With knobs and dials that recall a traditional rangefinder camera (and the Leica M8 beloved of photo enthusiasts), plus a body that incorporates a disc-shaped flash which rises effortlessly when pressed, this exquisitely crafted hybrid rolls into town with an expectedly hefty price tag. It incorporates a 12.9-megapixel APS-C sensor – the same size as that found in most consumer digital SLRs – and as with the others here, the bigger the sensor chip, the greater the light-gathering property, the better the images.

Despite a robust all-metal build, the Leica X1 pulls off the trick of not feeling like a dead weight in the hand. While the camera can be used in automatic mode as a point and shoot, manual adjustments to shutter speed and aperture are made via chunky top plate dials rather than tabbing through on-screen menus. So if photographers know what they’re looking to achieve, it’s actually fairly fast and easy to use.

But is the X1 worth the extra spend? If the ultimate in picture quality is your key concern, then, arguably, yes it is. Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras equipped with Leica lenses have trumped their closest competitors in the Olympus PEN range in past tests when it comes to delivering pin-sharp detail and smooth film-like colour tones, and the X1 takes that look and ramps it up a notch to stunning effect. Yes, it’s costly, and some people may take issue with the fact that the 24mm lens on the front, equivalent to 36mm on a 35mm camera, cannot be changed. But it is a Leica lens, and that comes with its own cachet.

Admittedly, with a close focus distance of a so-so 30cm and no movie mode, it’s not the most versatile tool for those after an all-in-one multimedia device. Another disappointment is that while the 2.7in LCD is big enough to be used as an electronic viewfinder and a review screen post-capture, its resolution (at 230k dots) is no better than you’ll find on £100 snappers. Still, image quality is what counts and on that score the X1 produces crisp results that are more lifelike and less obviously digital in origin than we’re used to seeing. It’s ust a shame that few people will be able to afford one.