The Leica Q2 has 47 Megapixels of Power and offers 28, 35, 50 and 75mm modes!
Order the Q2 at B&H Photo HERE
The Leica Q2 has been announced and while I heard about it like many of you due to rumor leaks, it’s still an exciting camera release for me. The Q has always been a camera I loved the output from and was like a Sony RX1 but in Leica form and with a 28 1.7 instead of a 35 f2. What is special this time is the sensor is all new, and 47MP which means when you punch into crop at 35mm, 50mm or even the new 75mm crop you will have a much higher resolution than the old version. A new 3.6 MP OLED EVF makes its debut as well as longer battery life and weather sealing throughout. Below is the press release for this camera but I look forward to a long term hands on with this guy very soon. ; ) It seems like an amazing all in one versatile camera that will have beautiful quality and color. It doesn’t get more simpler than this, and simple is good. It’s also compatible with the beautiful Leica Fotos app that I described in my Leica M10-D review HERE. This camera now also uses the Leica SL battery for longer battery life. Amazing as this camera along with an SL will be an amazing combo. The price of the Leica Q2 comes in at $4995 and should be available now or very soon if not! Also, expect a review soon…
You can see my old Leica Q review HERE.
You can see my Leica SL review HERE
March 7, 2019 – Leica Camera raises the bar with the introduction of the Leica Q2 camera. Keeping consumer feedback top of mind following the immensely successful Leica Q, the Leica Q2 offers photographers expanded creative freedom via unprecedented imaging quality, added weather protection, an upgraded viewfinder, supremely precise autofocus and more. The Leica Q2 is the quintessential tool for available light photography, rain or shine, that promises to carry the torch of its predecessor forward to new heights and possibilities without making sacrifices.
Superior Imaging Quality Meets Unmatched Versatility
As with any Leica Camera, exceptional image quality reigns supreme, allowing photographers to consistently capture show-stopping imagery. The new Leica Q2’s full frame sensor is the highest resolution sensor in its class at 47.3 megapixels, offering users more resolution than the original Leica Q, and captures both impeccably detailed still pictures and 4K video. Together with its Leica Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens, the Q2 ensures all-around exceptional imaging performance. This top-tier Leica optic guarantees optimum picture quality with exquisite bokeh characteristics in even the most difficult lighting scenarios
With its high resolving power matched to its high-resolution sensor, the Leica Q2 goes beyond the conventional use cases of a 28 mm focal length via its built-in crop functions for equivalent focal lengths of 35 mm, 50 mm, and the newly available 75 mm – bringing with it more possibilities in the world of portraiture and close-up work. Thanks to the software design ingenuity of Leica engineers, when shooting cropped DNG files the full sensor image is still recorded, allowing photographers to undo or change the crop after the fact.
The Leica Q2 also adds 4K UHD and Cine4K video recording to its arsenal of features, with myriad frame rate options across 4K and 1080p, giving users impressive video recording from such a large sensor on the go to document memories or record short films.
Exceptional Quality and User Handling
The design of the Leica Q2 carries forward the Leica tradition of reduction to the essentials. The ‘Made in Germany’ seal of quality guarantees that only the finest and most resilient materials are employed in its construction. The distinctive thumb rest of the new Leica Q2 and the sophisticated diamond pattern of its leather trim ensure optimum grip and highlight the symbiosis of function and form.
Also new is the camera’s uniquely intuitive handling concept, following refined design language cues established from its brethren in the Leica M10 and Leica CL families – such as the single-stage On/Off switch, simplified three-button interface on the rear of the camera and programmable button within the thumb wheel dial. A new highlight of the Leica Q2 layout is the push-button diopter compensation dial on the back of the camera that locks and prevents accidental changes to the user’s desired setting. Every refinement, both large and small, pushes Leica’s design forward without losing sight of the core philosophy of the camera.
Following in-tune with impeccably intuitive user handling, in combination with the Leica FOTOS App, the camera’s integrated Wi-Fi module makes it possible to quickly and easily share pictures and video via social media. Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) enables a permanent connection to be established between camera and smartphone, making it possible for user to remotely wake the camera and connect any time when in range.
Make It Your Own With Accessories
A comprehensive and stylish range of optional accessories is also available for the Leica Q2. These include matching camera protector cases and carrying straps in premium-quality classic black and brown leather, and more vibrant versions in red and pink. The elegant new ‘Ettas’ line of soft, coated canvas pouches for various Leica camera models will also be launched at the same time as the Leica Q2. The pouches will initially be available in midnight blue, stone gray and red colorways, with more still to come. The accessory selection also includes technical equipment for the Leica Q2 such as the Leica SF 40, SF 60 flash units, the SF C1 remote flash control unit and an additional add-on thumb rest and handgrip. All accessories are functionally designed for easy handling, perfectly matching the quality and design of the camera and are manufactured from only the finest materials to ensure reliability for a lifetime of use.
