Out of the box the camera itself looks fantastic, and the size is perfect, add the optional battery grip and it feels even better. I've always been a fan of bringing back the popular retro look of cameras, and the XT1 does that very well without sacrificing usability. I also bought a Gariz half leather case for it which adds to the look and gives you a bit more grip to hold. the case screws on, has a flush tripod mount, and you can still change the battery with it on.
One of the issues I had read about was how the directional buttons on the back were "spongy" I'm not sure if the model I got was refined, but I can see what people meant by that. Personally, I had no issue with how they felt, I have cameras that have a definite click to its buttons, and sure, they could have made a more clickly waterproof button, but it's really not that bad and shouldn't be a deciding factor in the cameras itself. The SD card door is also a bit flimsy as people have said, but again, it’s really not that bad of an issue.
I haven't shot a whole lot with the camera yet, but initial photos show me exactly what I had come to expect after reading the countless reviews and articles I found over the past few weeks leading up to the purchase. It shoots great, fast autofocus, sharp images. And that viewfinder. Wow. Bright, huge, sharp, and there's literally no lag. Once I have some more photos to share, I’ll write another article. As someone who's shot a lot of motorsports in the past, I’m interested how far I can push this thing.