Test: the Leica Q2, the luxurious full-frame performer
A body with a sober and elegant design. Very close to the big brother, the Leica Q released 4 years ago. With many technological innovations inside. Leica releases its full format Q2 to continue the commercial success of the previous model.
The fixed 28mm lens is retained with an f/1.7 aperture. The resolution of this model almost doubles, from 24.2 to 47.3 million pixels. The touch screen goes up in range, forsaking the LCD to prefer the Oled for better contrasts. The menus are very easy to use and well thought out, both in touch and with the dedicated keys.
“Cropping” the images
Above all, thanks to the higher resolution, the manufacturer of Wetzlar allows himself to introduce a mode to “cross” the image. Thus different frames can be positioned as desired on the screen to see before taking pictures, the selected area retained. This is equivalent to cropping to a 35mm, 50mm and 75mm lens as desired.
The sensitivity of the Q2 is slightly higher than the previous model from 100 – 50,000 to 50 – 50,000. The video capture is improved on the Q2. The quality goes from full HD to 4K. The mode of taking photos in cascade is similar to that of the Q, namely ten photos maximum.
The Q2 gains in resistance against external aggression, earning the IP52 certification, ensuring its robustness against dust and water projections. The battery gains it in power. It was 1,200 mAh on the Q, it is now 1,860 mAh for the Q2. Leica announces an autonomy of 350 photos in full format.
The actual price
Leica also improves the battery recharge time. The brand claims that it takes only one hour to recharge 80% of it, the total charge taking 3 hours.
Level connectivity, the Q2 gains the bluetooth in addition to the Wi-fi that already had the previous Q. The camera can easily transfer the photos taken on your smartphone via the application Leifa fotos. Practical to publish them quickly on social networks.
The Q2 camera from Leica perfectly expresses its capabilities for street photography or when capturing landscapes. Remains a price still elitist for the camera of the German high-end brand. Slightly under 5,000 dollars, 4,790 dollars to be precise, the Q2 remains a status object at the price of a luxury item.
