ZEISS has introduced the ZX1, the first camera that allows you to take a photograph, edit it in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and share the results… all in-camera! Intended for a number of shooting genres, most notably travel, street, and landscape, the ZX1 is a compact camera sporting a high-resolution 37.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor and a fixed Distagon T* 35mm f/2 lens.
The ZX1 has an elegantly minimalist wedge-shaped, stealth-black body, which measures a very palmable manageable 5.6 x 3.7 x 3.7" and weighs 12.7 oz, including battery. It features a 0.7" OLED EVF, with Full HD resolution and a large 0.74x magnification, as well as a huge 4.3" touchscreen LCD with a 1280 x 720 resolution for image review and in-camera editing. JPEGs and raw (DNG) files can be edited by touch using the built-in Lightroom app, which offers intuitive sliders to adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks, as well as other familiar editing tools.
To facilitate sufficient storage space to handle in-camera picture editing in Lightroom, the ZX1 also has the unique distinction of including an internal 512GB SSD; additional external storage space can be accessed via USB-C with NAS access using SMB protocols. This omission of a memory card slot in favor of built-in storage is a unique solution to avoiding lost or damaged cards and also ensures memory speeds will always be at their peak in relation to the imaging system. Additionally, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity are available for wireless sharing and remote camera control, as well as OTA firmware updates when needed.
Among other unique traits of this already-unique camera, the ZX1 features a leaf shutter, with shutter speeds ranging from 30 seconds up to 1/2000 second, with flash sync available at all speeds up to 1/1000 second. The leaf shutter design has the advantages of being especially quiet and keeping internal vibrations to a minimum to promote stealthier shooting. Also, manually adjustable ISO settings are accessible via the top physical dial, with a range of ISO 80-51200. In addition, the camera's autofocus system is a hybrid contrast-/phase-detection AF system with touch focus and manual focus override. Beyond photo, it's worth mentioning that the ZX1 is a capable tool for video, too, with support for UHD 4K recording up to 30 fps or FHD up to 60 fps.
All-in-all, the ZEISS ZX1 is one of the more unique cameras available, taking the concept of having an advanced point-and-shoot camera, but then adding a high-resolution full-frame sensor, impressive ZEISS prime lens, and then further tweaking it to have a large LCD screen, built-in memory, and even a copy of Adobe Lightroom for on-board editing. It's essentially an all-in-one camera, replacing the need to have a separate body and lens—as well as even replacing the need to have separate memory cards or a computer to process your files. For minimalist travel, it's certainly an enticing option. According to ZEISS, the ZX1 will be available for purchase during the upcoming holiday season.
What are your thoughts on this distinct camera? How do you feel about editing your photos with Lightroom directly from the camera? Do you like the idea of an "all-in-one" camera? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section, below.
