EX1/TL500 owners- honest opinion wanted please

Hi,
I have the Samsung TL350, am thinking of upgrading to a better compact.
The Canon S100, Panasonic LX5 get most of the hype, attention.

The EX1, Olympux ZX1 also look like contenders.

I like that the Samsung has a tilt lcd screen and a swivel dial (presume works for changing aperture or shutter settings. I don't like the interface on the TL350, not user friendly.

So basically I'm wondering

1. what you think of the EX1 (I know there's an EX2 coming) and would you recommend it
2. why you picked this over other premium compacts
3. what you like about it
4. what you don't like about it.
5. anything else of interest.

Thanks in advance,

Pa.
http://photoblog.ie - my Photo blog, couldn't be easier to remember!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pacork/ - my Flickr

Build quality
Image quality
Street camera ability
Macro ability
Low-light ability
Manual controls
RAW option

I think it is still a sensational camera, underrated but with a few quirky menu shortcomings.

check these samples http://stefancarey.zenfolio.com/p730541117
and these
http://stefancarey.zenfolio.com/p832613692

I also shoot with a DSLR, and this camera sometimes made me wonder if I needed a DSLR.
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The image is more important than the equipment.

http://www.stefancarey.zenfolio.com

There are a ton of really, really good semi-compacts out there now and picking one (the right one) is not easy. That said, I really like my EX1. In fact I like it so much that I bought another new one and stuck it away just in case. The build quality is of a camera costing much, much more. No plastic feel about this baby! It's a little bigger than my shirt pocket can handle, but with the solid heft I don't think I'd want it in a shirt pocket even if it did fit. It has some quirks in operation and Samsung isn't the best at keep/communication with it's customers on things like firmware upgrades, but those things aside it's a great camera. Oh, did I mention it has one of the best lenses I have ever used on a compact camera? Yup, and the colors it renders are, IMO, a perfect balance. I do wish it had the jpeg engine/processing of the Olympus 4/3 cameras, but the RAW's are near perfect. All that being said, I just bought a Oly E-pl1 for a friend that takes stunning photos and the price was cheaper than I paid for either of my EX1's. Of course the Oly isn't build as good, doesn't have a swivel screen and it's not small either, but you don't have to shoot RAW since the jpeg's are that good. I think its color output is better than anything and it has interchangeable lenses to boot. Oh, and its sensor is much bigger than the one in the EX1. And as the ladies will tell you, BIGGER IS BETTER. If I didn't already have two EX1's I might just look into something like the OLY, but for now I'll suffer happily with the EX1. Just my opinion of course. JohnW

dinneenp wrote:

So basically I'm wondering

1. what you think of the EX1 (I know there's an EX2 coming) and would you recommend it

Absolutely superb camera for anything but video. The lens in particular is a work of art, best zoom I've ever used bar none, and its sensor is quite good for a compact camera as well---better, to my eyes, than 35mm film at equivalent ISO settings in terms of noise and color accuracy, which is as much as I'd ever need from a camera sensor anyways.

2. why you picked this over other premium compacts

I'll be honest: it was price. I didn't care for a swivel screen (still don't) nor did I trust the Samsung brand much (I do, now), so if they had been the same price I probably would've bought the LX5 instead. But they weren't, and now I'm glad it was so, as I do think I ended up with the superior camera.

3. what you like about it

The lens, the lens, and oh! the lens. Alright, the sensor is also quite good, and its size and ergonomics give you a sense of confidence few compacts match, but the main star is undoubtedly the lens. At f/2.8, ISO80 and RAWs developed in Lightroom, results are simply glorious.

4. what you don't like about it.

Its battery life is pitiful, and charged in-camera just to add salt to the wound. And no, it's not only against SLR cameras---even against cheaper compacts its battery life is just plain terrible. Do budget for a secondary battery and a third-party charger if you decide to get one; you'll thank me later.

Ohh, and I do find it a pity that its video mode is so mediocre; VGA resolution simply isn't good enough, even with the lens and the amount of controls the EX1 has in it.

5. anything else of interest.

Do note that you can only use external, non-coupled viewfinders with this camera, while the LX5/7 and X-Z1 can use an optional EVF as well; it'll probably be important if you do a lot of street shooting or you simply prefer an eye-level viewfinder for your work. Ohh, and if you're interested in video then the EX2F is definitely worth waiting for, as unlike the EX1 it shoots video at 1080p/30, with the option for an external microphone to boot.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/Draek

Thanks, some very good responses here, summing up nicely what this camera is about. I'd buy another without hesitation.

Really enjoyed your gallery: you have a lovely touch with composition, very pleasing to the eye IMHO. Landscape is something it does very, very well with little extra work much of the time.

cheers, Stefan

ebsilon wrote:

Some nice pictures there Stefan.

I'm currently searching a ssecond compact camera companion to my DSLR outfit. Seems the EX1 makes it to my short list: fast, wide angle lens, swivel screen, hot shoe, can be found cheap these days...
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------- Eirik ----------

Visit my gallery at http://eirikbs.smugmug.com/

I also was a proud EX1 owner before I got my hands on the little marvel from SONY, the RX100. No doubt this is by far the best pocketable camera you can get (if you can afford it...). Best IQ comparable to DSLR, fast and SMALL!
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Christian

James Cafferty wrote:

Stefan Carey wrote:

Build quality
Image quality
Street camera ability
Macro ability
Low-light ability
Manual controls
RAW option

I think it is still a sensational camera, underrated but with a few quirky menu shortcomings.

I agree 100%. Feature wise I can get by just fine with the EX1. The only thing that would make me jump for the EX2 is a big improvement in image quality. By that I mean more refined jpeg quality. Other than that I'm very happy with the EX1. Now, if I didn't have an EX1 then the EX2 would be a great camera. JohnW

+1 What Stefan said.

I carry mine with me everyday. The EX2 would have to be Super Sensational for me to consider upgrading. (Even with the faster lens.)
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All the best,
Jim

Photographers take pictures; the camera is only a tool.

Without question the cheapest and most used camera I have ever owned. The image quality I find most life like and realistic. Build quality tank like and a articulated screen to die for. I like some others bought a second EX1 purely because I'd hate not been able to buy another one.
RMW487.

I'm a former EX1 user and the only EX1 negative that bothered me was the outdated video .
The firmware was a bit quirky but IQ was excellent.

I am presently using a new LX5 and it's IQ is equally as good but with much better user features and implementations.
I sincerely hope the EX2F turns out to be a ligitimate contender.

The EX1 was initially thrown under the bus undeservingly, and probably helped by some lousy sample images from Dpreview and numerous exclusions from similar camera comparisons and a clear lack of mention in other threads for reasons unknown.

Then for the longest time we've had the extreme Samsung basher known to all as the "snake" who has succeeded, at least to some extent in his never ending onslaught to disrupt this very forum and attempt to discourage everyone from buying a Samsung product. He even makes a mockery of Depreview and their moderators for their failure to keep him out .

I had a few initial issues with my EX1.

Firstly it was severely over exposing, and went back for adjustment. It still tends to over expose in strong light, but I've learned how to adjust.

Secondly it froze during a firmware update and had to go back.

Apart from these drawbacks I would highly recommend the camera as a DSLR substitute, especially for the quality of the Schneider lens.

I haven't had a problem with battery life. One battery gets me through a heavy day's shooting, with a spare just in case.

If you can get one at a good price, go for it.