Leica Leica Q2 - Released March 7, 2019

Kevin

Code Monkey 🐒
Leica could be following up its three-year-old Leica Q model with an announcement possible as soon as March 7. ... Leaked specs suggest the new camera will employ a 47.3MP full-frame sensor, in place of the 24MP chip inside the Leica Q and Q-P. ... The new model is also said to have 4K video recording in both DCI 4K and UHD 4K resolutions, in addition to the Full HD option on the Leica Q. ... Leaked images of the new model show a SUMMILUX 28mm f/1.7 lens with a focus-distance scale and an aperture ring. ... Images show the camera sprayed with water droplets, which suggests weather-proofing of some sort, something not offered by the Leica Q. ... Rumored specs claim digital zoom options of 35mm, 50mm and 75mm. ... Other specs include a 3.68 million-dot electronic viewfinder.​

Supposed images of the Q2 is up at the Japanese site Nokishita.
 
Invitations are out, USA price is $4,995:

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I'm so relieved the Q2 isn't anything revolutionary. I don't need them extra pixels, the DR is not that bad as people say, the autofocus is perfect on the Q, the EVF is also 3.68 million pixels and very sharp looking while it's LCOS. The only thing I'd really like is the rumored weather sealing but I'm not going to pay big bucks for just for that one feature.

One of the few cases I can keep my GAS at bay!
 
I've just watched a couple of Leica afficionados talk about the camera; both were making the point that this camera is actually kind of a bargain in Leica land - and they're right, in a way, because this camera is still the cheapest way to get a current FF Leica (with a giant resolution push, no less), and you get a wonderful lens with it (or you can see things the other way round, actually). But I'm sure most people won't see it like that.

For me, the Q2 has a lot of pull - although I'm simply not a 28mm guy (though still infatuated with the GR), and as much as the built-in cropping abilities get emphasised, that's just not the way I function: I want to use all the available image area (you get that in the uncropped RAW file, in theory - but that won't be framed well at all, of course) - or else why do I buy a camera with such a huge pixel count? And that's actually another point I'm not too happy about: Yes, I know, the race is on and one has to go with the flow, so the Q2 actually uses the highest resolution full frame sensor to date (that looks eerily similar to the Panasonic S1R's, btw.), but this gives you humongous files that will weigh down on your storage solution as well as demand a lot of horsepower for post processing ... (you'd better get a couple of high-volume UHS-II cards, too).

All that said (and strongly maintained for the time being), Leica did everything right for the target audience. It's, in my book, a fantastic camera for people that, somewhat thankfully for all concerned , are not me.

This may be a ground-breaking Leica, and a gorgeous camera to behold and shoot with, I have no doubt. But it's not a do-all, end-all proposition. It's extremely niche - though fortunately for Leica, also extremely hipster-friendly.

Which, again, makes it less attractive for me ...

But I tought the same thing about the M10 before I fell for it.

I'd better not try one, then ... 🆒

Or else I might have to surrender a lot of other gear. Well, things could be worse ...

M.
 
It is a bargain for Leica. A kick-a** sensor in a nearly perfect body with a fine lens for $5K, whereas the M10 has half the resolution and costs over $1K more - body only!

If I had the scratch, though, I'd still be hard-pressed between this and the Sony RX1rII. The only Sony camera I've ever lusted over.
 
Even the Panasonic SR1 with 50mm prime is $6000, so it is all relative for the high end cameras esp with reduction in sales.

It looks like phase detection is missing on the sensor, so the afc af is lagging but one report put it single af is btw fuji and Sony A9 so it is good, most probably similar to Panasonic m43...
 
I have an original M4 and, honestly, this is the first digital Leica that I've ever been interested in. It seems technically up to date - even cutting edge - and is priced in line with all of the top full-framers from the major camera makers.

Big items for me: a fixed lens to keep one off of the very expensive Leica lens bandwagon and enough resolution to give excellent results even when using the 35, 50 and 75mm crop modes.

Nice job, Leica.
 
The draw of shooting a Leica is being able to use lenses going back over 85 years on it.

I bet there will by an M-Mount camera with the higher resolution sensor in it. Not that I need that- 18MPixels is plenty for me, the Df is 16MPixels- also fine. Once you get past 32 MPixels on a 24x36 sensor the lens itself is the AA filter.
 
It's a bit large for my taste... Beyond that, it looks great. IP52 rating, lots of croppability, simple controls, image stabilisation, good evf... If only I had 5k hidden underneath my mattress!
 
If I remember correctly, that gets you a 6.6mp image from the dead center of the lens. That's going to be 6.6 very sharp megapixels. That's enough for virtually all applications, apart from printing big and then viewing the print from up close.
 
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