The anticipated f/1.8 fixed lens compact has landed in the infoSync headquarters. Read our full Olympus XZ-1 review here.
Olympus XZ-1 Report
The Olympus XZ-1 arrived quite late to the advanced fixed lens compact party. We've reviewed Canon's G12, Nikon's P7000, and Panasonic's LX5, which left us ultimately baffled when it came to the top model. For us, it was between the LX5 and the G12, until the Olympus XZ-1 came along with its bright as ever f/1.8 lens. There's something sinfully delightful about an ultra open ZUIKO at our disposal. The Olympus XZ-1 has the brightest aperture in its class, which enabled us to shoot at lower ISO settings in a variety of environments. Even neighboring compacts like the lowlight-slaying f/2.0 Canon PowerShot S95 felt the heat from the Olympus XZ-1. The best part about the Olympus XZ-1 was the fact that its image quality backed its hardware, and the camera proved itself a well-equipped tool that excelled when it came to manual controls. Consider the Olympus XZ-1 the Mini Me of the PEN family.
Design
While lumbering giants like the Canon PowerShot G12 and Nikon Coolpix P7000 flaunt various dials, buttons, and whistles, the Olympus XZ-1 is tailored similarly to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5. As a result, the XZ-1 resides more along the compact end of the spectrum. Although this paints the XZ-1 with more of a conventional palette, the camera still manages to stock some key tricks up its sleeve. First off, the 4x optical zoom 28mm wide i.ZUIKO digital lens features a control ring that surrounds it, just like the Canon PowerShot S95. The lens ring on the Olympus XZ-1 joins the circular control dial located on the back of the camera for a tag team of camera control versatility.
Like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, the Olympus XZ-1 lacks a built-in viewfinder, but can accept an aftermarket EVF in its accessory shoe, along with external flashes and other additions. The XZ-1 has a popup flash mounted high enough to avoid coming in contact with the lens and a wraparound zoom toggle encircling the Shutter button. We liked the designated Video Record button, but found the remainder of the XZ-1's body to resemble many of its competitors. That's okay—it's what lies on the inside that counts, and that f/1.8 lens is this camera's raison d'ętre. We shall expound in the next section.
One thing we were disappointed in was the size of the Olympus XZ-1's battery. It looks like it belongs to a super slim style cam, like the recently reviewed Canon PowerShot Elph 300 HS. Olympus promises 320 shots per charge, but with shooting videos, we attained less longevity. Also, the fixed 3-inch 610,000-pixel LCD did not really provide the best picture, especially when using the manual focus. We longed for Nikon's 921,000-dot display or Canon's flip out rotating LCD in this regard. The Olympus XZ-1 has a Micro HDMI terminal and USB, but it lacks a Mic jack, which sets the camera back in the video arena. We used a SanDisk Extreme Pro to err on the side of caution with the Olympus XZ-1, and the camera can support SD/SDHC/SDXC cards up to 64GB in memory.
Shooting Features
The Olympus XZ-1 is gifted with one of the most power packed shooting arsenals in its class. Not only do we have an ISO range that peaks at 6400, but the camera can also dip down to a 60-second shutter speed. Let's keep in mind that the Aperture can open up to a delicious f/1.8 and close down to an f/8 for minimized background blur. What this means is that the Olympus XZ-1's maximum aperture is larger in wide angle and telephoto (f/1.8-f/2.5) than the rest of the competition. The result was a performance that excelled in macro shooting with background blur and provided enhanced sensitivity in low light, allowing us to shoot at lower ISO levels when the lights went down.
It's imperative to note that the Olympus XZ-1 is crafted quite similarly to any of the company's Micro Four Thirds PEN cameras, which familiarizes the shooter with the Olympus ecosystem from a beginner status. As a result, features like Live Guide migrated to the XZ-1, which simplified shooting via options like Blur Background and Change Brightness. We also had 6 Art filters to choose from, just like on the Olympus E-PL1, though Olympus threw a new Low Light mode into the mix, which captured images automatically up to ISO 3200 at full resolution.
One of the best alterations to our experience with this Olympus was the revamped menu system, which was color coded and far more user-friendly. The XZ-1 of course included the classic Olympus Function menu, which operated like a reverse Canon x-axis/y-axis configuration, and we loved the use of the lens ring for its fast action and convenience. One thing to note is that the lens ring cannot be customized, so that might be a minor drawback for those who use particular manual controls more often than others. Also, we don't get any external Focus controls other than a Macro button that routes us over to a customizable 11-point grid and Macro/AF/Manual settings. With a Focus Lock button, the Olympus XZ-1 takes a few steps back from the competition.
