Q for dad taking candid photos of little kids.....

[MCJ]

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I am a total amateur and have been using a DSLR with a 50 prime and a 28-200 telephoto for many years.  SInce I had kids a few years ago, the rather large and heavy DSLR has spent most of its time in my closet - where it takes terrible photos -- so I set out to find a good compact camera.  The internet quickly led me to the Leica Q.  Wow, sticker shock initially led me to say NFW!!  After a few weeks of looking around and thinking, I have come full circle to the Leica Q and am about to buy one.  BUT, I am curious what folks think about the 28mm prime for my main purpose, which is to take candid pictures of my kids, who are young, fast moving and highly uncooperative when they see a camera.  I realize that the 28 will require me to get in closer than I might want to given my kids propensity to look away when they see the camera (which maybe means I am supposed to get something with a little zoom), but if I move to a longer focal length camera, I quickly move away from all the benefits that come along with the Q for a person like me.   is the 28mm prime going to frustrate me considering my primary subjects (the kids....)?

 

[bags27]

As much as I love my Q, it's not the first camera I'd think of if I had that purpose in mind. You don't have to get as close to the subject as you might think, because it crops quite well. But there is the question of cropping, and with a 28 (actually closer to 26.5) lens, there will be distorting of straight lines in the corners that might need adjusting. Well, that's a lot of extra work for a father of young children. But if you can live with that, I can attest that it's an incredible camera.

The CL with the basic zoom is going to cost about the same and, while the IQ of the half sensor is not quite as good to the professional eye (which doesn't include me), it's a terrific camera, too. And one of Leica's compact cameras with attached zoom will give you a lot of that dreamy, Leica look at a much, much cheaper price, and with telephoto lenses cropping won't be much of an issue: D-lux 7 or D-LUX, which, because of the former, is now on sale: https://www.adorama.com/l/?searchinfo=leica d-lux (type 109)&utm_source=rflaid63773 Lumix produces nearly the same for a bit less. (Or to be exact: Lumix produces most of the camera, Leica takes credit).

Congratulations and best wishes on your young family!!!

Edited January 16, 2019 by bags27

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[SonomaBear]

My Q is my primary camera for family gatherings and most other events.  My other gear goes with me for photo journeys and all special needs but the Q does everything.

When shooting kids/grandkids I often set the digital zoom to 50mm and fire away.  Later, in Lightroom, the RAW image (I rarely use JPEG especially at 50mm) contains all of the sensor's data -- fast moving kids, being hard to compose, are centered when moving the crop!  

Best of all worlds: 50mm gives proper perspective for kid shots; being able to recrop means fewer throw-aways; image quality of a 50mm crop is great (yes, only 8meg but using the middle of the Summilux is fantastic).

Just keep the shutter speed at 1/125 or faster to avoid blurry kids.  The IQ at higher ISOs is very good.  Also, I usually shoot f/1.7 ... lots of light for kid shots.

Also, the Q is nearly silent and unobtrusive.  My EOS R is super with 30 meg ands great glass BUT being larger than Q means it is very noticeable.

Stealth, quality, heavenly post-production -- many more great pictures.

Edited January 16, 2019 by SonomaBear

[wda]

I agree with Post 3. The Q could work well for you. Set focus mode to Face Recognition when shooting children and store as a User Profile. 

You might find this link useful http://macfilos.com/photo/2018/11/13/leica-q-28mm-focal-length-as-all-rounder?rq=Leica q 

[Siriusone59]

There must be other reasons that you're considering the Q than taking photos of the kids...but if that's what it takes to justify the purchase then by all means, go for it. You won't be disappointed.

The 28mm will work fine especially if your subjects are somewhat uncooperative and like to scatter about the room. You can always crop the photo later and it will still make a super 8x10" or larger print. 

The camera is very quiet and the auto focus fast which will be a plus for maintaining stealth...oh, and that 1.7 lens will work great even without using a flash.

There are many more reasons that I'm certain others here will mention but the main thing about the Q is that it will renew your interest in photography and you'll use it more.  I know that from experience as I also have several others gathering dust while the Q is what I use.

