Still compact but one of the best

This camera deserves just another review. I own them for the past 6 weeks and can only say that the Olympus engineers is something great here succeeded. Before I decided on the Olympus, I have researched about 3 months. For a long time my favorite the Sony RX100 - in addition to the LX7 Panasonic.

Here are the reasons for my choice:

1. image quality. In the image comparing in eg:
dpreview

Especially here to compare with "Studio Comparison Tool" good

or even:
digital-photography-school

distinguishes the Olympus at all ISO levels sharply, it is more on par with the LX7, as with the Sony. Yes, the noise at high ISO values, the Sony has the edge. However, if I knackscharf 90% of the images get under normal light conditions, I do not prefer. Due to the high intensity of the XZ-2 lens, the noise makes its appearance only in very dark conditions. In any case, the LowLight ability of XZ-2 is a huge step forward to my LX2: I'm getting to ISO 1600 still sharp contrast images with natural colors, which I previously did not know before.

2. Operation
The Oly has a folding monitor. You can catch her not only from the worm's-eye view, or upside down, but also photograph less conspicuous, a huge advantage.
Among the many possibilities of the camera settings has already been much praised. Here I want to mention the somewhat hidden super control panel: In English they say something meaningful Manual "super control panel". Yes, I think it is great, but you have to press the OK button and, if the INFO button all important and changeable settings completely on the monitor. Use the arrow keys or the Touchscrenn the desired adjustments now could be rapidly applied.
To try out different settings are ideally suited the user modes: In the position C1 or C2 you change your heart's content, for example. White balance, ISO sensitivity, etc., and then to get - because one has forgotten what one had previously set - back to the original settings: simply by turning the mode dial back and forth.

3. Equipment
The accessory shoe: an external flash I will rather not lug around with me, but the electronic viewfinder (though you have to buy extra) is. At last you can be motive - even in bright sunlight - We make again as it was known from the analog time. And by the way, the internal flash: For normal rooms perfectly adequate and in Bright Mode obtains images that seem so natural, as if you had used no flash.

Since I enjoy spending panoramic shots, I need the exposure memory - the integrated panorama mode works only horizontally or vertically, which sometimes not enough for me.

When LX2 there was a button that could prove either the focus or the exposure memory. When Oly the AE lock is tucked away: you can assign it to the Fn1 button and only this button. Since there are two freely configurable user settings C1 and C2, the Fn1 button such as digital tele-converter can not be assigned to a second function.

3. Macros
In many reviews a minimum focusing distance of 10 cm is specified; that is not right! At least in the wide-angle can be up to a centimeter to the subject approach. Incidentally succeed great Macros with the Raynox lens at the telephoto position, because it is not put up with some animals, if you come too close to them. You do need this, the adapter tube, for example by Kiwifotos, good and inexpensive.

A few comments on problems in other comments:

The problem there is not cold at my copy luckily.
Rays Stars appear at bright light sources as in reality.
When movie recording, the sound of the autofocus and zoom to aufgezeichent. In quiet surroundings, can already interfere.

All other positive details (touch screen, dials, manual focus, etc.) have already been described in detail in other reviews, I do not need to repeat here.

All in all a great camera - although not very easy and it comes at a price, which is, however, in my opinion, justified. Both you know before buying.