The XZ-1 just got discounted at Amazon (Click here) and discontinued at BHphoto (Click here). As I told you before the XZ-2 is coming and it is very likely going to use the same Panasonic LX7 (Click here) sensor. But since Olympus is now using Sony sensors too my personal hope is that they will make something similar like the Sony RX100. But that is of course juts my very private preference and you may agree or not agree with me on that. At least on Amazon (ranking) the camera has proven to sell well.
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Panasonic in LX7 uses Sony senzor (AFAIK).
I totally agree with Admin, a RX100 type camera with Olympus optics, colors and image processing would be my perfect camera. I got the XZ-1 when it first came out and still use it more than anything else. I am not so sure an LX7 would be much of an upgrade so I am eagerly watching what Olympus does.
Anyway I greatly prefer ultra bright zoom lens and smaller sensor (LX7) over bigger sensor but not such bright lens (RX-100) for a pocketable camera.
If you want big sensor, go mirrorless!
The reality is, the RX100 image quality is much higher than the LX7, and the LX7 is also larger.
As the LX7 has more than 1/2 EV advantage on wide end and close to 2 EV(!) gain on tele vs. RX-100 you should compare e.g. ISO 800 of LX7 to ISO 1250 (or even ISO 2000) of RX-100.
Well, the lx7 isn’t really pocketable for most people. Because of that it’s not much harder to bring along an epm1 instead. The rx100 on the other hand can fit in skinny jean pockets, so it’ll fit in the pockets of most people except for little kids, pocketless pants, or really skinny jeans.
I have never felt the desire to carry any camera in my jeans pocket. Then again, I don’t wear Hammer pants. 😛
It’s difficult to know what’s used in LX7. According to Panasonic it’s a MOS-sensor which is a name they use on their own sensors.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/07/18/Panasonic-announces-Lumix-DMC-LX7-with-F1-4-2-3-24-90mm-lens
They also say it’s a 10.1 MP sensor which is obviously wrong as it’s multiformat and is 12.7MP total (but largest crop is 10MP).
Anyway, Olympus is free to use any sensor they can buy, but switching to the one inch one used in RX100 would mean a completely new camera, new lens and much higher processing requirements even if they crop it to 4:3.
I’ve no idea what they are going to do, but more competition in the one inch sensor cameras would be nice. A small upgrade to new 1/1.7″ sensor and some tweaks of the camera would also be intersting. The Xz1 is already an excellent model.
I’m guessing the rx100 will sell a lot more than the lx7.
So why bother releasing a camera similar to the loser?
Because you’re guessing wrong?
Except he’s not guessing wrong? Not only were the preorders of the rx100 exceeding the preorders of the lx7, the current sales of the rx100 is also greater than the preorders of the lx7. This despite the fact that the rx100 is much more expensive. Also, the rx100 is getting the best buy treatment meaning it has front and center spotlight in the camera section and the salespeople looked like they were pushing the camera last time i went, so sales should actually start going up even more. Many non camera folks are starting to hear about the rx100 as a portable “dslr”. Those same people have never even heard of the lx3 or lx5. Some don’t even know Panasonic makes cameras.
So, catering to the uninformed is a positive thing then? 😉
Say what you will, the RX100 is selling better than the LX7 and will probably remain that way. It would be wise for Olympus to move in this direction with the XZ-3 if they want to remain competitive.
You can quote lens stats all day long, but if the image produced by the camera is noticeably worse, why bother.
I just want Olympus to prosper and thrive. And I loved the XZ-1.
So it will be disappointing if the XZ-1 falls far behind a point and shoot from Sony.
“You can quote lens stats all day long, but if the image produced by the camera is noticeably worse, why bother.”
Huh? Where did I say anything about lens stats or image quality?
I´ve been checking 43rumors all day for some new gh3 stuff but still nothing , maybe tommorow?
I hear that, in between the times you spend comparing it to other cameras, you can actually take some pictures with it! AND, the results will be directly proportionate to the skills you bring.
I think after LX7, EF2 and especially RX100 the sales of XZ-1 went off the cliff.
I really hope we will get some discounts on the remaining XZ1s here in France…
BTW, white model is not marked as discontinued yet, it is $320 with free shipping on the same B&H.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749906-REG/Olympus_228005_XZ_1_10MP_Digital_Camera.html
I hope the XZ-2 has the rx100’s sensors with a F2/2.8-2.8 lens. With the same 28-112 zoom and all. Give it ultra fast AF and atleast 1 function button and keep the body the same and call it a day.
