Leica Q2 first impressions (SL2-S user)

[hoolyproductions]

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Definitely nothing new here but I got a Q2 a week ago and felt like sharing my first impressions.

I’ve been interested/havering about the Q since it was first released, but for various reasons have taken a different path until now (not least because I am a ‘heavy’ 50mm user).

I got into using Leica M cameras in 2014. Using M cameras (first M6 and then M10) was a ‘revolution’ in my photography style and I learned a lot from going fully manual. However last year, based on the specs and performance of the SL2-S I decided to get back into “SLR” style photography with autofocus and the flexibility of zooms etc.

I absolutely love the SL2-S and it is my main camera for any serious photography (music gigs, travel/landscape) but it is quite a commitment to carry for more casual stuff when I want more than my phone can offer. I am very much a 50mm (and longer focal lengths) shooter and was initially quite allergic to the idea of using Q2 as a ‘digital zoom’ but my first impressions are pretty positive in this respect – I’ll post some examples below.

Then some things that I noticed in terms of using it alongside/instead of the SL2-S:

• No back button focus: I thought this would be a ‘dealbreaker’ but it hasn’t bothered me quite as much as I thought. I would be delighted if it would appear in the Q3 but have my doubts Leica will implement this.
• Some (unnecessary?) differences in the user interface e.g. Fn button to change display mode on SL2 vs joystick button on the Q2; no way to programme the view mode so that e.g. horizon indicator is on a different mode than histogram – it is ‘all or nothing’.
• When using crop mode in RAW only, camera playback shows the full 28mm image (and when you zoom in it disregards the crop and zooms in as normal). Not a major issue but would like to see it addressed (I’m aware that if you shoot RAW+JPEG this is not an issue)
• Quite a bit lighter/bulky than I expected it to be compared to my recollection checking out a Q in a store a few years ago. I guess that’s because I got used to the SL2-S. Really something you can stick in your bag and forget about.
• In general the picture quality is incredible but not at the level of SL2-S with Summicron-SL lenses (I have the 50mm and 75mm and they are just eye-watering on the SL2-S sensor). But this is some serious pixel peeping and probably not noticeable for sharing/printing pictures. Highlights also seem more easily blown than with the SL2-S (as is the case with the SL2)
• Haven’t really tried it in low light yet but will clearly not be on the level of the SL2-S for >6400 ISO
• Face-detect autofocus is not as sensitive/accurate as on the SL2-S (which already struggles unless the light is optimal). I had to resort to field mode in situations that the SL2-S would have easily handed. This is a bit restrictive for my music photography (and family snapshots) where face-detect ensures I focus on the face, not the microphone in front of it.

Overall I am absolutely delighted for what I got it for. I’ll continue to use the SL2-S for local gigs and photography-centric travelling. For casual use and (business) trips where I want a lighter bag I’m sure the Q2 will be a treasured part of my kit for the foreseeable future. I do like longer focal lengths e.g. for landscape though, so will miss the 75/90mm and upwards range when I travel, but I can live with it and the 75mm crop on the Q2 is perfectly ok for social media and sharing with family/friends. Also the design/aesthetic of the camera is quite stunning.

28mm:

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Edited August 18, 2022 by hoolyproductions

[hoolyproductions]

28mm:

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50mm ish

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50mm ish

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75mm

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75mm

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[LocalHero1953]

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Another Q2 and SL2-S user here, and I agree with all you write. 

I also do quite a bit of music performance & drama photography, for which I mainly use the SL2-S with 24-90 and 90-280 zooms. I have realised that rather than change lenses in a hurry, or buy another SL2-S body, I can use the Q2 alongside the 90-280, giving me just about all the (effective) focal lengths I might need: close-ups, portraits and headshots with the 90-280, plus wider scenes and groups with the Q2.

The Q2 doesn't keep up with the SL2-S in low light (so I'm looking forward to the Q3) but this is a complex subject. The acceptability of noise changes a lot depending on what crop/digital zoom factor you use - it's worse the more you zoom in. In a technical comparison of equivalent focal lengths, up-ressing and down-ressing to get comparable shots, I dare say the Q2's hires sensor compares OK with the 24mp of the SL2-S, but in the real world shots that are cropped to a suitable size for publicity printing and online posts, the Q2 is typically around two stops behind the SL2-S for shadow noise IME.

I have given up face recognition focusing with the Q2 - I lose far more shots than I gain. Something else that I hope will improve with the Q3.

Edited August 18, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[hoolyproductions]

Thanks, I've been following your posts on the Q2 and excellent event photos  I do know the ins and outs of the high ISO 'equation', but bottom line (IMO) the SL2-S knocks the Q2 and SL2 out of the park in very low light (which is not to say they can't produce useable results in these situations, I just vastly prefer the performance of the SL2-S when it gets dark (I live in Finland so this is about half the year 😄)

I also have the 24-90 and 90-280 but tend only to use them for daylight stuff. Most of my music stuff is tiny bars at close quarters and I use 50mm SL 90% and 75mm SL when I'm willing to carry another lens. For larger events with some professional lighting I use the zooms, but rarely do that kind of stuff

 

[SirBlunder]

On 8/18/2022 at 8:19 AM, hoolyproductions said:

Definitely nothing new here but I got a Q2 a week ago and felt like sharing my first impressions.