The only downside I can imagine is if your kids decide that your new camera could be made into an airplane.... that might send a Leica owner to the hospital.😱

[MCJ]

What a great forum!  Thank for all the tips and thoughts, everyone.  I thought the comments might be a little more steering me away from the Q, but so far the opposite is true.  @Siriusone59, what better reason than my kids do I need to want great pictures?  There is no picture I care about more than the ones I take of them.  That said, as you said, I do very much hope that this camera will allow me to spend more time taking pictures again, reigniting my interest in photography.  Truth be told, my interest never really went away.  I just couldn't lug the camera anymore so the activity went away.  When I look back at photos I took with my DSLR and compare them with photos on my iPhone, the difference is incredibly obvious (especially in low light!.....not to mention the ones I miss completely) and I decided I cannot document their childhood and the life of our family with just an iPhone any longer.  I am giving the kids some old point and shoots I have laying around in the hopes they never turn the Q into an airplane!!!  :)-   

[Siriusone59]

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3 hours ago, MCJ said:

What a great forum!  Thank for all the tips and thoughts, everyone.  I thought the comments might be a little more steering me away from the Q, but so far the opposite is true.  @Siriusone59, what better reason than my kids do I need to want great pictures?  There is no picture I care about more than the ones I take of them.  That said, as you said, I do very much hope that this camera will allow me to spend more time taking pictures again, reigniting my interest in photography.  Truth be told, my interest never really went away.  I just couldn't lug the camera anymore so the activity went away.  When I look back at photos I took with my DSLR and compare them with photos on my iPhone, the difference is incredibly obvious (especially in low light!.....not to mention the ones I miss completely) and I decided I cannot document their childhood and the life of our family with just an iPhone any longer.  I am giving the kids some old point and shoots I have laying around in the hopes they never turn the Q into an airplane!!!  :)-   

You don't need any better reason, that's for certain.... I just had to state that because you initially were turned off by the price, but like most of us here, you came "full circle" to the Q.  You've already made the decision and you'll find little opposition and a lot of encouragement on this forum. 

Sometimes I ask myself just why I had to have this camera? It is a sort of obsession I suppose, especially when I already have enough cameras and glass to open a shop. But like I said before, this one gets used and I enjoy taking it with me.  It's relatively simple without too many buttons and performs without a lot of effort on my part. Kind of reminds me of my old F2 where I only needed to remember the sunny16 rule and to focus and frame.

So, what brought you back to this Q obsession after the sticker shock?

[MCJ]

10 minutes ago, Siriusone59 said:

You don't need any better reason, that's for certain.... I just had to state that because you initially were turned off by the price, but like most of us here, you came "full circle" to the Q.  You've already made the decision and you'll find little opposition and a lot of encouragement on this forum. 

Sometimes I ask myself just why I had to have this camera? It is a sort of obsession I suppose, especially when I already have enough cameras and glass to open a shop. But like I said before, this one gets used and I enjoy taking it with me.  It's relatively simple without too many buttons and performs without a lot of effort on my part. Kind of reminds me of my old F2 where I only needed to remember the sunny16 rule and to focus and frame.

So, what brought you back to this Q obsession after the sticker shock?

If I am being honest, I was probably coming to this forum to hopefully convince myself to buy it rather than to objectively investigate, which is why “you’ve already made the decision.....” was spot on. Basically, if nobody jumped up and down and said  “this is silly” I was probably going to go ahead.  Basically, a final gut check before spending more on a compact camera (or maybe camera period) than I ever thought I would.  A friend of mine, who is a pro photographer, insisted that me buying a Leica (of any sort) was a waste of my money because he accurately views me as a rather novice photographer.  He said, and I quote,  “What do you need a Leica for?  You have a perfectly good DSLR with multiple lenses.  Put the money in your kid’s 529 and learn more about how to use your Camera,” which I think sort of misses the point about the Leica Q, what attracted me to it and what I dislike about my big old DSLR kit.  Larger more versatile kits have a place in the world, just not in my world.  I am not knocking anyone else’s needs for work or pleasure, or both.  I just needed something smaller.  