While on the subject, the Olympus XZ-1's Manual Focus mode leaves much to be desired from. Just like nearly any other camera in its class, the XZ-1 relies on a magnified box as the prime focusing monitor, but what happens when you interpolate a 610,000-pixel monitor? Sharp lines are indiscernible, and manual focus is essentially unusable. We spent a lot of time alternating between AF, Macro, and Macro S (Super Macro), and that seemed to do the trick, but it did cost us time and minor consternation. A Focus button or switch would have remedied this, and hopefully we'll see one on the next XZ model.
Still Image Quality
At the core of the Olympus XZ-1 lies a 10-megapixel 1/1.63-inch CCD with the latest TruePic V image processing—one of the industry's best imaging configurations. With a sensor like this and a nice, wide open i.ZUIKO lens soaking up all of the light it can, the Olympus XZ-1 has a definite advantage over its competitors. At 10-megapixels on a sensor this size, pixels are naturally larger, meaning they have better light gathering abilities. This coupled with such a bright lens lead to a match made in illumination heaven.
When it came to bright light, the XZ-1 shined. Rich, natural colors, excellent detail, and impressive resolution—a performance that falls within the top portion of other sensors within this price range. In most bright light shooting scenarios, the Olympus XZ-1 never surpassed ISO 200, which is testament to its bright lens.
When the lights came down, we did experience significant noise at around ISO 800, and the only downside here was that the camera did not have an adjustable Noise Reduction system—it was all handled automatically within. Because of this, a lack of fine detail was present within our JPEG shots. Also, the higher the ISO, the less color information we attained. Look at the samples of the cat and the bookshelf in the Low Light portion. The cat was shot in moderately low light while the bookshelf was shot in extremely low light. You'll see a color degradation within each image.
Aside from that, we'd say the Olympus XZ-1 is on par with the Canon PowerShot G12 and S95, which is right at the top in the fixed lens category. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 trails behind by an arm's length, as that camera is geared more for video enthusiasts. However, Olympus has created a winner, regardless of how late the XZ-1 showed up to the party—it was fashionably late.
The Olympus XZ-1 captures 720p HD videos at 30fps, but it's the dreaded Motion-JPEG format. Motion-JPEG chomps a significant amount of Megabytes and never seems to top .MOV or .MP4 video quality, and it's evident on the XZ-1. In fact, the camera really does not offer much in the way of video controls. Focusing was never consistent, as the lens seemed to drift in and out of consciousness. At least we were able to shoot with Art filters and optically zoom, but based on the XZ-1's short-staffed Video mode, it was apparent that the camera was geared more for still shooting rather than movies.
Olympus XZ-1 : infoSync Diagnosis
So Olympus releases a fierce fixed lens compact after sitting perched, studying the market for the past few years. It's called the XZ-1 and it gives the competition a run for their money. The Olympus XZ-1 matched Canon's best fixed lens warriors when it came to still image quality, and it proved itself a worthy tool to have in the field. It's the Mini Me of PEN Land, and we welcome it with open arms.
However, Olympus does have a few things to improve upon, like an integrated Focus button/switch, better video mode, larger battery, and enhanced LCD resolution. But the camera excels in the most important department of all—image quality. That bright f/1.8 cannot be matched by any of the camera's peers, and the XZ-1 is a very special breed for that reason. We reckon we'll see more f/1.8 fixed lens compacts after the Olympus XZ-1, and we applaud the camera for raising the bar.
But the most perplexing decision about any fixed lens compact always centers on price. At $500, the Olympus XZ-1 is not cheap. Is it worth it? Yes, we believe the Olympus XZ-1 is worth its price. However, look at the Olympus E-PL1, which can be found for about $100 more. The E-PL1 has a larger Micro Four Thirds sensor, and hosts a gamut of interchangeable PEN lenses. Hence, a decision must be made—do you want to invest in a series of interchangeable lenses and become a member of the PEN family, or do you want a taste of the PEN with the fixed-lens Olympus XZ-1? We support either choice, but if you plan on sticking with a fixed-lens compact, check out the Canon PowerShot G12, PowerShot S95, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 to compare.
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