Of coarse the lens needs to be SUPER sharp corner to corner, like the current XZ-1.
I had such high hopes for the XZ-2 but the release of the RX100 will most certainly leave it looking at least a generation behind. Olympus needs to have a dog in this fight that gives it some sort of competitive advantage. I would really like to see weather sealing on their top of the line compact to give it that go-anywhere quality that the others lack. It doesn’t even have to be as comprehensive as its Tough series, just something that is splashproof and dustproof should give it a leg up on its competition.
Anything else you guys can think of that would be relatively easy to implement for Olympus to do?
What’s this obsession with who makes what sensor!?
Just because the OM-D uses SONY, doesn’t mean every other model does…
+1
Almost every point to shoot camera use Sony Sensor nowadays
When the admin said:
“But since Olympus is now using Sony sensors”
Sounded like he said it because of the recent news on the OM-D sensor.
If most use SONY nowadays, why only compare it to the RX 100??
Because it is the only 1″ sensor in a point and shoot. And nikon has some 1″ too in the nikon1 series.
XZ 2 is welcome .
The only setback of the camera included LX7 is it’s 10 megapixels . A standard compact camera nowsday easily acheive 12-14 megapixels & why they are still in a 10 megapixels & consider highend compacts . Put it in 12 or 14 megapixels will be much better .
By the way , The Fuji X series compact looks tempting too !
10MP is well enough for small compact sensors.
Adding more diffraction softened pixels doesn’t help except to lower dynamic range and signal to noise ratio which have never been good in compacts precisely because of too much Marketroid’s Pee.
It’s a pipe dream to wish for a 1″ sensor in a XZ-1 successor – it’s never gonna happen!
Remember the XZ-1 has got an i.Zuiko lens, which among it’s other feature set rendered the camera it’s well deserved Gold Award at dpreview.
Rather a XZ-1 successor will fit into the Panasonic LX segment, which Olympus cloned with the XZ-1. Therefore, it’s not a longshot with confidence to expect the XZ-1 successor to reuse the new Sony BSI-CMOS 1/1.7″ sensor found in DMC-LX7 (and in Samsung EX2F), but without the Panasonic multi aspect ratio property.
However, often the camera forum seems blinded by sensor sizes, incapable of grasping that a point & shoot camera, even at this enthusiast level, is a serious compromise among it’s feature set. Olympus has historically positioned themselves with premium optical lenses, therefore expect the priority for a XZ-1 successor rather has an optical focus over a sensor size hang-up.
The 1″ sensor size could have been sleeping in a less populated Nikon pond, if it wasn’t for the Sony RX100 splash into it. Altering the scope from a CSC to a P&S, seems to have been a winning formula for the RX100, better than Canon with it’s G1X dead end for a P&S, albeit with the enthusiast label on it. Therefore expect other vendors to populate the 1″ sensor size pond, maybe already at Photokina this month?
The 1″ sensor is a bit larger than the previously so popular 2/3″ prosumer format, where all major camera vendors crowded up with enthusiast cameras. This might repeat again, as a way for the camera vendors to fend off the approaching capabilities of the camera phones. Olympus might well participate here with another i.Zuiko equipped P&S enthusiast camera, but an XZ-2 it most likely not be christened!
The G1X uses a slightly larger than 4/3’s sensor, so not comparable to the RX100. It’s also out-sized, overpriced (MSRP $799) and an ugly duckling, thus the weak sales.
Olympus may have been caught in a trap with the RX100’s 1″ sensor being made available too late to be used in the XZ-2, If so, this sensor may well appear in a later model in a new line, leaving the XZ-2 to feature much improved video, adjustable noise control, a smaller body and perhaps a longer (24-120mm) but still very bright and optically excellent zoom. Keep the price under $500 at intro, drop it to $425 or so by the holidays or shortly after, and you’d still have a very appealing camera.
Of course, that RX100 1″ sensor would be awfully nice too, frosting on the cake :). But then expect a price north of $600.
why not to put 1″ with fix bright lense like 35mm @ f1.4 🙂
I consider it highly unlikely that Olympus (or Panasonic) will ever bring out a compact with a 1″ sensor. It’s just too close to their 4/3 offerings.
If it’s profitable there’s no reason not to.