What brought me back to the Leica after the initial sticker shock, was that almost everything I have learned/read about the Leica Q (and what I experienced myself when I held it in my own hands) was that the camera is simple to use, manipulate and takes beautiful photos, limited only by your skills as a photographer.  I readily accept that I might not make pictures as well as the next guy, but I dont like when I cant make pictures as well as someone with the same camera because I dont have the time or inclination to learn how to i use a million buttons with multi layered menus that are confusing and distract from the fun of photography.  I learned photography on a 35mm 100% manual film Nikkormat when I was in college (digital was not permitted in the course) and that was a fun camera to play with, to learn on.  By contrast, my DSLR (which by every measure, except being enjoyable to me, is a better camera than my old Nikkormat) was a complete chore to use.  It sucked the fun out of picking up the camera for me.  It also looked absurd when I was in small social gatherings with friends and family.  Add a flash on top, and I was attracting way too much attention.  That said, I sort of believed for a long time that the only way to take great photos was with a large, complex body with a multi lens kit and that compacts of any sort were just point and shoots on par with my iPhone.  I now know I was wrong.  I understand that the Q has limitations and that it cannot replace some of the awesome DSLR/mirrorless camera kits out there, but that just isn’t for me and I accept the trade off.

After missing so many pictures of my kids in so many situations, or actually catching the picture, but it being pixelated when viewed any larger than my iPhone screen, I said to myself there must be a high end compact camera market out there.   And it didnt take long for me to see that my guess was correct.  I literally had no idea.  And once you head down that path, it doesn’t take long to find the Q.  When I found the Q, and read about it, like I read seemingly EVERYTHING ever written about it, it was review after review that was saying exactly what I was looking for:  “easy to use”, “lets you make pictures and gets out of your way”, “unobtrusive”, “fun to use”, “makes me want to take pictures,” “a great walking camera, fits in a backpack,” “works well in low light” etc etc etc.  It just seemed like the answer to all my gripes about my large and heavy kit.  I tried really hard to like the competitors to the Leica Q, since they were cheaper, and I surveyed them all, but I could not make myself as excited about the Q as I am, and so I decided to take the plunge.  

I think I am going to buy it tomorrow morning.  On the other hand, I said that to myself yesterday morning, but I mean it this time!!  :-).  

[Siriusone59]

Wow. You've put into words exactly what I believe a great many of us have felt about the purchase of a Q. It is a unique animal. Your friend will be jealous after you start using it and he sees how much fun you're having.

It won't be what you "need" for every occasion, like when the kids are in sporting events or on stage, but it will take many more shots for you than the DSLR that has become a chore to pack around.  And isn't that what it's all about, using the camera to take great pictures?

Thanks for taking time to post your thoughts, I believe you'll encourage others as you've reinforced the choices most of us have already made.

You're gonna love that camera.

[colonel]

Good question. Fast shutter speed or jumping on a bus on the way to school ?

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[ropo54]

The Q affords great flexibility for you to move around, as they do.  It will do quite nicely in low light situations. You have the options to extend lens to 35mm and 50mm with loss of mp.  

For more fixed portraits, you might might to keep them to the center of the frame and people towards the side and sometimes have their features elongated.

The Q fires shots effortless and is an all around fabulous choice!  Good luck. Rob

[evikne]

13 hours ago, Siriusone59 said:

The only downside I can imagine is if your kids decide that your new camera could be made into an airplane.... that might send a Leica owner to the hospital.😱

One day one of my small kids came to me with a nearly 5000 USD Leica lens in her hand and asked: "Daddy, what's this?" I almost got a heart attack. 😬

[jaapv]

9 hours ago, MCJ said:

If I am being honest, I was probably coming to this forum to hopefully convince myself to buy it rather than to objectively investigate, which is why “you’ve already made the decision.....” was spot on. Basically, if nobody jumped up and down and said  “this is silly” I was probably going to go ahead.  Basically, a final gut check before spending more on a compact camera (or maybe camera period) than I ever thought I would.  A friend of mine, who is a pro photographer, insisted that me buying a Leica (of any sort) was a waste of my money because he accurately views me as a rather novice photographer.  He said, and I quote,  “What do you need a Leica for?  You have a perfectly good DSLR with multiple lenses.  Put the money in your kid’s 529 and learn more about how to use your Camera,” which I think sort of misses the point about the Leica Q, what attracted me to it and what I dislike about my big old DSLR kit.  Larger more versatile kits have a place in the world, just not in my world.  I am not knocking anyone else’s needs for work or pleasure, or both.  I just needed something smaller.  

