Zeiss ZX1 full-frame camera with built-in Adobe Lightroom is available to buy in the US and Germany. ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics.
The ZEISS ZX1 is available at selected dealers in Germany for 6,000 euros incl. VAT. In the United States, it is available for 6.000 US-Dollars excl. tax. Check availability here. The concept announced by Zeiss in 2018 is now available to purchase.
The camera comes with a 37.4-megapixel full-frame sensor developed by Zeiss and a 35 mm f/2 T (f/2 – f/22) ZEISS Distagon lens with autofocus. Its a CMOS sensor, 24 x 36 mm, 39.5 MP total / 37.4 MP effective.
Display & Adobe Lightroom
The camera has a 4.3-inch multi-touch display. It comes with a built-in Adobe Lightroom mobile app which allows users to professionally edit images including RAW images in the camera itself. The app has easy to use tools, sliders, and presets like the Adobe Lightroom mobile app. The camera comes with a free one-year Lightroom subscription including 1 TB storage. Adobe Lightroom is widely used by many professional photographers to edit images. With the inclusion of the editing app, photographers will be able to edit images in the camera itself without transferring them to a computer or mobile, or other storage devices. Whether these features will be popular among photographers, we need to wait and see. But this definitely is something new and has been introduced for the 1st time in a camera. Lightroom does offer a way to import photographs and review them on a computer. Lightroom Tethered Capture is used by studio photographers where the camera is tethered to a computer and the images can be reviewed directly on the computer.
For a price tag of $6000, the camera is expensive for what it is offering. Maybe ZEISS will offer a cheaper version in the future and we might see this type of in-camera editing features in other cameras.
Also Read: Fujifilm X-S10, best camera to buy under $1000 in 2020.
Sharing on Cloud and Social Media:
In addition to the built-in editing app, users can directly upload the images to the cloud & social media platforms without needing to transfer the images to a computer or mobile device.
The camera also comes with 512 GB internal memory to store about 7000 RAW files or more than 50,000 JGPs. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB-C. The camera software can be updated wirelessly i.e. without having to connect to an external computer.
“The concept of the ZEISS ZX1 opens up new ways in digital and connected photography,” said Jörg Schmitz, Head of ZEISS Consumer Products on the sales start. “The ZEISS ZX1 combines the potential and superior image quality of a full-frame camera with the mobile experience and intuitive use of smartphones for photography.”
“We have once again worked intensively on the overall workflow and the smooth integration of hardware and software and are convinced that it was worth the wait,” adds Schmitz.
The camera weighs about 837 g (29.5 oz) and has a 4.3 ” TFT LCD, 1280 x 720 px, 338ppi, capacitive multi-touch enabled, glass cover display screen.
It captures RAW (DNG) / JPEG: 7488 x 4992 px and can record 4k 30 fps MP4 video. It can also record Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 px) with 60 fps
H.264 video. Audio is recorded by built-in stereo (microphone) and does not come with an external audio jack. Battery capacity is 3190 mAh 22.9 Wh Li-ion DDPS1E, exchangeable. Electronic View Finder is 0.7 ” OLED, 1920 x 1080 px, magnification 0.74x with diopter adjustment and proximity sensor.
Specifications:
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 142 x 93 x 94 mm (5.59 x 3.66 x 3.70“) |
| Weight | 837 g (29.5 oz) (with battery) |
| Lens | ZEISS Distagon T* 35mm f/2 |
| Sensor | CMOS sensor, 24 x 36 mm, 39.5 MP total / 37.4 MP effective |
| Aperture range | f/2 – f/22 in 1/3 EV increments, automatic |
| ISO range | ISO 80 – 51200 in 1/3 EV increments; automatic |
| Shutter speeds | 1/2000 – 30s in 1/2EV increments, automatic, mechanical leaf shutter use limited to 1/1000 s or longer, flash synchronization up to 1/1000 s |
| Display | 4.3 ” TFT LCD, 1280 x 720 px, 338ppi, capacitive multi-touch enabled, scratch resistant cover glass with anti-fingerprint coating |
| Electronic viewfinder (EVF) | 0.7 ” OLED, 1920 x 1080 px, magnification 0.74x with diopter adjustment and proximity sensor |
| Diopter range | ±3 dpt |
| Autofocus method | Hybrid AF based on contrast- and phase detection |
| Focus modes | AF-S (MF override possible), AF-C, manual focus with magnification & peaking assist |
| Focus area modes | Single point (touch-enabled), touch & release |
| Exposure modes | Automatic, aperture priority, shutter speed priority, manual exposure |
| Exposure compensation | ±3 EV in 1/3 increments |
| Exposure metering modes | Multi, center, spot (fixed) |
| Exposure bracketing | 3 or 5 photos, from 1/3 to 2 EV increments |
| White balance modes | Automatic, shade, cloudy, daylight, white fluorescent, tungsten light, manual WB metering, color temperature |
| Drive modes | Single, continuous, self-timer (2, 10 or 20 s), interval, AE bracketing, panorama |
| Digital live view helpers | Level indicator, histogram, grid, depth of field, clipping |
| Image format/resolution | RAW (DNG) / JPEG: 7488 x 4992 px |
| Video format/quality | MP4 video, 4K (3,840 x 2,160 px) with 30 fps Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 px) with 60 fps H.264, AAC audio codec |
| Audio | Built-in microphone (stereo) and speaker (mono) |
| Flash | Sigma SA-STTL-compliant flash hot shoe |
| Memory storage | 512 GB SSD (built-in), Move/copy to external storage via USB, or to NAS via Wi-Fi™ using SMB protocol |
| Tripod thread | DIN 4503 1/4-20 UNC |
| Connectivity (wired) | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5.0 GHz Bluetooth 4.2 LE |
| Connectivity (wireless) | Adobe Lightroom™ preinstalled |
| Editing software | Yes |
| Social media | Yes |
| Cloud storage | Yes |
| Firmware update | Yes, firmware over-the-air via Wi-Fi™ |
| Battery | 3190 mAh 22.9 Wh Li-ion battery pack DDPS1E, exchangeable |
| Power supply | AC adapter EA1045SJR, input 100-240 Vac 50-60Hz output 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 15V/3A, or 20V/2.25A |
| Sales package content | Camera, lens ring, lens shade, lens cap, hot shoe cover, battery, AC charger, USB cable with adapter, carrying strap & strap accessories |
Also Read: Fujifilm X-S10, best camera to buy under $1000 in 2020.