Macfilos article: Leica Q2: The perfect full-frame travel camera?

[SrMi]

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The author debates which camera to travel with and selects Q2. His report:

https://www.macfilos.com/2022/06/17/leica-q2-the-perfect-full-frame-travel-camera/

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Le Chef]

I’m taking mine with the DL-109 as backup this fall on a trip to England. No bag full of lenses on this trip!

[LocalHero1953]

I've had mine for a few weeks now. It does almost all that I would like it to do, but I hope those areas where it does not are corrected in the Q3:

• Face/eye detect AF: very poor, compared even to my former CL, let alone my SL2-S. Probably a combination of insufficient processor power, and a wide angle lens (which makes faces small in the frame).
• Low light performance: better than the CL, but not comparable with the SL2-S. At the same light levels, noise is more obvious and less attractive, and the colours aren't as good.

I find I actually like the digital zoom options: even at 75mm, it allows me to shoot then reframe in post. It is one camera where I hope they add even more pixels in the Q3 for this reason.

Having used the CL and SL series for so long, it is taking me a while to get to grips with direct controls. I keep forgetting I don't need to set A or S mode in a user profile or via the back screen.

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I've had mine for a few weeks now. It does almost all that I would like it to do, but I hope those areas where it does not are corrected in the Q3:

• Face/eye detect AF: very poor, compared even to my former CL, let alone my SL2-S. Probably a combination of insufficient processor power, and a wide angle lens (which makes faces small in the frame).
• Low light performance: better than the CL, but not comparable with the SL2-S. At the same light levels, noise is more obvious and less attractive, and the colours aren't as good.

I find I actually like the digital zoom options: even at 75mm, it allows me to shoot then reframe in post. It is one camera where I hope they add even more pixels in the Q3 for this reason.

Having used the CL and SL series for so long, it is taking me a while to get to grips with direct controls. I keep forgetting I don't need to set A or S mode in a user profile or via the back screen.

Try using DxO's DeepPRIME noise elimination. I do not consider noise being an issue with Q2 any longer. SL2-S is a tough competitor, though ;-).

[LocalHero1953]

43 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Try using DxO's DeepPRIME noise elimination. I do not consider noise being an issue with Q2 any longer. SL2-S is a tough competitor, though ;-).

I have Topaz Denoise, which does a good job - but it also works well on the SL2-S, keeping that camera ahead.
It's only in the comparison that the Q2 is deficient - in absolute terms it is good. And I expect the Q3 to be a step up again.

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I have Topaz Denoise, which does a good job - but it also works well on the SL2-S, keeping that camera ahead.
It's only in the comparison that the Q2 is deficient - in absolute terms it is good. And I expect the Q3 to be a step up again.

The relevant issue is that the difference between ISO 200 and ISO 6400 or 12800 is minimal after DxO processing. Only when lifting the image by two stops is the difference noticeable.

However, with noise reduction software, artifacts can appear in very dark areas. So not everything is rosy :).

For those interested, here are the processed DNG files (via Dropbox):
DPR studio scene DNGs processed with DxO @ ISO 100, 6400, and 6400

 

[Mikep996]

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Yes (IMO) it IS the best full frame travel camera!  

Like many folks here, I've been through all the camera gear iterations from back in the film SLR and Leica M (M2, M6, M7) days, to DSLRS, Mirrorless cameras and then Leica digital (M10, M10R).  I've carried the usual bundle of lenses/associated gear in a backpack and found that most of the time I used hardly any of the gear I was carrying.

With my M10R, I originally carried a 21, 28, 50, and 90mm lens.  Then I figured out that I hardly ever used the 90 or the 21 so I carried the 28 and the 50.  THEN I figured out that I shot with 28 75% of the time.  That got me thinking about a Q2 so I found one on Ebay and have been using it for several weeks.  I haven't really found anything lacking in the Q2 that the Ms do better FOR ME.  In fact, the opposite is the case.  Obviously, if I really needed a 90mm shot for printing or a very large print, the Q2 can't deliver that but 16x24 or thereabouts is pretty much my largest typical print size.   A 50mm crop on the Q2 can produce a 16x24 print that is visually indistinguishable from one produced with my M10R/50mm lens.  

So, for me the Q2 is great and, TBH, if you asked me what Leica could do to improve it, I can't think of anything for the way I use the camera.  Of course, others disagree and are anxiously awaiting a Q3 to fix all of the Q2's problems!  😆

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Mikep996

[eawriter]

Thank you, @SrMi, for posting that article, and to everyone who shared their experiences.

