high-end, enthusiast-level DSLR than a compact camera and, like most photographers, it is not a price I could pay at the drop of a hat.
Despite this, I was excited at the prospect of testing the X1 and was genuinely hoping that it would be the compact camera I really wanted to own. However, afterwards I was left feeling deflated. I have some nice shots, but getting them was more frustrating than I had expected.
