A First Look at the Zeiss ZX1: The Camera With Lightroom Built In

The Zeiss ZX1 is quite the unique camera, being a full frame body with a fixed lens, a supersize touchscreen, and Lightroom built in. This video takes a first look at the camera.

In fairness, it's a Zeiss-branded video that's obviously quite promotional, but it's still interesting to see the camera in action, particularly with its very large touchscreen that allows you to use Lightroom on the camera itself. Its closest cousin is probably the Sony RX1R II, another full frame camera with a fixed 35mm f/2 lens, but the similarities stop there, as the Zeiss is aiming for something else entirely. 

Personally, I have a hard time getting on board with the camera. While it's certainly novel and interesting, the ability to just pull my SD card and be editing in seconds on my iPad, which is super light and thin anyway, but with a much larger screen and presumably more processing power, seems to make the ZX1 a camera that's solving a problem I don't have. But that's just me. I do love the idea of a camera running a mobile OS like Android, though, as it makes me dream of an app store for photographers.

What do you think? Are you interested in the Zeiss ZX1? 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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8 Comments

If it were $500, I would buy one. At the price point that it is likely to hit, it will be a play toy for gazillionaires.

Price? $4000? $5000?

Same range as the Leica Q, which sells well. The owners are generally very happy and even surprised at how well the camera does what it does. Many were skeptical and thought the single lens would be a larger negative than it really turned out to be. Most bought it as a second camera for traveling light, but were so impressed with it that it graduated to become a primary tool instead

"Its closest cousin is probably the Sony RX1R II,"
No, It's closest cousin and leading competitor is the Leica Q.

Check out the images:
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/269530-leica-q-the-image-thread/

Great, so another device that needs to rely on internet. Just get yourself and of the entry level full frame mirrorless from the leading companies. Slap on a 35mm 1.8 and you have a better equipment.

For street shots I was thinking about a Leica Q, now have to wait test this one too ... Yay Technology

I am surprised at the number of people who don't understand this camera. Those that shout their "cell phone can do X, Y, Z without an external adapter or device, why can't my camera?" Well, this is step in that direction. Bonus, if you want to keep your current workflow - you still can.

I really like the idea of a simple all in one camera/editing device. I rarely use anything but a prime lens anyway and find lightroom cc usually suffices for editing. Not sure I'd actually pay the extra 'premium brand tax' though