Leica Q2 is the 2019 update to the original Leica Q that was released back in mid 2015. There has been a lot of hype around the Leica Q2 as its predecessor was crowned as the best fixed-lens full-frame camera in its class. The Leica Q2 sports a newly developed 47.3 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, and in combination with this high performing sensor, is a fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens with autofocus and macro capability.
Before I start giving you my personal opinions, just want to make it clear that this is not a review on the Leica Q2. I use this camera strictly to my own liking for everyday snaps, and therefore I was not able to fully utilise all the incredible features this camera comes with. I definitely do not feel confident enough to write a full review based on my limited use. Hopefully this hands-on article could give you some insights whether this camera is worth it for you!
taken on Sony A7RIV + Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro (f/8.0, 1/5sec, ISO50)
The most striking thing about the Leica Q2 when I first get to play around with it, is how well built and how solid it feels in your hand, though I was not expecting anything less from Leica. In terms of design, it is pretty much identical to the original Leica Q with an exception of a few changes with button layouts. That ugly record button is officially gone; and Leica removed the ISO and MENU button from the back of the camera, keeping only the essentials. The buttons are now bigger in a rectangular shape rather than a small dot, it feels extremely tactile and responsive, something I hope other manufacturers could take notes of.
One of the biggest upgrade of the Leica Q2 is what you can’t see, it is now weather sealed with an IP rating of IP52, making it dust and water resistant. Personally, this IP rating alone is persuasive enough for me to choose the Leica Q2 over the Leica Q. As I mentioned before, I use the Leica Q2 for everyday snaps, including when I am overseas, so instead of worrying about rain or snow, I can now shoot without hesitation under any circumstances (unless you are planning to drown your camera of course, otherwise the Q2 will survive small splashes of water).
The body remains relatively compact and portable weighing at 718 grams, which is slightly heavier than the original Q. I would highly suggest getting a handgrip case for the Leica Q2 as well as a thumb support, it might turn your state of the art machine look slightly less than a masterpiece, but it will definitely make your shooting experience more comfort-some.
Not everyone likes a 28mm lens, it is not the most versatile focal range either. Leica has done something interesting to accomodate the loss in versatility. Internal crop has been present since the first Leica Q, which was later brought to the Leica QP, and now to the Leica Q2. Thanks to the new 47.3 megapixel sensor, crop mode is now better than ever. Leica is offering a 35mm, 50mm, and a 75mm equivalent internal digital crop in respect to 30 megapixels, 15 megapixels, and 6.6 megapixels. While JPEG files will retain at the certain crop size you shot at, but the RAW files will still contain the full 47.3 megapixel, 28mm field of view, allowing users to uncrop and recompose in post if needed.
A lot of people question this feature to be a gimmick as cropping can be done via any editing software, but I personally really love this feature. While yes, cropping using an editing software could give you the exact same result, but having the internal digital crop helps with framing and helps get the best composition possible in camera. It also adds a layer of flexibility to your creativity, knowing you will not be limited to the 28mm field of view without losing too much details. Even at 75mm equivalent crop, the Leica Q2 still produces extremely sharp images. I personally rarely use this extreme crop, but I have shown samples that I shot at 75mm equivalent to a number of photographer friends on my phone, and none of them could tell it was heavily cropped. One of the reason being, is the digital crop only crops the centre of the frame, so you will always only be cropping into the sharpest part of the image.
On paper, it is the best full-frame compact camera Leica has ever put out on the market, packing the highest megapixels into its newly developed sensor, enabling autofocus capabilities, and equipped with a fast f/1.7 28mm Leica Summilux that has a dedicated macro mode. How does it translate in quality? Freaking amazing!
Leica has done an excellent job here in terms of the image quality it produces. Images are extremely sharp in the centre even shot wide open at f/1.7, it sure was a big surprise when I first tested it, I don’t have much experience with proper Leica M mount lens, but being able to produce such great results at f/1.7 in a relatively compact lens is truly where Leica’s craftsmanship shines. The corners are slightly soft, and I definitely do mean slightly, it is still impressive for a fast standard wide angle prime. There is noticeable vignetting shooting at f/1.7, I personally really enjoy having it as it makes my subject a lot more dynamic and stands out from the frame, however, it can be easily removed in post if needed. Stopping it down to f/2.8 would give you tremendous details across the frame. Personally, f/2.0 hits the sweet spot for my use, whether it be capturing streets, portraits, architect or food. You get a reasonable amount of background blur for close up shots and still maintaining heaps of detail for far away subjects.
