So while Ole gets to have fun with the 560mm, I've tasked myself with the MX-1 review, and the review sample just came in. I decided to play around with the camera a bit and offer some first impressions.
Overall I'd say the camera is very responsive. If something is completely out of focus and you press the shutter button, the camera focuses on its own and takes the shot, as it should be. You can't even tell that it needed extra time to AF, so that's good (much better than the Q at least). There is also very little shutter lag, and the startup time isn't bad either, though it obviously takes a moment for the lens to deploy (if you leave the lens cap on, the camera will tell you).
In addition, the IQ seems pretty good. Not stellar in macro mode, but stuff in landscapes has a good amount of details even when zoomed all the way out. Again, a little better than the Q and 02 lens, I'd say.
The camera has built-in distortion correction which is very effective. There is otherwise a good amount of barrel distortion at the wide end.
Zooming is a bit slow, but hey, at least it allows for one-handed operation!
The menu is a bit sparse but I think that you'll find everything you need, except for...wait for it...manual focus. I haven't double-checked but there doesn't seem to be an option for this.
Also, the interface in playback mode is a bit confusing. The info button does nothing and you basically need to spam the OK button in order to switch between exif, basic info, and no info.
As is typical with other Pentax cameras, the camera takes a while to save photos, and you'll have to wait about 2 seconds before a file becomes visible in playback mode, even if you're just using the built-in memory (which can store 12 photos).
The only thing that I really dislike so far is the LCD. The tilting mechanism makes the camera seem much thicker, and it totally kills the retro design IMO. It feels like it just doesn't belong. While I'm sure some will enjoy the tilting screen, I think it would have been better if Pentax held off with this and instead equipped one of their DSLRs with a fully articulating screen.
Well, that's it for now! I'm posting from my phone so sorry in advance for any typos. Also, if someone could double check the thing about manual focus, I'd appreciate it. It's hard to believe that MF wouldn't be included as a feature in an enthusiast compact, even if were slow.
Oh and BTW, the box is really ugly. It's the same "eco packaging" that the WG-2 came in (see my WG-2 review on the comepage).
Adam
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