Olympus XZ-2 review by Robin Wong (XZ-1 still rules the ranking)
Our friend and superb photographer Robin Wong (Click here) reviewed the new Olympus XZ-2 camera. The main question is, is it good enough for street photography?: “I’d say a definite yes. It is small enough to be discreet, light and easy to be carried with you everywhere…Most importantly, the XZ-2 delivers amazing image quality for a compact camera“.
I have no doubts about the quality of the XZ-2 but I think it’s too pricey. Will you spend $599 for the new XZ-2 (Click here) when you can buy the older generation XZ-1 for $199 at Amazon (Click here)? That’s a huge difference in price that may not be justified by the new XZ-2 features and improvements. And the Sony RX100 with much bigger sensor is only $50 more expensive. For now the XZ-1 is beating both, the XZ-2 and RX100 sales at Amazon (here is the ranking).
ronnbot
7 months ago |The older generation is always going to be cheaper, but 3x the price for the XZ-2 is just ridiculous.
The MSRP of $600, which is $100 more than before, seams unreasonable. Especially if you consider the Samsung EX2 and Sony RX100 has an MSRP of $500 and $650.
Boooo!
7 months ago |350€ for XZ-1, 550€ for XZ-2, 650€ for RX100.
Hmm… How about no?
Anonymous
7 months ago |Way overpriced! Better to get discounted discontinued mirrorless with small prime or new budget mirrorless with kit lens. XZ-2 and LX7 are not that compact anyway compared to RX100. Move these less than 1″ sensor compacts downmarket to under $300. Any more is price gouging. $199 for discontinued XZ-1 is the “real worth” of these 2008 era 1/1.7″ cameras.
TheEye
7 months ago |The XZ-1 is a “2008 era camera”?
Anonymous
7 months ago |Yes, because the high end compact with relatively fast zoom lens (at least f/2.0) market based on 1/1.63″ and 1/1.7″ sensors was established with the Panasonic LX3 in 2008. Panasonic owned that market until Canon released S90 in 2009, Samsung with TL500/EX1 in 2010 and Olympus XZ-1 in 2011. Of course, they all have had successors since then: Panasonic LX5 & LX7; Canon S95, S100 & S110; Samsung EX2F; Olympus XZ-2). Fujifilm now have XF1 compact with 2/3″ (1/1.5″) sensor in similar price bracket.
Image quality from these compacts has not changed much with each generation. Maybe a stop difference in 2011/12 compared to 2008/9 due to better processing/NR. Some people still swear by their LX3 even after 4 years on. I personally wouldn’t go above ISO 400 or 800 on these cameras, but that’s just me.
Point being that these cameras are now overpriced compared to what else is on the market. As is mentioned in this article, it’s better to get these cameras when they’re discontinued for half or third of the original price.
Ben
7 months ago |Only a stop’s improvement? Rubbish.
The LX7′s lens itself is a stop or more improved from the LX3/LX5, and the sensor is probably another. I still wouldn’t go over ISO800, but whereas with the LX3/LX5 800 was used only as an unfortunate necessity, in the LX7 it’s actually a decent option.
But with the superb lens, you don’t need to go there nearly as often. So, yes, the LX7 is a much better camera.
Its lens is also sharper than the RX100′s, and it’s a much nicer camera to use besides. Sensor size is only one part of the equation.
elflord
7 months ago |The lx7 is f/2.3 compared to f/2.8 for the lx3 — about half a stop better.
Anon is right that sensors have generally improved incrementally. Fans like to believe that cameras have improved by 2,3 or 4 stops but the truth is that even old (e.g. Canon 5dII) full frame cameras do substantially better in low light than modern APS-C sensors — and their theoretical advantage from sensor size alone is only about a stop.
Low ISO dynamic range has improved more substantially but in terms of high ISO SNR, you’re talking very incremental improvements for any given sensor size since about 2008.
TheEye
7 months ago |What you need to do is look up the definition of “era.”
Incessant Troll
7 months ago |i am suspicious… why would olympus release such a cheap camera? i need a metal lens hood and a bundled flash so if they could sell me that for $200 extra it would be fine by me
Steve
7 months ago |I prefer the LX7 and it’s available for under US$400.
LEPIDI
7 months ago |Excellent photos !
Henrik
7 months ago |Whatever, he showcased the little cam in the best way Oly could wish for. Bokeh and 100 % detail stunned me, for a camera of that ilk.
Es
7 months ago |These “real life performance” pictures are getting completely useless. They don’t tell anything about the shooting conditions and what you might actually expect out of a camera.
I’ve taken some pretty great pics with my iphone. Is it a great camera? HELL NO. But if I just posted those few pics without an indication of shooting conditions and how many pictures went to the craper it might seem like all you need is an iphone, screw any other cameras.
alexander
7 months ago |the question is:
do I really need a DSLR/ m43 camera when about 90% of the Photos are made in daylight?….
what would I like more?
There is even a 1.7 converter.
For the money I save I can easely get the XZ-3 next year
Bob
7 months ago |WAAAAAAAAAAY too expensive…as is the EPL-5…but they will drop in price VERY quickly…just watch and wait!
spam
7 months ago |Agree with Bob, MSRP and prices the first weeks after introduction are rarely a good indication of what street prices will be after a month or three. XZ-2 looks like a really interesting model after Canon dumped the tilt screen on G15 and Nikon the OVF on P7700.
With XZ-2 you get it all, tilt screen, brigt lens, (optional, but excellent) EVF, good zoom range and pretty good handling. I’d much rather have a XZ-2 than a RX100.
Thomas
7 months ago |Like or better than an old PEN :-O
Alexander
7 months ago |You are probably right!
And it Gose in the Pocket of a Jackett – this is a very Hughes Argument !….
What is the best Camera for, Wehen it is at home…
Jens
7 months ago |Well, the glass is superior to the RX100. And the hotshoe (for VF and flash) does it for me. Must have!
Anonymous
7 months ago |I compared pictures from the XZ-1 with those from the OM-D taken under rather low-light conditions some time ago. There was a *huge* difference… those from the XZ-1 were very noisy in comparison.
—
It would be interesting to see a technical comparison of the XZ-1, the XZ-2 and the EM-5.
Voldenuit
7 months ago |The Fuji X10 has a sensor twice as large as an XZ-1 or XZ-2, and can be found online from $369-429. Same zoom range, similar apertures (f/2 vs f/1.8), more controls and an EXR sensor with 6MP pixel binning for low light conditions. The XZ-2 has a tilting touchscreen, but not worth paying more money for less camera.
marco
7 months ago |The moneyrobbery beginnnnnnnnnn…sssssssss!
Are they all cracy?
This is a 199 euro Camera
and if not …..no.
If people would not be so
bybybybybybyby getget they
would thing, what they buy
and..no.
epl-5 will be soon on 450…
Anonymous
7 months ago |Without a 1″ sensor, Olympus is in La La Land. Just seems to be another example of Olympus shooting themselves in the foot/ taking advantage of it’s uninformed customer base. Not really sure if they are scoundrels or idiots, but I perhaps it’s both.
TheEye
7 months ago |Scoundrels and idiots are in large numbers among earthlings!
Painteddeer
3 months ago |xz-1 at $199. That is wishful thinking. Maybe $329.