Sell Q2 for 28mm Summilux or Summicron?

[Kwesi]

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Sell the Q2, get the 28 lux and later on dump Ricoh for a color M

[Steven]

19 hours ago, pmendelson said:

28mm is my preferred focal length.  I have a new M10R on the way with a 21mm SEM and 50mm Summilux, and already have the Q2, as well as the Ricoh GRIII (and iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is pretty good for very casual shooting at the 28mm focal length).  While the Q2 is a great tool, the 28mm Lux or Summicron on the M10R seem to be calling my name (I very briefly owned the 28mm Lux with a M10 - yes, I made the mistake of selling my M lenses and regret it).   

Without rehashing all the pros and cons of the Q2, I am thinking that since I already have the very capable Ricoh GRIII for auto-focus, portability and excellent files at the 28mm focal length (although on a crop sensor at f/2.8), perhaps I sell the Q2 and get the 28mm Summicron or Summilux instead.  I don't love the sensor on the Q2 at higher ISOs (noise and DR), and am looking for the same or better wonderful Leica 3D look to the files that I get with the 50 Lux.  

The Summicron is obviously a lot more affordable, and by most accounts is an amazing lens and is nice and small.  But I don't want to get the Summicron and start wondering if I should have sucked it up and gotten the Summilux for a little more magic wide open... 

Any thoughts to help push me one way or the other are appreciated!

Thanks

Peter

I had a Q2 twice. While I loved the camera and the way it rendered images, I never accepted inside me to have such poor AF performance on such an expensive camera, so it led me to sell it twice. 

Missing the the 28 focal length, I bought the 28 Lux and discovered one of my favourite lenses of all times. I love it on film, I love it on my M10R, but where I use it the most in on my SL2S. It rendered very differently to the Q2, and in my opinion it's much nicer. At 1.4, it creates a sort of cinematic atmosphere that is very different from the hyper realistic 3D pop look of the Q2. I always say that it's my only modern lens that has as much character as my vintage lenses. I just love how it paints wide open. The images capture light like a movie. 

To fill the gap with my Q2, I also bought the Ricoh GRIII which never ceases to amaze me. I find the AF to be better than the Q2. In terms of images, I think that for street photography, in 80% of the situations, a non trained eye will not tell the difference between the two. Where the Q2 shines over the Ricoh is for portraits, and close range people shot. But the Ricoh still takes nice photos. I also find the Ricoh to be an excellent camera for Black and White conversions. I never miss my Q2, although I think it's a superb camera. 

I usually tell people who ask advice on lenses that it's a subjective decision, but when it comes to the Lux 28, unless you are uncomfortable with it's big size (relatively speaking. On an M, it feel big, but on an SL, it's just perfect), I don't think that you can not love it. You can only fall in love with this lens, and I confidently recommend it to you. 

As someone else said, you will thank us later. Enjoy. 

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[RoySmith]

18 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Absolutely get the 28 lux. Thank me later.

I’ll second that. 
The 28 lux is a unique lens. It will be perfect on your M10R.

(I have the 28 lux M and the Q2)

[Steven]

15 hours ago, pmendelson said:

Yes, I have made some larger prints with the GRIII and they were surprisingly good. I also got the wide angle adapter for the Ricoh - something you can't do with the Q2....

Are you happy with it ? Does it affect IQ ? 

[pmendelson]

2 minutes ago, Steven said:

Are you happy with it ? Does it affect IQ ? 

TBH I haven't used it in a long time but my recollection was that it didn't noticeable impact quality.  Attached is a shot from the GRIII I have printed large and it came out great (just to get off track a bit, although it is relevant to the question of giving up the Q2)...

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[Ouroboros]

A 28mm summicron or summilux will still be a good lens for decades after the last Q2 has been incinerated.  

[fotografr]

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I had the 28 lux and loved how it rendered but the bulk and weight finally got to me. I sold it and replaced it with a Q2, which I really like. What it came down to for me was the question of whether there was enough difference in IQ to justify the inconvenience. The Q2 is a camera I can comfortably carry whenever I go out, whereas taking the M10 and 28 lux had to be a very deliberate decision. 

[fotografr]

2 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

A 28mm summicron or summilux will still be a good lens for decades after the last Q2 has been incinerated.  

Nope. They will both become obsolete with the introduction of the APO 28 Noctilux. 😉

[Ouroboros]

1 minute ago, fotografr said:

Nope. They will both become obsolete with the introduction of the APO 28 Noctilux. 😉

Nope. Those lenses will still be working, still usable and still good.  

 

[fotografr]

29 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Nope. Those lenses will still be working, still usable and still good.  

 

You did see the "wink," right?

[hdmesa]

I hope we get a 28 Lux that close-focuses to 30cm sooner rather than later. That's the one thing that keeps me using the Q series instead of trading them for a 28 M Lux. I know I can get a macro helicoid adapter for use on the SL cameras but 1) I don't own an SL, and 2) I want that 30cm on the M. Probably before we get the updated 28 Lux, we'll get a CV 28 1.4 that goes to 50cm.

[CosmoM3]

9 hours ago, fotografr said:

I had the 28 lux and loved how it rendered but the bulk and weight finally got to me. I sold it and replaced it with a Q2, which I really like. What it came down to for me was the question of whether there was enough difference in IQ to justify the inconvenience. The Q2 is a camera I can comfortably carry whenever I go out, whereas taking the M10 and 28 lux had to be a very deliberate decision. 

