Leica Q2 on test - Highlights ?

[AdamMark]

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Hello,

I am currently renting the Q2 for this weekend.

Really like its ergonomics and the results are pleasing.

The only issue I have is the cameras propensity to “clip” highlights.

Have you experienced this and what have you done if anything in an attempt to increase hight light details ?

I have used the “highlighted” meter function and have also metered for the sky.  The Q2 seems very able to accommodate the lifting of shadows at ISO 100 - 200.  I haven’t gone above that at the moment but will do over the weekend.

Am I going to order a Q2 after this weekend ? Not sure , I’ll revisit this question on Monday morning.

Kind regards,

Adam.

[LocalHero1953]

I have the histogram in the display, and use that as my main guide to exposure. My normal shooting mode is aperture priority, with the thumbwheel used for exposure compensation. I just use EC to adjust the histogram till it looks as if it won't clip highlights. 

There is a high likelihood that the Q3 will be launched this month.

Just saying.

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[Le Chef]

You can set the metering area to compensate for highlights. You can use the histogram to compensate for exposure. And you can show blown highlights and then adjust. Lots of ways to get a better image, and that’s before you work in a program like LightRoom.

[LocalHero1953]

To elaborate on Le Chef’s comment, the crop setting determines which area is metered. So if you have a small crop area with no bright highlights, you will blow bright highlights outside the crop frame. This may inadvertently be the source of your problem, and is solved by making the crop as big as possible. 

[bobtodrick]

I've looked at your posts...you've been testing the Q2 since December...just buy the darn thing 😆

[hexx]

A question - the histogram isn’t for RAW capture but for JPEG - or am I wrong? IOW, how much can one overexpose beyond what histogram shows?

Bit of background: I have 240 and pretty much 90%+ of my photos are shot with 28mm Summicron ASPH so been thinking for a while now that Q2 (or Q3) might be just a camera for me. 
 

I have also 50 Nokton 1.5 ASPH that I hardly use. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by hexx

[Le Chef]

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I only shoot RAW and adjust exposure in camera using the histogram as the guide. It’s worked for me for as many years as there’ve been DND’s and LightRoom. I’m not sure why the sensor is reading would only apply to JPEGs.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Le Chef

[hexx]

4 hours ago, Le Chef said:

I only shoot RAW and adjust exposure in camera using the histogram as the guide. It’s worked for me for as many years as there’ve been DND’s and LightRoom. I’m not sure why the sensor is reading would only apply to JPEGs.

Thank you, I was trying to get my head around page 85 in the Q2 manual where it states:

"The histogram is always based on the brightness displayed; depending on the settings used, it may not represent the final exposure."

So in other words, am confused about what the histogram represents (also, it's not RGB)

Edited May 13, 2023 by hexx

[goodbokeh]

On 5/12/2023 at 10:46 AM, AdamMark said:

Hello,

I am currently renting the Q2 for this weekend.

Really like its ergonomics and the results are pleasing.

The only issue I have is the cameras propensity to “clip” highlights.

Have you experienced this and what have you done if anything in an attempt to increase hight light details ?

I have used the “highlighted” meter function and have also metered for the sky.  The Q2 seems very able to accommodate the lifting of shadows at ISO 100 - 200.  I haven’t gone above that at the moment but will do over the weekend.

Am I going to order a Q2 after this weekend ? Not sure , I’ll revisit this question on Monday morning.

Kind regards,

Adam.

Adam, on bright sunny days I set my Q2 EV to -0.7, use matrix metering, limit my auto ISO to 1600 and my Raws don't clip. I just got back from sunny Mallorca with this setting and no problems at all. From my experience (also owning the Sony A1 & A7R5) if you wait for the Q3 you'll get around an extra 1/2-3/4 stop of highlight headroom. Not a lot of difference in real life. OTOH Summer and maybe Fall could be gone before you qet a Q3 delivered.

[AdamMark]

Hello Bob

18 hours ago, bobtodrick said:

I've looked at your posts...you've been testing the Q2 since December...just buy the darn thing 😆

Lol - I know and I should.  Actually very happy with the results however noise at 800 iso is an issue.  I processed an image taken at 800 iso in LR today.  I under exposed the image so as not to clip the highlights.  When lifting the shadows there was visible noise in darker areas of the image.  This noise could be eliminated by increasing the noise reduction sliders by 50% but this in turn creates a softer image ! Thoughts please ?  

