Guidance

[sequimteeth]

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Any recommendations for online tutors or beginning Q2 mono users guide in set up and general photography?

[Le Chef]

I would look into multiple fronts:

Ask the dealer who sold you the camera to help you set it up.

Check on the Leica site for online classes to help setup the camera.

Leica also holds workshops in various locations that would allow you to get first hand experience with a Professional photographer/tutor. Expensive but worth it.

A local photographic club where you could take photo trips with other photographers and learn from them.

And in the end there’s nothing better than simply going out with the camera and experimenting.

Edited June 3, 2022 by Le Chef

[Viv]

Mono works best with patterns and textures as subjects.

[jaapv]

And do take some B&W processing tutorials on the Internet (disregarding the conversion bit) The files from this camera are fantastic, but if left unprocessed will look quite flat (even the JPGs), see the Q-mono image threads. There is a clear divide between the image quality of posters postprocessing expertly and those that trust the camera to do their work for them and just pop a photograph as-is.  

[kkochheiser]

The International Leica Society (LHSA) has a few local Leica User Groups, including Seattle, I believe that would be a great resource.  Good folks and very helpful!

 

Kent

[clasami]

Am 4.6.2022 um 11:44 schrieb jaapv:

And do take some B&W processing tutorials on the Internet (disregarding the conversion bit) The files from this camera are fantastic, but if left unprocessed will look quite flat (even the JPGs), see the Q-mono image threads. There is a clear divide between the image quality of posters postprocessing expertly and those that trust the camera to do their work for them and just pop a photograph as-is.  

I second that. Lightroom and C1 are both good programs for processing. The "De-Haze" slider can be quite useful in both programs to underline the effect of a red filter. Speakign of filters: I have yellow, orange and two red (light and dark) B&W filters. Using the light red the most for landscape and cityscape.

The actual camera setup is rather simple. You leave everything on default and slowly work your way through the different items. Most items are self-explanatory, for some you may want to open the manual. At the end, you customize your Fn and Favorite settings (if needed).

Among the most important things to remember with this camera is that you expose to protect highlights as blown highlights can't be recovered. Cause you can lift shadows without much penalty in post, underxposure is not so much an issue. The best Exposure Mode for that is Highlight-Weighted. Needs some EV adjustments sometimes, but overall makes sure you don't overxpose. Use the historgram in the EVF.

Learn the AF modes and functions. In general, AF-S and Field is a good starting point. In fact, it is what I use almost always. Face Dection works - or it doesn't. But Field is most accurate and fast.

Spend some time learning Auto ISO and it settings. Also, how M,A,S and P mode is set on the camera (quite simple: If all parameters are on "Auto", you are in P mode).

Learn how to hold the camera to operate the F-stop ring, and more importantly, the focus ring. I am using my left eye and right hand. Most cameras and manual lenses I place my hand unter the lens with my thumb on the left side and the index finger on the right side. Not good here. In order to operate the AF/MF switch quickly and without problem, you need to but your hand around the lens so that the thumb rests on the MF focus "hump" and the index finger is on the left side. With some practice, that allows you to switch between AF and MF quickly.

Finally, there is one thing about RAW/JPEG when it comes to using the crop function. You will see the crop frame in the EVF, and you will see exactly that frame again in teh EVF/and or the LCD if you shoot RAW only. But if you shoot RAW and JPEG, you will see the cropped image upon review in the EVF and on the LCD.

There are some more things to learn, but they can wait until you got started with the camera. Me, I prefer trying things myself to classes and/or tutorials.

When run into questions that the manual doesn't help answer, you can always turn here for help. Enjoy your camera, I know you will.

Edited June 5, 2022 by clasami

[sequimteeth]

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All great suggestions.  Thank you so much.  The more I shoot, the more I learn.  And post-processing is on my list.