An exhibition of Leica Q2 photography is on view at the Elga Wimmer Gallery in New York City for a limited engagement of 24-hours on March 7th featuring the works of Hiram Garcia, President of Production of Seven Bucks Production and film/television producer. The series, titled ‘Behind the Seen’, is a diverse collection of images that strive to highlight the beauty and intrigue of the movie industry and marks Garcia’s debut photographic gallery exhibition. Garcia’s ‘Behind the Seen’ is the first and only exhibition worldwide shot exclusively on the new Leica Q2 camera.
“‘Behind the Seen’ is a diverse collection of images that showcase a slice of my production life through a short period of time. I curated imagery from the work on-set of my current project as well as included glimpses into the other aspects of where my career spills over. Whether it be promotional stunts for projects currently in theaters or something as simple as rehearsing for upcoming scenes, I wanted to showcase the beauty and intrigue I see within the industry I work in. This is a brief snapshot of what I SEE on a daily basis,” said Garcia.
The Leica Q2 is on sale beginning today at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers. The camera will be sold in black paint finish for $4,995.
You can Order at B&H Photo HERE
Redeveloped while retaining impressive imaging and optical attributes, the Leica Q2 is an advanced compact camera characterized by its updated sensor design and intuitive operation. Revolving around a revised full-frame 47.3MP CMOS sensor and Maestro II image processor, high-resolution stills shooting is possible along with both DCI and UHD 4K video recording. The image processor also contributes to a broad ISO 50-50000 sensitivity range along with quick 10-fps full-resolution continuous shooting. The added resolution also affords a series of unique Crop Modes, which simulate working with longer focal length lenses, including 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm fields of view.
Speaking of the lens, the Q2 features the same impressive wide-angle prime Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. fixed lens, which has been matched to the sensor design for exceptional resolution and clarity. The lens’s design incorporates three aspherical elements and its bright f/1.7 maximum aperture suits working in low-light conditions. Additionally, a macro setting permits working with subjects as close as 6.7″ away.
Complementing the imaging and optical assets, the Q2 remains an especially compact and intuitive camera, well-suited for street and travel photography. Its sleek magnesium alloy body is weather-sealed for working in trying environments and it has adopted the same battery featured in the flagship SL mirrorless camera for longer battery life. A high-resolution 3.68MP OLED electronic viewfinder is featured for fluid and clear eye-level monitoring and a rear 3.0″ 1.04m-dot touchscreen LCD also affords straightforward playback and settings control. Built-in Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi permit wireless sharing and remote camera control from a linked mobile device via the Leica FOTOS app.
Hi Steve, pls-pls spend some sentences in your upcoming Q2 review on RX1R II vs Q2…. Many of us still love the Sony for a lot of reasons, but the Q2 is really tempting. Although larger, 28mm (vs35), and currently almost double the price…. But is IQ and esp. autofocus so much better ? Thanks, as always.
For another post when it comes out, but since it’s mentioned here, what would be the reason for someone to purchase the SL2 over S1R paying 1,000USD or more (just a guess)?