[Le Chef]

3 hours ago, AdamMark said:

Hello Bob

Lol - I know and I should.  Actually very happy with the results however noise at 800 iso is an issue.  I processed an image taken at 800 iso in LR today.  I under exposed the image so as not to clip the highlights.  When lifting the shadows there was visible noise in darker areas of the image.  This noise could be eliminated by increasing the noise reduction sliders by 50% but this in turn creates a softer image ! Thoughts please ?  

Use the Denoise option in Lightroom or buy DXO Raw.

[bobtodrick]

3 hours ago, AdamMark said:

Hello Bob

Lol - I know and I should.  Actually very happy with the results however noise at 800 iso is an issue.  I processed an image taken at 800 iso in LR today.  I under exposed the image so as not to clip the highlights.  When lifting the shadows there was visible noise in darker areas of the image.  This noise could be eliminated by increasing the noise reduction sliders by 50% but this in turn creates a softer image ! Thoughts please ?  

Hate to not be of much help...but pretty much everything I photograph is in pretty good lighting...In three years now I can count the number of times I've needed higher than 400iso on one hand.  But the time I have done so the subject matter has been such that it noise has not been noticeable on a 16x20" print. 

I truly do feel that digital allows us to pixel peep to an unreasonable extent...things that show up at 300% on a computer screen just aren't there on a print.

[howard_cummer]

13 hours ago, jefe said:

Hi AdamMark,

I have a Q2. I love it, truly may baby. However, I am a polar Expedition Guide in Antarctica and I need to buy something a little more robust for that ...... looking at Z9 with 70 - 200 2.8 and 500mm f4.5. I need to sell my Q2 to buy the new gear. It will kill me to do so but necessity prevails. If you are interested in picking up a Q2 about 18 months old with, say, 20,000 actuations, all boxes and manuals, very clean then please feel free to respond and we can chat. Cheers, Jeff

 

This may not be the right forum to talk about Nikon for an Antarctic expedition but I'll try. First I have the 70 - 200 2.8 and rarely use it. I find the 24 - 120 f4.0 S much lighter and more versatile for street work. The high ISO performance on the Z9, especially developed with DxOPR3, means you don't need heavy fast lenses so much. I shoot birds with the 100 - 400 4.5 - 5.6 plus 1.4 extender and that works really well. You might save some money buying that over the 500.

Hope it is okay to post this here.

[LocalHero1953]

On 5/13/2023 at 3:32 PM, hexx said:

A question - the histogram isn’t for RAW capture but for JPEG - or am I wrong? IOW, how much can one overexpose beyond what histogram shows?

I can't give exact figures, but a little bit of apparent overexposure shown by the histogram and blinkies will be manageable in post processing. Normally, though, I avoid any blown highlights shown by blinkies/histogram unless I'm forced into it because they are the sun, bright lighting, specular highlights or to avoid very deep underexposure of faces etc.

Remember this is digital: your own trial and error costs nothing and is worth a zillion times more than my words or those of anyone else. Just try it.

On 5/13/2023 at 4:08 PM, Le Chef said:

I only shoot RAW and adjust exposure in camera using the histogram as the guide. It’s worked for me for as many years as there’ve been DND’s and LightRoom. I’m not sure why the sensor is reading would only apply to JPEGs.

It is my understanding that EVF histograms are based on the jpg that is captured to embed in the raw file, not on the raw file itself (and are certainly not intended just for jpg shots). That understanding is from some way back and it has been discussed in the forum before, but I can't now cite a reference. 

[SrMi]

Avoid ISO 50 with SL2 and Q2 unless you are very careful with exposure, as clipping can occur earlier than expected.

[GrumpyAsh]

Hi. I am going to purchase a Q2M and I have been working in Antarctica on and off for 20 years. First few times I took as much of my Nikon kit as I could fit into my kit bag. I had a D3S which I still use. I took a 400mm and a 180mm lense along with a Nikon point and shoot. The point and shoot was used more often than not. Then I just took D850 with a 10-24mm lense. There are so many pictures of the same old stuff, I started shooting with a fuji  XE-4 with an 18mm lense in black and white. Black and white for me is going back to where i started in photography. I think that the Q2M is perfect for my needs now. I am a plant technician and do not have a big bag of cash, but over the years I know what works. Think carefully about what you need and what you think you need. Weight and ease of use is what matters. Good luck.