My sentiments exactly

[Kwesi]

23 hours ago, Kwesi said:

Sell the Q2, get the 28 lux and later on dump Ricoh for a color M

Oops! terrible advice from me. for some reason I thought you had an M10-M.

Still though, definitely get the lux and keep the GR

[Fedro]

I bought and sold the Q2 - I found the 28 lux superior in all aspects apart from macro

I also have the cron which I love for different reasons. 28 is my favourite focal length so I feel I can justify it

Q2 was great but for the price I could not out up with paint chipping off, AF performance and size of the files for my use was too large

I have not bought the GR (although I had the first version they did) but may buy one at some point

Edited May 2, 2021 by Fedro

[archiea]

get the 28mm safari summicron.... optically the same but it has a retractable hood like the 50 Summilux, and those crazy Christmas safari colors.. only 500 made! 

[SJH]

On 5/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Steven said:

I had a Q2 twice. While I loved the camera and the way it rendered images, I never accepted inside me to have such poor AF performance on such an expensive camera, so it led me to sell it twice. 

Missing the the 28 focal length, I bought the 28 Lux and discovered one of my favourite lenses of all times. I love it on film, I love it on my M10R, but where I use it the most in on my SL2S. It rendered very differently to the Q2, and in my opinion it's much nicer. At 1.4, it creates a sort of cinematic atmosphere that is very different from the hyper realistic 3D pop look of the Q2. I always say that it's my only modern lens that has as much character as my vintage lenses. I just love how it paints wide open. The images capture light like a movie. 

To fill the gap with my Q2, I also bought the Ricoh GRIII which never ceases to amaze me. I find the AF to be better than the Q2. In terms of images, I think that for street photography, in 80% of the situations, a non trained eye will not tell the difference between the two. Where the Q2 shines over the Ricoh is for portraits, and close range people shot. But the Ricoh still takes nice photos. I also find the Ricoh to be an excellent camera for Black and White conversions. I never miss my Q2, although I think it's a superb camera. 

I usually tell people who ask advice on lenses that it's a subjective decision, but when it comes to the Lux 28, unless you are uncomfortable with it's big size (relatively speaking. On an M, it feel big, but on an SL, it's just perfect), I don't think that you can not love it. You can only fall in love with this lens, and I confidently recommend it to you. 

As someone else said, you will thank us later. Enjoy. 

For me I did the same, short answer I had a Q and a Q2 but sold both and have a GRIII to add to my M10R, M10M, MP and SL2-S/SL2. Why? - well the Q2 was an unhappy middle ground, not really a compact camera to go in a coat pocket, why not just take the SL’s with the 35mm APO as a better all round camera and not much bigger and when wanting to slow down well that’s the M’s (with say the 28mm Summilux etc). Best pocket camera for when shooting isn’t the priority, well that’s the GRIII. I’d say 85% the IQ of a Q2 but you’ll use it far more and you can take it along with an M with the 28mm 1.4 without even noticing if you want  

To me the Q2 is the weakest point in the Leica system because it just too big to be a compact compared to the GRIII and say an X100v, plus the 28mm Summilux can go on your SL2/S, your M digital or your M film and your £750 GRIII can go anywhere.

[rramesh]

With the Leica M10, you really don't need a 28 faster than 2.0. Get the Summicron 2.0. It's smaller and you save some money. Plus it uses the same 46mm filters as the 21 SEM and 50 Lux.

Edited May 3, 2021 by rramesh

[Steven]

7 minutes ago, rramesh said:

With the Leica M10, you really don't need a 28 faster than 2.0. Get the Summicron 2.0. It's smaller and you save some money. Plus it uses the same 46mm filters as the 21 SEM and 50 Lux.

It’s not about the speed. It’s about the look that the Lux gives you at 1.4. It’s unique. 

Otherwise, one might as well get the elmarit. Excellent lens, saves more money and more weight. 

[MarkP]

I'd agree with the previous suggestions of the 28 Summicron, one of my favourite lenses: 
It images beautifully, very compatible with the 50 Summilux, so a perfect companion lens.
Perhaps not with the same more modern 'transparent' look of the 3.4/21 but still quite compatible with it.
The 28 Elmarit-M ASPH is very contrasty compared with the Summicron, images very differently.
As mentioned, same 46mm filter size across all three lenses.
1.4/50, 2.0/28 and 3.4/21 similarly-sized lenses makes perfect sense.
OF course, one doesn't need the same max aperture for handholding wider lenses at lower shutterspeed.  
That the Q has a 1.7 lens called a Summilux doesn't mean you need a 1.4 Summilux M-lens when there's a 2.0 avaliable !!!
Half the price of the 28 Summilux, smaller, lighter - unless you really need or want the Summilux.

I have more than my fair share of fast lenses. The 28 Summilux only briefly tempted me because I thought it's imaging would be more sympathetic with the 50 APO-Summicron.  Then I got better 🙂
 

Edited May 3, 2021 by MarkP

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[pmendelson]

Update: I was ready to get the Summicron when I found a used Summilux at a price I couldn’t refuse 😁