Q2M FACE DETECTION

[Chris_Jenks]

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I seem to be unable to get Face Detection to function on my Q2M. I have used both AFc and AFs and a variety of apertures from 1.7 through to F8. Am I doing something wrong, or am I missing something? Would appreciate helpful suggestions, thanks. 

[thierry40]

I am no spécialist however I tried and … got disappointed but I must be doing something wrong myself 

[vir2l2k]

you are not doing anything wrong. see my previous threads. face detection is utterly useless, really.

one of the main reason why I'm hoping for a q3 monochrom eventually with enough processing power to either do this or get rid of it completely.

best results are with spot focus if your subject is still or with field focus and afc. even manual focus does a way better job.

what's ironic is that any iphone from 5 years ago has better autofocus than the q2. this is due to the fact that leica put very badly designed software and hardware into their cameras. since the q2 is a niche product, they cheaped out on r&d. it's kinda symbolic as the q was designed by an intern originally.

[LocalHero1953]

I can't speak for the Q2M, but face detection on the Q2 is terrible. I can't wait for the Q3.

My own opinion (utterly uninformed) is that the Maestro processor in the Q2 does not have enough power to analyse the high res sensor of the Q2.

Edited April 7, 2023 by LocalHero1953

[Chris_Jenks]

1 hour ago, thierry40 said:

I am no spécialist however I tried and … got disappointed but I must be doing something wrong myself 

Thanks Thierry

[Chris_Jenks]

30 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I can't speak for the Q2M, but face detection on the Q2 is terrible. I can't wait for the Q3.

My own opinion (utterly uninformed) is that the Maestro processor in the Q2 does not have enough power to analyse the high res sensor of the Q2.

Thank you 

[Chris_Jenks]

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41 minutes ago, vir2l2k said:

you are not doing anything wrong. see my previous threads. face detection is utterly useless, really.

one of the main reason why I'm hoping for a q3 monochrom eventually with enough processing power to either do this or get rid of it completely.

best results are with spot focus if your subject is still or with field focus and afc. even manual focus does a way better job.

what's ironic is that any iphone from 5 years ago has better autofocus than the q2. this is due to the fact that leica put very badly designed software and hardware into their cameras. since the q2 is a niche product, they cheaped out on r&d. it's kinda symbolic as the q was designed by an intern originally.

Many thanks. It’s a wonderful camera and I love the IQ, but to have useless face detection in the menu is quite pathetic. I’m surprised at Leica. My other (unrelated) peeve is the worse than useless lens cap, which I replaced in the first 2 weeks with the Match Technical lens cap, a great bit of gear. 

[LocalHero1953]

5 minutes ago, Chris_Jenks said:

Many thanks. It’s a wonderful camera and I love the IQ, but to have useless face detection in the menu is quite pathetic. I’m surprised at Leica. My other (unrelated) peeve is the worse than useless lens cap, which I replaced in the first 2 weeks with the Match Technical lens cap, a great bit of gear. 

It's surprising how I can live with it. I think I always had in mind that I had bought the Q2, knowing its limitations, expecting to change to the Q3 if I liked the format (which I do).

[bobtodrick]

I’m not at all saying that for the money Leica’s features should be as good as any other camera…but it’s amazing I managed a good career in fashion and motor sports photography with…horrors…manual focus 😂😂

[Chris_Jenks]

Thanks for the replies so far. It seems the conclusion is that Face Detection simply does not work, and its inclusion in the menu is some kind of strange glitch. 

[LocalHero1953]

It does work at close distances, where the face is big enough, but for normal practical purposes it doesn't.

[viramati]

As others have said it really is next to useless and I never use it. It will sort of work if nothing else but a face is in the scene and you are pretty close and they are looking at you!! Sort of disappointing for a camera of it's caliber when compared to what my Sony's can do (A1 and A7r3). This is one of the main areas I would like to see serious improvement if they ever release a Q3

Edited April 8, 2023 by viramati

[frame-it]

how was the face detection in the original Q?

[Siriusone59]

2 hours ago, frame-it said:

how was the face detection in the original Q?

After several missed focus shots, I learned not to rely on it.  Only use spot or smallest area box for AF since.  That works well.

[frame-it]

25 minutes ago, Siriusone59 said:

After several missed focus shots, I learned not to rely on it.  Only use spot or smallest area box for AF since.  That works well.

so it was bad on the 24mp Q1 as well.

[Chris_Jenks]

Once again, thanks everyone for the feedback. There are clearly many other cameras out there that hit the mark when it comes to face detection, every one of my 3 Fuji’s and iPhone for a start. There’s still something special about the Q2M despite Leica’s indifference to their target market - street photographers must surely be up there. Hopefully a firmware update will remove this option from the menu. 

[Casey Jefferson]

The ability to focus and recompose with the Q2 lens (a traditional technique that's eventually abandoned nowadays) is rarely mentioned IMHO, the Q2 is liberal even at very close distance, which I believe Leica designed it with the philosophy of RF style in mind.

So with the Q2, even shooting on the street, wide open, I just focus and recompose (with middle spot focus point). Rarely miss focus in those fast paced situation even at night. As long as it lock on a face I'm free to recompose. 

I have the Sony a7c, I use the face and eye detect simply because not able to focus and recompose - even the RX1R I had 10 years ago (still have it) was impossible to do so, and constantly moving the focus point.

[Chris_Jenks]

Hi Casey, totally agree and I do focus and recompose, I often also just set the aperture to F8 when walking around and / or use manual zone focusing. I don’t really get many missed shots as a result. That’s not the point though. As a Fuji user and newcomer to Leica (one can buy 4 Fuji X100v’s for the price of a Q2M!) I am beyond disappointed and surprised that the AF menu includes this useless version of Face Detection. 

[Simone_DF]

On 4/7/2023 at 9:24 PM, LocalHero1953 said:

My own opinion (utterly uninformed) is that the Maestro processor in the Q2 does not have enough power to analyse the high res sensor of the Q2.

This.

The Q2 has the pathetic Maestro II, which is not powerful enough for an effective face/eye detect.

FYI, both the SL2 and SL2s have a Maestro III, a significant upgrade, but even that is just ok compared to the competition.

If the Q3 will have a Maestro III (most likely), you can expect performances on par with the SL2, which is adequate but not fantastic.

A Maestro IV would be even better, especially on a 60mp sensor, but maybe that one is reserved for the SL3, who knows. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[Daniel C.1975]

My SL2s works with the latest FW quite good in my opinion, but compared to e.g. Sony it is not so great anymore. 

The Q2 is in comparison to the SL2s is quite bad, and overall only usable under certain circumstances which exclude distances over let's say 4 meter, too dim or too bright light, more than one face, ...  . 

Also funny: The Q2 loves to recognize faces in structures and forms, but at the same time is neglecting the face in the same frame   

Still happy with my Q2  

Edited April 13, 2023 by Daniel C.1975