Comments on: Leica X Vario (Typ 107) Review: Looking Beyond the Specs

By: John Nicholson

John Nicholson — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 22:44:40 +0000

Very late catching up with this but found it an enormous pleasure to read highlightingfor me what I have found so good abot the XV in the last two years of ownership. It goes into hibernation in the winter but is otherwise my absolutely favourite camera for image quality and haptics. The latter I have considerable improved by adding a thin strip of metal with a bottom ridge in the same colour as the control wheel. harmonises perfectly and has completely removed false activation of the flash contact. Much more useful than the auxiliary hand grip. I shoot mainly jpegs and the XV is the camera on which I have least pp adjustment to do.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 00:00:17 +0000

Great review.

I’ve had my X Vario for about 8 months now and just love it. Its so good that I added the new Leica X (type 113) to fill in those few situations (very low light, shallow depth of field) where the X Vario struggles. The two together make for an outstanding travel kit that covers about 95% of everything and anything that I would want to photograph.

By: Hatef

Hatef — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 09:51:36 +0000

Excellent review. Thanks for the tip about moving the focusing areas for both manual and autofocus. Very helpful.

By: Steve Brantley

Steve Brantley — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 14:56:58 +0000

Here are my first images made with the Leica X Vario. RAW images shot at ISO 100, Program Auto exposure, Vivid setting, and images processed with Capture One 8 Pro. The X Vario is an absoluite delight to use and hold. I am very pleased with the camera.

http://triumph.smugmug.com/Photography/Leica-X-Vario-Goes-to-the-Flea/46372768_gX4Hx4#!i=3763419993&k=zBtN9c9

By: John Lou Miles

John Lou Miles — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 03:50:02 +0000

Thanks so much for the great review. Yours is by far the most informative and insightful of the dozens I’ve come across online. I really enjoy the fact that you get answers from Leica in regards to the many questions some of us have about the camera. No other review site does this and it elevates your article from the personal opinion pieces to journalistic credibility. Also I liked that you have the few obscure tips at the end, again something that all the others left out. With Erwin Putts analytical wryness and your photography based inside knowledge I find myself well covered from here on out.

Thanks Again,

John Lou Miles

PS I just received my Vario in the mail and I can’t wait to test it out. My most recent M8 took a spill in France so i’ve chosen the vario to be my M6s digital companion.

By: » Photokina 2014: Day 3 – Hands on with Leica X (Typ 113) and X-E (Typ 102)

Fri, 19 Sep 2014 18:28:25 +0000

[…] Leica X Vario (Typ 107) Review: Looking Beyond the Specs […]

By: dalethorn

dalethorn — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 18:55:49 +0000

David Farkas;5383 wrote: As an aside, I don't believe that any statements on image quality can be made without looking at processed files. So, anytime I see images posted without any post processing, sharpening, etc. I don't pay too much attention. If a camera/lens looks great after processing, then it is indeed a good tool to achieve an end result. A big part of image quality in digital imaging is how malleable the files are. All that being said, I'm all for simple, quick and natural-looking edits.

This gets a Wow! from me. I mean, I agree completely - it seems obvious enough, but there are so many folks swimming against the tide it makes me wonder where they're trying to go. There are a lot of unstated assumptions I suppose.

On the size and weight, I hadn't handled a digital M-class camera until well after getting the X Vario, so my initial experience with the X Vario was like - it feels like a big Leica (or so I assumed). Then after using the M for awhile, I picked up the X Vario one day to go shooting, and could not believe how much easier it is to handle. It looks big enough and feels solid enough, but after using the full-size M the X Vario feels like an extension of my hand - very natural.

By: David Farkas

David Farkas — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 15:03:30 +0000

jelajisp;5340 wrote: Thanks for the great review. The photographs are fantastic. The X Vario seems to be a natural progression for me in the Leica lineup. I first bought a Digilux 2 and then the X1. The X Vario reminds me of the Digilux 2 which is still a classic and I don't think I will ever sell it. I think I prefer the Sumicron look to the Elmarit look but am having second thoughts after seeing the X Vario results here. The color reproduction seems to be fantastic

The one thing that I did notice with the X Vario is that the photographs seem to look a lot better with the enlarged view

David - your X Vario shots are some of the best I have seen. Did you do any post processing?

Thanks for the feedback. It's a great little camera.

I process my images in LR so they look good to my tastes. I actually apply a general X Vario preset to the images on import so they are pretty close to what I want to see, then with some minor tweaks I'm done.

As an aside, I don't believe that any statements on image quality can be made without looking at processed files. So, anytime I see images posted without any post processing, sharpening, etc. I don't pay too much attention. If a camera/lens looks great after processing, then it is indeed a good tool to achieve an end result. A big part of image quality in digital imaging is how malleable the files are. All that being said, I'm all for simple, quick and natural-looking edits.

By: jelajisp

jelajisp — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 12:39:05 +0000

Thanks for the great review. The photographs are fantastic. The X Vario seems to be a natural progression for me in the Leica lineup. I first bought a Digilux 2 and then the X1. The X Vario reminds me of the Digilux 2 which is still a classic and I don't think I will ever sell it. I think I prefer the Sumicron look to the Elmarit look but am having second thoughts after seeing the X Vario results here. The color reproduction seems to be fantastic

The one thing that I did notice with the X Vario is that the photographs seem to look a lot better with the enlarged view

David - your X Vario shots are some of the best I have seen. Did you do any post processing?

By: Unregistered

Unregistered — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 02:31:52 +0000

I think this is the first review of this camera that sees it like I do. I actually love this lens. I have a nice DSLR and 3 lenses for it. They can have more Bokeh with typical street shots, but the three of them combined do not equal what this one can do otherwise. My favorite part about this camera is actually the lens. The rest is great and well thought out. The only thing I've had trouble doing is sports, but I haven't really tried. The DSLR is good enough at that and I've got more zoom with it.

Thanks for this review!