For bokeh at any crop level, you’d have to go to someplace like Flickr to look at users’ actual photos, or have someone on this site submit examples for us. The whole crop move built into the camera always seems to be misunderstood or miss stated, even on sites that review the camera. The resolution of any sized image does not change with the crop. The jpg crop at 75mm has the same resolution as any other part of the full image created by the 28mm FF always saved in Raw. Any book on focal length will prove that a 50mm crop (and size) of a 28mm image is identical to what would have been taken on the same camera with a 50mm lens. You have to see this to accept it. So the greater depth of field apparent in the 28mm lens image (distances of say mountains further away than the eye sees) disappears when you crop it to the size of the 50mm lens or smaller, where depth or distances appear more like the eye sees, which is why many people prefer 50mm. So, even with film, you could aways get a 50mm perspective from a 24mm lens say by cropping the print. You don’t lose resolution, you only use print size. I’m talking about so-called native or original resolution of the film (FF or say median format which would be greater). But if you want to print that crop at a larger size than that you’d have to blow up the image which is the only thing that would reduce the resolution. So, the convenient cropping on the Leica Q only reduces the size of the native print you get. The 50mm crop size is smaller, of course. But if that print size is still greater than the 7 inch maximum usually required for magazine printing, then it doesn’t matter. If you still get an 8×10 print with the 50mm crop without blowing it up in PS, and that’s all you need, then that’s good enough. I once sent the 3 print sizes for native resolution of the 28, 35, and 50 crop from the original Q, and a the print sizes were amazingly large for all three. This feature of the Q is brilliant because it allows you not to just check the size of the image at each focal length, but actually see them on your screen and if used save them as a jpg as seen. Or you can do what you now do on any other camera, examine the FF image from the raw image and crop it manually down to the 35 or 50mm size and then look at the resulting dimensions in PS in the “image size” option. What should be obvious for someone who says that they normally work with 35mm lenses, is that when you might want to go wider or smaller, you can do it on this one, well designed camera instantly without carrying any other equipment, right down to a 75mm portrait. The larger sensor size allows you to effectively use that smaller size crop, and compared to the original Q, allows you to print larger in with native resolution at 50 and 35mm crops than on the Q1. My Epson printer only allow 13 x 19 inch prints, and the original Q1 never limited anything I wanted to print. In sum, it’s the print size that matters. The “50mm f/3.2 (yields a) 14.8mp” images only has any practical meaning if someone checks in photo shop how large the image/print would be at 300ppt printing. And so forth. In my opinion, the Q is one of the best complete cameras ever made, one you will easily meet the criteria of “best is the one you have with you at the time.” My main problem is the huge size of the new 47MP raw image in terms of storage space and perhaps processing speed in PS, after having already upgraded my computer to be able to use 18-24 MP raw images. Hope this helps. Trust me, if you read some of the new reviews of the Q2, which still haven’t tested the camera itself, you’ll still see reviewers saying that you lose resolution when you use the crop feature for jpgs. Same resolution in every part of the raw image, which is now huge, but smaller print sizes. It’s not a zoom feature, it’s just a crop tool built into the camera. A brilliant idea.
Rarely anyone prints these days. Most shoot for online use and most cameras are sold today to be used for filming reviews ; ) The Art and Craft of photography is dwindling away before our very eyes. The Q2 though still holds true to the Leica tradition while offering some modern benefits that are actually useful instead of gimmicks. I have one in hand now and it’s lovely. Though it is a fun frame sensor at 28mm, crop to 75 and you do lose resolution as you lose MP but the resolution in that part of the frame will be exactly the same as that portion of the frame in 28. So you are correct. You do not lose or gain any DOF. a 75mm crop will be giving you the DOF of a 28 1.7 lens. Not that of a 75. Yuo can not change the DOF as you are using a 28mm lens. It’s basically the same if you cropped the 28mm full frame file to fit a 75mm frame. Most these days though, do not print. Most of what is done today is for social media, or online groups, etc. Sure, some print, but the majority does not. At the end of the day this camera will give you a full frame sensor with a 28mm f.1.7 lens. Instead of cropping in your editing software you can do it in camera and see the frame lines for each crop making it easy to frame your image. I love the Q2 so far. Fantastic that they went to the SL battery, the EVF is beautiful, the AF is fast, it feels better in my hand than the old one, it has superb IQ and color and is simple, light, small and for me beats the CL or TL due to the sensor.
I want one. ; )
DoF does change with a crop. It does not change at the same rate as changing focal length (you get more DoF out of a crop), but since the permissible circle of confusion (CoC) needs to change with the crop and CoC is always a fraction of format size (Zeiss defines it as 1/1500 of the diagonal), and DoF is always in relation to CoC, the Dof is different (narrower). Dof is a perceptual quality of the observer, hence the need for a CoC in DoF.
Print size is not related to pixel resolution. So cropping does not affect print size. Professionally, I have made prints upto 165″ x 165″, so if there is some magical size, I have not gotten to it.
Thanks, Larry and Steve for the clarification re DOF. Steve is correct re how we “use” our photo products these days, i.e., we don’t all that often print pics anymore. In my case, at most I annually replace a few 13×19 prints of places visited around the world. But most of the time my pictures – I travel extensively and probably whittle down my annual collection to several thousand – are viewed on an iPhone, iPad, iMac or hi-res TV screen. And for that the Q2’s crop features, especially at 75mm, are a winner. And the water resistant feature will allow me to take my Q2 to snowy, windy, rainy Iceland in two weeks time.
I just handled the Q2 at the Bellevue WA Leica store and was highly impressed. If they hadn’t been sold out, I might have bought one then and there, even though I certainly don’t need another camera and have much better reasons to spend $5,500, including tax. It just looks, feels and operates so beautifully.