I'm going on a trip to NYC and Iceland in September and am struggling mightily with the question of what equipment to bring. I'm pretty sure I'll bring my Q2 Reporter, but can't get over thinking that I should also bring my M10-R and 50 and 75 lenses. I'm a fan of the Q2, and believe everything the article's author and others have said about its being a great travel camera. I also know that I can crop my images shot with the Q2's 28 to get 35, 50 or 75 framing, but—correct me if I'm wrong—what I can't get is the perspective compression and ability to defocus backgrounds (and maybe, depending on size, to make large prints) that those longer lenses offer, right? In other words, the same scene shot with a 28 and cropped to a 75 will include the same elements in the image, but the photo won't have the same look it would have if shot with a 50 or 75 prime.

I do like taking street portraits wide open (probably on the NYC leg of the trip), and like the 50mm focal length in particular for that, so, as I said, I'm really on the fence about whether or not to bring the M and two lenses. Also, I imagine a longer lens will come in handy in Iceland for cases where I can't zoom with my feet. 

The Q2 can replace my 28 M prime, so that focal length is taken care of, but I don't imagine I'll ever get back to Iceland, and worry that I'll regret not being to capture some (how many is the question) images the way I want to, simply because I wasn't willing to go to (a little) extra hassle to bring another camera and two lenses. 

I'm not asking anyone to make this decision for me; I know only I can do that. I just wanted to chime in and say why, even after reading the article (and others praising the Q2 as a travel camera) it's still not an open-and-shut case for me.  

[didier]

I fully understand your position @eawriter

I also like to have the ability to shoot wide open with longer lenses, particularly people. A Q2 along with a M mounted with a 50 or 75 can still be a very compact kit. Last week-end I shot some social / celebration of a Judo Club, including some small tournaments and demonstrations. I used Q2 + M10M with the APO 75. 
You can pack both in a very small Fogg Satchmo (or a Billigham Hadley small), and travel light.

Here is my usual set-up (depending on Mood and Goal, I mount either the APO 50 or APO 75 on the M10M.

 

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[eawriter]

Thank you, Didier. I see how that could work, especially with the bags you're talking about.

But you've complicated my decision: I also have an M10M, and I've seen black and white photos of Iceland landscapes, which look great! So maybe I should bring the M10-R, the M10M and the Q2. 😉 Oh no, now I'm making things worse … 

[didier]

Sorry @eawriterfor adding complexity…

Personally, I think the hassle comes more from changing lenses than having multiple (ready to shoot) bodies (all the more so as they have close UI), so maybe the 3 camera solution wouldn’t be that bad…

If you have a somewhat bigger bag, and yet not too big, you could take the 3 cameras, but with different FL, and still have a quite light and compact set-up.

For example, Q2 + M10-R with a 75 or 90 / M10M with a 50

So in color you’d have a large focal length from 28 to 75 or 90 including cropping with both Q2 and M10-R

And for B&W the ultimate solution with one FL ?
 

 

 

[eawriter]

I have a bag I could probably do that with. It's tempting. If I brought all three cameras, and the 50 and 75, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have any regrets about not having the right equipment for any situation. Or maybe I can get my wife to carry around the Q2 in her handbag. But probably not.

Merci encore pour les idées, @Didier. J’ai vécu en France y en Suisse, et j’aimerais bien revenir un jour. 

Edited June 30, 2022 by eawriter

[NigelG]

I don't have a Q but have struggled with travel set-ups a great deal.

For me (YMMV) not having to change lenses is by far the biggest issue if I'm travelling with others - a Q + M/50 or 75 is a winner - or in my case an M/28 and M/50 or 75.

My M9M then siren-calls me and complicates things...🙄

[Herr Barnack]

It is hard to object to the Q2 as the perfect full frame travel camera.  The same applies to the Q2 as the perfect full frame daily camera. 

The Q2's macro mode give it a ton of flexibility that it would not have were it fitted with a straight 28mm lens.  The maximum aperture of f/1.7 gives the Q2 even more versatility that it would lack with a slower lens such as a n f/2.8 or an f/4.

I decided on a Billingham Hadley Digital for my daily carry bag, as I like to have a bit more room.  This bag is still small enough and light enough for everyday wear, and can accommodate an M camera with a small second lens, if you are so inclined.

I read somewhere that the Q2 is Leica's best selling camera ever and it is certainly easy to see why.

Edited July 1, 2022 by Herr Barnack

[SrMi]

Judging by contributions in LFI, Q2 is a great art/reportage camera as well.

[ravinj]

On 6/29/2022 at 8:13 PM, eawriter said:

Thank you, @SrMi, for posting that article, and to everyone who shared their experiences.

I'm going on a trip to NYC and Iceland in September and am struggling mightily with the question of what equipment to bring. I'm pretty sure I'll bring my Q2 Reporter, but can't get over thinking that I should also bring my M10-R and 50 and 75 lenses. I'm a fan of the Q2, and believe everything the article's author and others have said about its being a great travel camera. I also know that I can crop my images shot with the Q2's 28 to get 35, 50 or 75 framing, but—correct me if I'm wrong—what I can't get is the perspective compression and ability to defocus backgrounds (and maybe, depending on size, to make large prints) that those longer lenses offer, right? In other words, the same scene shot with a 28 and cropped to a 75 will include the same elements in the image, but the photo won't have the same look it would have if shot with a 50 or 75 prime.

