Leica today added two long-anticipated upgrades to its more compact cameras. The X1 shares the rangefinder-like design of most Leicas but is deliberately designed as a cross between these and compact cameras: it has a fixed f2.8, 36mm equivalent lens but an APS-C sized, 12-megapixel CMOS sensor that the company bills as the largest ever in a compact. The combination of a zoomless prime lens and the large photo receptors give the camera a DSLR-like sensitivity to light (ISO 100 to 3,200) and reduced noise.