However, I don’t really know what use the in camera crop functions serve for a person like me who processes all my images, including cropping in both Lightroom and Photoshop CS. This in camera function would not be the reason for me to be attracted to the camera.
Steve,
Thank you again for the insights; this looks like a great choice!!
It is time for a Leica 28-35-50 / 4,0 TRI-Elmar-M compact FF weathersealed travel companion!
Looking forward to your upcoming review of the Q2! I’d be especially interested in seeing what the 35mm and 50mm crop modes look like when shooting portraits. Thanks!
I have it in hand now! Keep in mind the crops will be just like if you took the full 28mm file and cropped it yourself in your editing software. It just crops the image in camera. No change to DOF so the DOF will still be that of a 28 1.7.
Beautuful looking camera with versatility to crop for longer effective focal lengths. First Leica I would seriously consider. However, while I await your review, I’m going to be sensible and put small primes on my A7R3.
I was lucky enough to get a Q2 at the DC Leica Store on the release date. I’ve sent four out-of-the-camera pics to Steve in an email, maybe he will post them. The handheld pics in a quite dark setting of liquor bottles at a bar were taken at 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm. The results blew me away. Every shortcoming the Q had have been overcome with this major refresh. Kudos to Leica! I can’t wait to start some serious fun shooting with this gem!
Hi Steve,
Just a suggesting when you review it: can you compare a 35mm shot and a 50mm shot with a similar Leica glass on your SL to see the general rendering of a crop compared to a shot using all of the glass? And can you compare with a Fujifilm X100F if you still have it? That’s my one and only camera right now, and I love it! (The Leica Q is my “if one day I’m rich enough” fantasy)
By the way, not commenting often on your website, but thanks for all the good work all these year!
Will not even begin to look the same. A 50mm on the SL will give you a true 50mm perspective and DOF. A 50mm crop on the Q2 will give you a crop of a 28mm file. So it will have 28mm DOF. I no longer have a Fuji X100F. I will give an example though, for sure! Thank you.
Because no one asked, here are the equivalences:
28mm f/1.7 47.3mp
35mm f/2.3 30.2mp
50mm f/3.2 14.8mp
75mm f/4.5 6.6mp
Another way to look at it:
The 35mm crop is roughly the same as a 23mm f/1.4 on a 30mp APSC camera.
The 50mm crop is roughly the same as a 25mm f/1.4 on a 15mp μ43 camera.
How do you calculate this? Was curious about this. I suspected the 35mm to be more like f2.7.
Hi Steve,
This is a “reply” you don’t have to post as I have some questions you might not be able to post. In the past I have purchased all of my Leica gear from Ken. I still would like to continue to purchase from Ken (he is exceptional). I contacted him in late January and he was still recovering. My question for you is: how is he doing, and can I still purchase from him? I don’t want to interrupt his recovery, but I would like to give him the business if he is back selling. Your insight is greatly appreciated. You can contact me at my gmail address: jerry.vanzee.15321@gmail.com
Thank you my friend,
Jerry
At this time (March 2019) Ken is not working, he is back in the Hospital from the last I heard from him, about a week ago.
Hey Steve,
We are definitely looking forward to your review!! I like your comment regarding the Q2 being a great complement to the SL. Question: who are you getting the Q2 from?
Yes, finally! 35mm at 30mp as a standard setting and the option to go 28, or 50 when the mood takes me, makes this VERY interesting. For the first time I’ll have to consider a Q purchase. I also think Leica is doing exactly the right thing by standardizing design, Same battery as SL. Great! Same lockable diopter adjustment and three button configuration like the CL. Excellent and the icing on the cake? Weatherproofing!
This is great stuff!
It will be interesting in your full review to see how the character and IQ holds up in crop modes. Personally I have been disappointed in using full frame lenses on APSC cameras effectively cropping a piece out of how the lens was fully intended to convey an image and with all the complexities, character, and even vignetting inherent with this. Cropped images will definitely be sharp, but some of the wonderful sharp to out of focus transitions and depth can be completely lost and a touch boring.
The new Q looks impressive and dynamic range has apparently been drastically improved upon form the original Q. I read somewhere that Leica is using a Sony sensor in the Q2 which would make sense. This may be my very first Leica camera 😉
Yes I agree, it looks like a fantastic camera!
Panasonic sensor. Same one used in the S1R and probably upcoming SL.
I prefer 35mm over 28mm. The 30 megapixel crop at 35mm makes this interesting but how would the actual image compare to say a Sony RX1 35mm f2.0? I do care about having more bokeh/background blur.