Moving on to colour, there is no way I can “review” colour as it is extremely subjective, but I can tell you the colour coming out of the Leica Q2 is the best I have seen straight out of a camera. It is vibrant and saturated with the signature Leica look, yet it's so soothing to watch, it’s like a perfect balance between being natural and saturated. Skin tone on the other hand is the only thing I do not appreciate, it is too saturated for my taste and it is rather apparent when there is not enough light. With that said though, it is entirely up to your preferred choices, there is no right or wrong answer in adapting the colours you adore.
Leica Q2 comes with an interesting feature, the 28mm Summilux has a dedicated macro mode which can be activated by twisting the lens barrel. After switching to macro mode, max aperture will be limited to f/2.8, and minimum focus distance goes down to 17 centimetres. It is by no means to replace a proper macro lens that offers 1:1 macro ratio, but it is a fun touch with practical use that simply offers you another way to enjoy the camera. I personally do not use this feature a lot, but I took a few samples for you all to judge whether its useful or not.
Leica is well-known for adapting and maintaining balances between heritage and modern, bringing the newest technologies into the core essential of photography. Autofocus is one of them. Leica claims its new autofocus system found in the Leica Q2 can focus on to subject in 0.15 seconds.
The Leica Q2 boasts an improved autofocus system compared to the original Q. The biggest difference would be the number of focus areas, from 49 focus areas to 225. This in fact is a huge deal as both Leica Q and Q2 uses contrast detection autofocus only. With single-point focus, you can position your focus point more precisely into specific areas of the frame. With multi-point, it allows the camera to track a certain object with less risk of loosing the subject. Most flagship level full-frame cameras on the market now uses both phase and contrast detection autofocus for the most precise result, so by having contrast detection only, would make the autofocus system less reliable and accurate, especially in lowlight.
My autofocus settings with the Leica Q2 are simple: AFs (autofocus-single), face detection AF mode, AF Assist Lamp off, and enabled touch AF. This setting could confuse a few people, but I feel like this is the best autofocus setting for my use, and let me explain.
The Leica Q2 has the option to go with AFc (autofocus-continuous), however, execution on the focus motor makes it not acceptable to use at all in my opinion. In AFc mode, the focus motor creates huge level of noise and vibration, it is so loud that the person next to me could hear it, and I can feel the camera slightly shaking for putting the focus motor in work. During shoot, the lens focus breath a lot in AFc, it is practically not usable for any precision focusing. It is however easy to forgive, Leica would not have been able to fit a better focus motor in such a compact lens.
Another thing where some would be confused is why I had the AF Assist Lamp off. In theory, contrast detection autofocus would pretty much fail in low light, and that should be where AF Assist Lamp comes in. While that is true, but I find it not reliable enough for me to leave it on. AF Assist Lamp should only activate (if I had it on) when it detects the given environment is way underexposed to focus correctly. It works perfectly at night, but I have bumped into countless scenarios where it activated even during daytime in correctly exposed scenes. The key in shooting street photography is to be as stealthy as possible, if the AF Assist Lamp triggers by accident every time, my subject could easily know I am taking a photo of them and potentially ruining my composition if they look at the camera. In low light situations, I would switch to manual focus instead.
These are just a few limitations in autofocus performance with the Leica Q2, but they are not ground breaking. With the right settings, it is still a killer. AFs is extremely fast and reliable; face detection works perfectly though I would hope Leica could incorporate eye autofocus in the future; if no face is detected, it will maintain in spot focusing mode, in which the focus area can be selected either with the arrow pad or by touching the screen.
It is now possible to pair your Leica Q2 to Leica’s Fotos app via built-in WiFi, this makes transferring photos from your camera to your phone / tablet a lot easier than using SD card adapters. It works perfectly when it works, but I do find it to be buggy. A lot of the small bugs does not bother me, however, the app was suppose to remember my camera once connected for instant connection the next time, but that was not the case. I always need to reconnect my camera from the initial setup every time I want to connect. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Leica’s Fotos app and it did not resolve the issue, hopefully Leica can fix this in a future software update.
The Leica Q2 is definitely by far the best compact camera the market has to offer, there is simply no competition with similar features. All this goodness comes at a cost, at $7990 AUD it is not a camera everyone should get. It is neither the best way to enter Leica’s ecosystem as well. This camera is aimed for a specific target market, those who wanted the best image quality out of a compact camera, but not everyone needs the best of the best. This is the opposite of going on a budget, the price of the Leica Q2 could easily get you a full-frame interchangeable lens camera with a few extra lenses and a bag of accessories. Every time I carry my Sony around for casual everyday stuffs, it felt like I was going on a proper shoot, the Leica Q2 on the other hand is fun to shoot with, and that was the main reason I picked up this camera.
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