I can't remember the reason why I didn't buy it. Perhaps, it was because I believed the naysayers who said you can't have a camera that doesn't have a full range of manual shutter speeds if the batteries die. Or maybe because I was anxious to buy into Nikon.
Around 2003, I bought the first of these cameras. Never had a chance to use it and gave to a buddy of mine, who grew up poor and had really lusted after one of these when he was young.
About 2008, I bought another. It had the typical problems: Debris in the viewfinder. gooey foam seals and a common problem with the XD/XG series - shrinking body covering.
So after an overhaul, I picked up a fresh covering from Aki-Asahi.
This has an electronic shutter release that requires just the right amount of pressure. I have a very small number of lenses, and I just gave away my 28mm to another buddy of mine.
I picked up a 1.4 normal lens recently, so I took it for a spin. Wide open, I found the lens a bit uneven - sometimes nice, sometimes harsh.
Closed down beyond f/8, it's like other lenses.
These are drugstore scans, so they aren't the highest quality. Maybe it explains that odd scan above (the third of the "wide open" shots).
Regardless, I love the XD11. Just the right size and has all the features that anyone needs, except for the superfast top shutter speed, which I rarely use on my other cameras.
