Well, just picked up the new G1X today. It came in while I was on holiday in Hawaii, which is where I really wanted to try it out.
It is rainy and dull here in Vancouver today, so a few test shots only. Indoors letting it do white balance, and out the window shots. I processed the raw at default DXO settings. I normally use Lightroom, but I don't think it recognizes it yet. Shots at 400, 1600 and 3200 all look pretty good. The DXO raw processed look better than the camera jpeg, but they aren’t bad either, but jpegs have more little clumps in the high iso at 100%.
I noticed 1600 comes out great, sharp, and clear from DXO, the 3200 ISO comes out clear, but loses a bit of sharpness over the unprocessed image. When I change settings to bring sharpness back, it gets a bit more noise, but not bad. I really like the image quality so far.
Overall, I use a M9 on trips with a back up LX5 for always having something with me when not carrying the M9. So this is going to be a LX5 trip replacement camera, or a party camera with the small canon bounce flash attached, or general purpose when I don’t carry the leica, and want more than the LX5. (although the LX5 has it place too – smaller, wider)
I am still getting used to the GUI. Also the play back button is in the wrong spot, right by your thumb, so it is awkward to push with your left hand, or you have to almost release your grip to push it with your right thumb. For either hand/finger overall it is a dumb spot for it.
The viewfinder isn’t good, same as my G9, it is off center when you zoom, so you don’t know for sure what it is focusing on. If I keep the screen on, then when you look in the viewfinder, you see the green light come on, glance at the screen to see where the square is focusing, and click. Very awkward but sort of workable. The IS seems really good.
It might sound negative, so far, but that is not the full story, high iso is good for a small package, image quality looks good, I like the zoom range (for its size) screen is good. Time will tell, will try it more over the weekend.
Dave