Q2 as a landscape camera

[AdamMark]

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Hello Everybody,

Just had my 60th birthday.  I am very keen on buying a Q2 , as a birthday present to myself.

I realise that the Q2 is versatile, weather sealed with a lovely lens.  I don’t want to be changing lenses hence the desire for the Q2.  And I’m sure I would appreciate the large sensor and the ability to utilise the in camera crop facility particularly 35mm.  

How does it perform as a landscape camera ? Quality , ergonomic wise etc. 

Does it produce lovely true to life accurate colours ?

An comments gratefully received.

Thanks.

Adam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Le Chef]

I would suggest looking at the images posted on this forum as a starter. If you have time I recommend going to the LFI gallery and the Q/Q2 section as well.

Ergonomically the difference between the Q/Q2 and other non Leica cameras is the philosophy of grouping your preferences into distinct profiles that you can call up at a press of a button, rather than the carbuncled button-fest approach that other manufactures seem to employ. What it requires is reading the manual and being neat and tidy in how your approach the setup. It’s proactive vs reactive. You gain in the long run.

[ianforber]

Landscape is my main interest and I find the Q2 well suited. Colours are good but I shoot DNG so that’s not really an issue. Dynamic range is excellent. I like the weatherproofing (I often carry the camera on a Peak Design capture clip on my rucksack strap, which means it gets wet when it rains). Lightweight overall package and the dials are all in the right place.

Only two issues for me. First, the lens is fantastic but, because it’s autofocus, it is quite bulky. No big deal but I do need to think about what bag to use - I tend to just stick it in my walking rucksack if it gets too slippy underfoot for me to risk it clipped to the straps.

Second, the lack of a flip-out rear screen can be a pain. My previous camera for use when hiking was an Olympus m4/3 which had a flip out screen which meant I could get away with a very short (light) tripod and still compose by looking down at the screen. For the Q2, my short tripod doesn’t work. I tried but can only bend down so far! So I end up taking most pictures handheld, which is no bad thing.

Oh and it’s pretty good at IR, if that’s your thing (it is mine). 

[PhotoCruiser]

I shoot almost only landscapes and I am very satisfied.
Sometimes a wider lens would be preferred, but 28mm is quite wide enough.

I never had a camera with flip-out screen, so I don't miss that feature.

The Q2 is not too waterproof as it is advertised, here are several persons having issues after heavy rain or desert trips.
Just use the Q2 as you would use every other camera and she will behave fine.

Chris

Edited April 13, 2022 by PhotoCruiser

[oldsalt]

I'm taking mine to Scotland in a few weeks time, leaving all my other DSLR "stuff" at home, it's soooooo lovely to be free of all that extra weight etc...

I'm sure it'll do very nicely at landscapes. 

cheers

[Olaf_ZG]

@AdamMarkif 28mm is your thing, you will be happy. 

[Le Chef]

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21 hours ago, PhotoCruiser said:

The Q2 is not too waterproof as it is advertised

It’s actually WEATHER proofed, not waterproofed. Big difference in what your expectations should be.

[PhotoCruiser]

vor 52 Minuten schrieb Le Chef:

It’s actually WEATHER proofed, not waterproofed. Big difference in what your expectations should be.

True, i misspelled.
However there is a lot of users who think that the Q2 is more weatherproof that she really is and complain that there is sand, dust or humidity inside.
I just suggest to treat the Q2 as any other camera and not use her in very dusty, sandy or under pouring rain.

Chris

[Le Chef]

Taping over the microphone holes should make things safer.

[PhotoCruiser]

vor 50 Minuten schrieb Le Chef:

Taping over the microphone holes should make things safer.

Or in a underwater housing ...
But taping over some holes is not really what I consider weather proofed from factory.

Reading the treads from owners who hat troubles with sand/dust/humidity intrusion in their Q2 show always that there was "just a little bit" of 
"adverse" conditions. But when I see "Photographers" having their camera on the beach in the sand and exposed to the sunlight I don't wonder
that afterwards they complain about a shitty model or brand or lacking weather sealing
I don't baby my cameras and particularly my D800 survived a lot of "extreme" conditions -like my one week road trip in Oman including
two days and nights in the desert and frequent lens changes- and she never got anything inside.
Other are my compact cameras with strong tele zooms, they all sucked in dust thru the long extraction while zooming even if they are 90% in underwater housings.

While sand and dust is nasty stuff and under extreme conditions difficult to avoid, direct rainfall on the camera can be rather easy avoided.

However, I still suggest to take similar precautions regarding water and dust protection as any other camera and I see no reason why not continue with that.

Chris

Edited April 14, 2022 by PhotoCruiser