I’ve been interested/havering about the Q since it was first released, but for various reasons have taken a different path until now (not least because I am a ‘heavy’ 50mm user).

I got into using Leica M cameras in 2014. Using M cameras (first M6 and then M10) was a ‘revolution’ in my photography style and I learned a lot from going fully manual. However last year, based on the specs and performance of the SL2-S I decided to get back into “SLR” style photography with autofocus and the flexibility of zooms etc.

I absolutely love the SL2-S and it is my main camera for any serious photography (music gigs, travel/landscape) but it is quite a commitment to carry for more casual stuff when I want more than my phone can offer. I am very much a 50mm (and longer focal lengths) shooter and was initially quite allergic to the idea of using Q2 as a ‘digital zoom’ but my first impressions are pretty positive in this respect – I’ll post some examples below.

Then some things that I noticed in terms of using it alongside/instead of the SL2-S:

• No back button focus: I thought this would be a ‘dealbreaker’ but it hasn’t bothered me quite as much as I thought. I would be delighted if it would appear in the Q3 but have my doubts Leica will implement this.
• Some (unnecessary?) differences in the user interface e.g. Fn button to change display mode on SL2 vs joystick button on the Q2; no way to programme the view mode so that e.g. horizon indicator is on a different mode than histogram – it is ‘all or nothing’.
• When using crop mode in RAW only, camera playback shows the full 28mm image (and when you zoom in it disregards the crop and zooms in as normal). Not a major issue but would like to see it addressed (I’m aware that if you shoot RAW+JPEG this is not an issue)
• Quite a bit lighter/bulky than I expected it to be compared to my recollection checking out a Q in a store a few years ago. I guess that’s because I got used to the SL2-S. Really something you can stick in your bag and forget about.
• In general the picture quality is incredible but not at the level of SL2-S with Summicron-SL lenses (I have the 50mm and 75mm and they are just eye-watering on the SL2-S sensor). But this is some serious pixel peeping and probably not noticeable for sharing/printing pictures. Highlights also seem more easily blown than with the SL2-S (as is the case with the SL2)
• Haven’t really tried it in low light yet but will clearly not be on the level of the SL2-S for >6400 ISO
• Face-detect autofocus is not as sensitive/accurate as on the SL2-S (which already struggles unless the light is optimal). I had to resort to field mode in situations that the SL2-S would have easily handed. This is a bit restrictive for my music photography (and family snapshots) where face-detect ensures I focus on the face, not the microphone in front of it.

Overall I am absolutely delighted for what I got it for. I’ll continue to use the SL2-S for local gigs and photography-centric travelling. For casual use and (business) trips where I want a lighter bag I’m sure the Q2 will be a treasured part of my kit for the foreseeable future. I do like longer focal lengths e.g. for landscape though, so will miss the 75/90mm and upwards range when I travel, but I can live with it and the 75mm crop on the Q2 is perfectly ok for social media and sharing with family/friends. Also the design/aesthetic of the camera is quite stunning.

28mm:

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I don’t even really understand the appeal of “back button” focusing. Why wouldn’t you want the focus done via half press of the shutter button?

I swapped into a Q2 from the Sony system (most recently an a74) and, while I loved the longer lenses (specifically my Zeiss Batis 85mm)… it was just too bulky and too much to travel with. 

For me, despite the obvious shortfalls (pretty weak low light and autofocus, frankly, especially compared to the a74), the shear simplicity and portability of the Q2 are just… refreshing. As others have said.. it truly makes you *want* to shoot. And when that’s the case… you end up with better images. 

[THEME]

On 8/18/2022 at 7:19 PM, hoolyproductions said:

50mm ish

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I like your shooting style, yet here the skin red cast (due to PP?) is overwhelming.

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, SirBlunder said:

I don’t even really understand the appeal of “back button” focusing. Why wouldn’t you want the focus done via half press of the shutter button?

I swapped into a Q2 from the Sony system (most recently an a74) and, while I loved the longer lenses (specifically my Zeiss Batis 85mm)… it was just too bulky and too much to travel with. 

For me, despite the obvious shortfalls (pretty weak low light and autofocus, frankly, especially compared to the a74), the shear simplicity and portability of the Q2 are just… refreshing. As others have said.. it truly makes you *want* to shoot. And when that’s the case… you end up with better images. 

It is annoying to have to start focusing every time you want to take an image. I do not want to wait for camera to acquire focus every time I take a shot. Focusing, setting exposure, and taking an image should be three independent operations in my book.
BBF can be a bit like MF, you focus first then you take one or multiple images. Luckily, Q2’s MF works very well.

[hoolyproductions]

9 hours ago, THEME said:

I like your shooting style, yet here the skin red cast (due to PP?) is overwhelming.

Thanks for the constructive feedback, rare  and very much appreciated!

This was a pretty quick and dirty edit, and I do like a punchy look - this is the Lightroom Modern01 profile. All the same you are right about the reds, I’m not so sensitive to skin colour as I haven’t done much portrait work - I’ll try some retouching on this one on the red channel 😊