What brought me back to the Leica after the initial sticker shock, was that almost everything I have learned/read about the Leica Q (and what I experienced myself when I held it in my own hands) was that the camera is simple to use, manipulate and takes beautiful photos, limited only by your skills as a photographer.  I readily accept that I might not make pictures as well as the next guy, but I dont like when I cant make pictures as well as someone with the same camera because I dont have the time or inclination to learn how to i use a million buttons with multi layered menus that are confusing and distract from the fun of photography.  I learned photography on a 35mm 100% manual film Nikkormat when I was in college (digital was not permitted in the course) and that was a fun camera to play with, to learn on.  By contrast, my DSLR (which by every measure, except being enjoyable to me, is a better camera than my old Nikkormat) was a complete chore to use.  It sucked the fun out of picking up the camera for me.  It also looked absurd when I was in small social gatherings with friends and family.  Add a flash on top, and I was attracting way too much attention.  That said, I sort of believed for a long time that the only way to take great photos was with a large, complex body with a multi lens kit and that compacts of any sort were just point and shoots on par with my iPhone.  I now know I was wrong.  I understand that the Q has limitations and that it cannot replace some of the awesome DSLR/mirrorless camera kits out there, but that just isn’t for me and I accept the trade off.

After missing so many pictures of my kids in so many situations, or actually catching the picture, but it being pixelated when viewed any larger than my iPhone screen, I said to myself there must be a high end compact camera market out there.   And it didnt take long for me to see that my guess was correct.  I literally had no idea.  And once you head down that path, it doesn’t take long to find the Q.  When I found the Q, and read about it, like I read seemingly EVERYTHING ever written about it, it was review after review that was saying exactly what I was looking for:  “easy to use”, “lets you make pictures and gets out of your way”, “unobtrusive”, “fun to use”, “makes me want to take pictures,” “a great walking camera, fits in a backpack,” “works well in low light” etc etc etc.  It just seemed like the answer to all my gripes about my large and heavy kit.  I tried really hard to like the competitors to the Leica Q, since they were cheaper, and I surveyed them all, but I could not make myself as excited about the Q as I am, and so I decided to take the plunge.  

I think I am going to buy it tomorrow morning.  On the other hand, I said that to myself yesterday morning, but I mean it this time!!  :-).  

The word gateway drug has been used . I see a CL companion in the future with a 55-135 in the future to cover the fun in the park, sports and hobby of the kids

[stuny]

For the first shot below I just settled into a chair across the narrow room from where kids were unwrapping their holiday presents.  The fast lens, big sensor, and unobtrusive camera let me get this low light shot and others without attracting the attention of the kids - And I could crop it down to this.  In the second photo this professional photographer's model didn't think I took the photo yet because it was so quiet - As a shooter you'll hear it, but at one meter or more distance from the camera it's unlikely anyone will hear it.

Best of luck with your Q, and show us your photos in the photo sections of the forum.

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[colonel]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

The word gateway drug has been used . I see a CL companion in the future with a 55-135 in the future to cover the fun in the park, sports and hobby of the kids

you got 1/3 of the way through the post without mentioning the CL, well done 

I have to say the silver CL has me pining again, but as this as Q thread, at 28mm FF or equiv IMHO the Q has no equal in any camera system, and as a compact FF system no equal

[jaapv]

Yes, I do like the little machine, don't I

[MCJ]

7 hours ago, colonel said:

Good question. Fast shutter speed or jumping on a bus on the way to school ?

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Great demonstration of what I cannot possibly do right now with my phone and a really nice, warm image of this little guy.

[MCJ]

1 hour ago, stuny said:

For the first shot below I just settled into a chair across the narrow room from where kids were unwrapping their holiday presents.  The fast lens, big sensor, and unobtrusive camera let me get this low light shot and others without attracting the attention of the kids - And I could crop it down to this.  In the second photo this professional photographer's model didn't think I took the photo yet because it was so quiet - As a shooter you'll hear it, but at one meter or more distance from the camera it's unlikely anyone will hear it.

Best of luck with your Q, and show us your photos in the photo sections of the forum.

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just wow!  really nice.  I. Am. Sold.  Now all I have to do is become a good photographer, and I am all set!  🙂

[MCJ]

3 hours ago, jaapv said:

The word gateway drug has been used . I see a CL companion in the future with a 55-135 in the future to cover the fun in the park, sports and hobby of the kids

Doh!  Baby steps.  For now I am going to stick with my DSLR kit for sports or stage events, but I bet it wont be hard to talk me into this one day.  this made me laugh.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[T00m]

Q is the perfect match for any party, b2gether, family, low-light, kids (also the smaller ones ;))

 

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