Pany LX5 or Oly XZ-1 ???

Hey guys

I can see threads of lx5 owners choosing their housing. I was impressed with the lx5 underwater pics and earlier this year I was planning to buy one. I thought of going with this setup.

{lx5+ikelite+ds51+ikelite tray set}

But with the arrival of xz1, I'm splitting heads choosing which one to go for. If I were to buy the xz1 I thought this could be the setup.

{xz1+pt50+s2000+3^rd party tray set}

Similarity

1. Same price (almost) {camera + housing}

2. ttl in M mode (big plus) (eliminating s95)

3. Same specs

4. lcd brightness underwater??? (Complaints of being too dark <both cameras>)

5. M67 housing

Differences

1. Shutter speed (xz1=1/2000 max, lx5=1/4000 max)

2. lx5+ikelite housing (big plus) , xz1+oem housing (pt50)

3. Aperture (xz1=1.8-2.5, lx5=2.0-3.3)

4. ISO (xz1=100-6400, lx5=80-3200)

5. Report of smearing on xz1 pics.

6. ds51 or s2000???

7. Accessibility of buttons (lx5 better???)

8. Leica (lx5) versus Zuiko (xz1) lens???

I know the xz1 is new and there are no reviews of it being underwater.

however there are some pics of it on http://www.flickr.com/photos/junlao/sets/72157625938656219/with/5464675448/

So with that, please share your valuable experiences, thoughts and ideas.

thanx

Olys are known for producing really nice jpgs.

But 99% of us shoot raw underwater.

The huge problem with olys is their terrible implementation of contrast detect auto focus. The focus lag and total lag time have always been near the worst.

Maybe this will be the first oly camera to get it right. I have serious reservations! Even their PEN series are not competitive with Panasonic's GF or GH cameras. We'll need more reviews - particularly imaging resources, who always have auto focus and total shutter lag tests in the same conditions for every camera.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/XZ1/XZ1A.HTM

Panasonic & Sony are the only ones yet, to really make contrast detect auto focus sing.

Olys are known for producing really nice jpgs.

 

But 99% of us shoot raw underwater.

 

The huge problem with olys is their terrible implementation of contrast detect auto focus. The focus lag and total lag time have always been near the worst.

 

Maybe this will be the first oly camera to get it right. I have serious reservations! Even their PEN series are not competitive with Panasonic's GF or GH cameras. We'll need more reviews - particularly imaging resources, who always have auto focus and total shutter lag tests in the same conditions for every camera.

 

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/XZ1/XZ1A.HTM

 

Panasonic & Sony are the only ones yet, to really make contrast detect auto focus sing.

forgot to mention.

i shoot raw all the time and an adobe LR lover myself.

done some pixel-to-pixel hunting between these two.

jpeg of oly is one of the best in p&s, but raw, the lx5 seems a tad better than the xz1.

then came the question of why use a handgun when u have a rifle right.

agreed on the needs of review.

housing manufacturers is flooding the scene with 1 camera for 2 or 3 housing.

whether it dslrs or p&s or evil.

choosing the camera is already a headache, choosing a housing is just permanent head damage!

I was in the same situation. LX5 or the new XZ1 and was even thinking about the GF1/2.

I had an LX3 at some point and loved it. So went for the LX5 and so far am very impressed with the camera. This is an everyday camera for me, when I don't want to carry around the 7D (which I have the Nauticam for underwater work).

The XZ1 looks like it will be a very capable camera no doubt and I do like the faster lens. But I like the design/layout/menus on the LX5 much more so and for underwater the faster lens is not that big of a difference, I would rather have the slower but wider lens on the LX5.

It has been my experience as well that the Panasonic/Leicas have much quicker autofocus than the Oly's (although the new EPL-2 is supposed to be rather good so maybe the XZ1 will be as well) which would be a big plus underwater.

The Oly's have MUCH better JPG output than the Panasonic, but again, underwater shooting RAW, not gonna matter.

Also, there is a lot of support for the LX5 in the underwater community with various brands making very high quality housings which will mean good choice for lens options/adapters/etc.

The XZ1 looks like it will be a very capable camera no doubt and I do like the faster lens. But I like the design/layout/menus on the LX5 much more so and for underwater the faster lens is not that big of a difference, I would rather have the slower but wider lens on the LX5.

 

It has been my experience as well that the Panasonic/Leicas have much quicker autofocus than the Oly's (although the new EPL-2 is supposed to be rather good so maybe the XZ1 will be as well) which would be a big plus underwater.

i read it somewhere that the acessibility on lx5 is better than xz1.

currently no customization on xz1 menu-accessibility.

although one could wait for this matter to be converted to firmware update.

..in which who knows when.

then there's the autofocus thing.

there's a report that the flash cant be triggered during supermacro mode on the xz1