Would the Sony RX1R 35mm at f2.0 have more background blur than the 35mm crop of the Leica Q2 28mm at f1.7 with the same proportional framing? The Leica image would need to be taken a step back to achieve the same field of view with crop or taken a step forward without crop. Stepping in with the 28mm at f1.7 would surely create more blur but taking a step back and cropping wouldn’t? I still can’t get my head around what achieves more bokeh.
Yes the Sony would have slightly more blur and subject isolation due to the longer focal length. It’s f/2 not f/1.7 but even so, would be slightly more. The crop will not add more blur or act like a 35mm lens, just cropped to that focal length equivalent. Even at 75mm you will still have the DOF of a 28 1.7
Thanks for the reply Steve! Looking forward to your reviews and pictures. Your insights are always the best.
Thank YOU!
We can do a rough calculation for that! The Q in 35mm crop mode will have slightly more DOF than the RX1. Let’s assume you’re five feet away from the subject. Here are the results, based on an online DOF calculator:
RX1 total DOF: 0.73′
Q total DOF: 0.74′
I used this tool:
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
I used the M8+28mm as a stand-in for the Q, and the M9+35mm as a stand-in for the RX1.
I used another tool to get similar results. Firstly, the tool:
https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm
I had to convert feet to metres (5′ is roughly 1.5m), but here are the results:
RX1 total DOF: 0.23m = 0.75′
Q total DOF: 0.26m = 0.85′
(NB: I had to use f/1.8 for the Q, as there was no option for f/1.7)
You will have a 28mm f/1.7 lens on a smaller format. While it won’t be the same as a 75mm at f/1.7 on 35mm, it will be different than the uncropped 28mm. Basically, the magnification of the viewed display image will be different, giving a change in DoF. DoF scales are format dependent, so cropping an image will change DoF. Or to put it another way, the crop will change the definition of the permissible circle of confusion (CoC) resulting in narrower DoF. I will be interested in your review on how significant that will be.
From my personal experience I’d prefer the color, micro-contrast and image quality of a Leica lens over Sony any day.
I prefer Sony for audio and Leica for picture taking!
Why 47mp ? Surely it doesn’t need it with that lens on it. 24mp is the sweet spot no?
Due to the 35, 50 and 75mm crop modes. This gives enough resolution (and you can shoot these modes in RAW as well) to have usable images at any of these focal length simulations.
Steve hit the proverbial nail on the head. I was never interested in the original Q because I am not a huge 28mm fan, and 35mm crop mode was too low of a resolution. Now with this 47mp sensor you can still get 30mp images in 35mm crop mode…perfect! This gives the camera much more flexibility when you are living with just one focal length.
I’ve read elsewhere that the crop modes generate the uncropped image in RAW and the cropped image simultaneously in JPEG – might be worth a clarification, especially since some early reports are querying the quality of the JPEG out of the camera. (Comment from a very happy Leica Q1 user).
So your cropped image will be in JPG mode. In raw mode the crop will show up in LR but you can always click on the crop tool and undo the crop mode and make it full frame again.
That’s exactly what fuji does with aspect ratios but sony on the other hand, when you shoot RAW in crop mode, you get APS-C raw file, it’s good and bad.
OK – many thanks
I would be very surprised if Lightroom reads the DNG file as you describe and show the cropped image that you can de-crop afterwards. I expect Lightroom to force you to re-crop your DNG images. Anayway I can´t see the appeal in cropping in the camera. I hope that they get the JPEGs right with firmware updates. For 28mm users this functionality seems useless to me. I personally would not use it at all.
Enough res for sure – but the lens was likely optimized for 28 in its rendering qualities.
BUT – you get a world class 28mm experience and probably a damn good 35, 50, 75
“No perfect camera…”
But this one sure offers a lot
If there were a Q with a fixed 50, I’d buy that for sure…even if there were no crop settings
24mp would be fine for me
David ,some of us want to use a 35 most of the time. If Leica had made the camera with a 35 at 24mp it would be great but that’s the only option you would have. This way, you also get the option to use the camera at 28 with more resolving power and at 50 with still enough. It’s an intelligent strategy form Leica which gives more versatility without any image compromise in at least two ‘focal lenghts’ and suits more photographers.
Not sure if true because the 50mm and 75mm is not even APS-C. So there is no FF quality except for the 28mm FL. My wish was a Leica Q with e fixed 40mm lens. 40mm is the most universal FL IMHO.
Actually 43mm is the true normal