I do like taking street portraits wide open (probably on the NYC leg of the trip), and like the 50mm focal length in particular for that, so, as I said, I'm really on the fence about whether or not to bring the M and two lenses. Also, I imagine a longer lens will come in handy in Iceland for cases where I can't zoom with my feet. 

The Q2 can replace my 28 M prime, so that focal length is taken care of, but I don't imagine I'll ever get back to Iceland, and worry that I'll regret not being to capture some (how many is the question) images the way I want to, simply because I wasn't willing to go to (a little) extra hassle to bring another camera and two lenses. 

I'm not asking anyone to make this decision for me; I know only I can do that. I just wanted to chime in and say why, even after reading the article (and others praising the Q2 as a travel camera) it's still not an open-and-shut case for me.  

You can "live"with just the Q2 in NYC. For Iceland, a longer lens will be useful IMHO and I would highly recommend M10-R with 75mm or 90mm if you have it. My most used lens in Iceland was the Sony GM 100-400 making it possible to get some shots that I had been thinking about prior to the trip:

300mm:

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100mm:

 

400mm:

 

285mm:

 

The point being that one just cannot crop in all cases or "zoom with your feet". I would take the M10-R with 75mm over cropping the Q2 to 75mm. I feel Q2 is solid up to a 50MM crop.

Leica Q (at that time Q2 was not released, yet) came in handy for waterfalls in caves etc:

 

Obviously you know your needs better, but in addition to the Q2, I would carry the M10-R with the 75mm as a backup if nothing else.

[eawriter]

7 minutes ago, ravinj said:

You can "live"with just the Q2 in NYC. For Iceland, a longer lens will be useful IMHO and I would highly recommend M10-R with 75mm or 90mm if you have it. My most used lens in Iceland was the Sony GM 100-400 making it possible to get some shots that I had been thinking about prior to the trip:

300mm:

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

100mm:

 

400mm:

 

285mm:

 

The point being that one just cannot crop in all cases or "zoom with your feet". I would take the M10-R with 75mm over cropping the Q2 to 75mm. I feel Q2 is solid up to a 50MM crop.

Leica Q (at that time Q2 was not released, yet) came in handy for waterfalls in caves etc:

 

Obviously you know your needs better, but in addition to the Q2, I would carry the M10-R with the 75mm as a backup if nothing else.

Good points, ravinj. Nice images, too.

I agree about cropping a Q2 file to try to match the field of view of a 75mm—it's simply not the same. I'm definitely bringing the Q2, so that decision is made. I'm now also leaning toward bring the M10-R, possibly with both the 50 and 75, although I do agree with other commenters—didier and NigelG—who point out that changing lenses is the main hassle of bringing more than one camera body. They suggest the extra body, but with one lens attached to it all the time. I could do that with a 50 or a 75. I shoot much more often with a 50, but the 75 gives me the most possible separation from the Q2's 28. 

[ravinj]

Q2 + M10-R with 75 is a good combo. Changing lenses is a hassle only if one does it often. I "rotate" lenses when I travel, so one day I may designate as the "50mm day" and will shoot only with that and next day could be the "28mm day".  But again, YMMV, as they say!

Enjoy your trip, both places offer a lot. 

Edited July 3, 2022 by ravinj

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[Mikep996]

I've been to Iceland numerous times - my wife and I got married there; great place!  

I have a Q2 and an M10R/several Leica lenses.  If I was going tomorrow, I would most likely just take the Q2.    I have been very impressed with 16x24 prints produced by the Q2 at 75mm "crops."  

I certainly agree that if you are not comfortable with the Q2 at longer "focal lengths," carrying two cameras is far less trouble than futzing around changing lenses!  If it was me in that case, I'd take my Q2 and my M10R with the 90mm lens mounted (no other M lenses).

Have a great trip!

 

[M11 for me]

Am 30.6.2022 um 02:13 schrieb eawriter:

I also know that I can crop my images shot with the Q2's 28 to get 35, 50 or 75 framing, but—correct me if I'm wrong—what I can't get is the perspective compression and ability to defocus backgrounds (and maybe, depending on size, to make large prints) that those longer lenses offer, right?

This is about the difference of a 50mm equivalent crop on Q2 compared to a native 50mm on the M10 (or others) regarding depth of field at a defined aperture. Can this be explained in the terms of the theory of equivalence? How would I have to adapt the aperture to get the same DoF as when using native 50mm (just as an example)

To make it more complicated: What happens when you change to Makro Mode. Do you still have a 28mm? 

We just take it for granted that it all works fine. But I never tested this as i would not really know how to built up the model.

Edited July 3, 2022 by M11 for me