To Q2 (Daniel Craig) or not

[Mahesh]

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I’m actually quite tempted by this and have placed an order, fearing it might be out of stock. I also have an M240 and the new elmarit 28. I love the character that elmarit has, very contrasty and sharp not to mention the tiny size. Has anyone got both a Q/Q2 (edition immaterial) and the elmarit and mind sharing any thoughts? It is just an open question as there are obvious differences between the two- aperture, size, ability to change lenses than a crop, but also ease of cropping with Q, etc. Thank you.

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[jaapv]

Disregarding the price difference I would have gone for the M10R and slapped the beloved Elmarit on.

[Cabosdad]

I have one on it’s way here.  I don’t like the looks,  but I rented a Q2 fell in love. I searched everywhere I could think of and didn’t find the standard q2. I would have waited for regular q2, but I am in mourning my wife and I have to get out there and shoot. Shooting the rental gave me some joy where there is precious little joy. I will lose a lot of money, but I need a reason to get out of bed. I have had many cameras in the past, but the q2 just feels special. 

[vedivv]

On 4/27/2021 at 11:47 AM, Cabosdad said:

I have one on it’s way here.  I don’t like the looks,  but I rented a Q2 fell in love. I searched everywhere I could think of and didn’t find the standard q2. I would have waited for regular q2, but I am in mourning my wife and I have to get out there and shoot. Shooting the rental gave me some joy where there is precious little joy. I will lose a lot of money, but I need a reason to get out of bed. I have had many cameras in the past, but the q2 just feels special. 

Actually not necessarily a more expensive decision if you decide to sell it later, as used limited edition Leica camera often fetch pretty good price.

[Herr Barnack]

On 3/1/2021 at 6:47 AM, Mahesh said:

I’m actually quite tempted by this and have placed an order, fearing it might be out of stock. I also have an M240 and the new elmarit 28. I love the character that elmarit has, very contrasty and sharp not to mention the tiny size. Has anyone got both a Q/Q2 (edition immaterial) and the elmarit and mind sharing any thoughts? It is just an open question as there are obvious differences between the two- aperture, size, ability to change lenses than a crop, but also ease of cropping with Q, etc. Thank you.

I have the Q2 and the Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH #11677 which I use on my M-P 240 and M10 Monochrom.  Both the 28mm f/1.7 ASPH on the Q2 and the Elmarit 28mm are outstanding lenses - but they are two different lenses, each with its own distinctive fingerprint. 

My thoughts on the 28mm Elmarit are that it excels at street photography when using hyperfocal focus at f/11 and when shooting landscapes at f/8 and smaller apertures to endless produce depth of field - and as an all around 28.  The 28mm Elmarit can bokeh too, though when shot at close quarters at f/2.8 and is still a strong performer wide open.  I think of the 28mm Elmarit as an outstanding all around 28mm optic. 

The 28mm f/1.7 ASPH Summilux on the Q and Q2 is an altogether different lens.  The maximum aperture of f/1.7 produces a totally different fingerprint with a totally different bokeh rendering.  The fact that the Q2's 28mm Summilux has macro capability is a game changer - it makes images that are not possible with the 28mm Elmarit.  For the 28mm focal length enthusiast, the two lenses together give the user a wide range of capability that neither lens alone can produce. 

Using the Q2 for 18 months now has made me want a copy of the 28mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH  #11668 for my M cameras even more than I did to begin with.  IMHO over the decades, Leica has figured out how to instill magic in its lenses in the 28mm, 35mm and 50mm focal lengths in particular.  If I have a 28, a 35 and a 50, I can cover 90% or more of my image making needs in terms of lenses, regardless of maximum aperture. 

That still does not keep me from wanting one of each in each focal length, though.  Different tools each have their own strengths and do different things in different ways; M lenses are no different.

Edited May 2, 2021 by Herr Barnack