Love the Q2 apart from fixed lens / cropping zoom

[Jane Grover]

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I love the quality of the images from Leica Q2 but find the fixed lens  annoying. Is there another Leica  anyone could recommend; similar  quality, compact , not too pricey but with zoom lens ?

[jaapv]

M11(no zoom lens) or used CL or used X Vario, Dlux

[frame-it]

or vlux 114?

[LocalHero1953]

In your shoes* I would look for a CL with appropriate lenses. If you don't want to enlarge too much, or shoot in low light, the IQ is comparable. Though the Q2 is much better than the 18TL, the more you crop the less the difference between the Q2 and the uncropped CL with an equivalent lens (especially the fabulous 35TL and 60TL).

I have had a M9, M240, CL, and TL2, and now have a Q2. I swapped from the CL to Q2 to simplify my systems, not to get better IQ.

 

*But we all have different priorities. Pixels are not my priority. If you want more pixels and can live with manual focus, then you might prefer a M.

 

Edit. And welcome to the forum!

Edited September 3, 2023 by LocalHero1953

[bobtodrick]

My recommendation, based on what the OP asked for would be a DLux or an X Vario.

Both have the zooms she’s looking for.  Both have good sized sensors.  Though the X Vario lacks an eye level finder the Olympus electronic VF-2 clips in the hot shoe and works great.

She mentions ‘reasonable price’.  An M11 with a couple lenses is going to touch $20000.  Unless she is a doctor or lawyer (which she may very well be)…most don’t consider that ‘reasonable.

Edited September 3, 2023 by bobtodrick

[Le Chef]

CL with a TL 18-56 (28-85 full frame equivalent). It’s compact, light in weight and produces good results. There are a number of people here who sold their CL’s when it was discontinued by Leica, and have subsequently repurchased one.

Edited September 3, 2023 by Le Chef

[anonymoose]

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I had a Leica CL + 23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) to compliment my Sony A7S3 + 24mm f/1.4 (mainly video usage) and purchased the Leica Q2.

I love my CL, but I’d rather take pictures with the Q2 and crop than to use the CL with a 35/50mm equivalent. 

[Miltz]

20 hours ago, Jane Grover said:

I love the quality of the images from Leica Q2 but find the fixed lens  annoying. Is there another Leica  anyone could recommend; similar  quality, compact , not too pricey but with zoom lens ?

The only option that would make sense when it comes to quality is the SL2-S. I would get that with the focal lengths you want or a zoom. Yes it’s heavy but you can’t have it all. 

[thighslapper]

Used the CL for several years and found it excellent as a compact multi-focal length solution. 

Low light performance/dynamic range a bit limited and high ISO a bit rubbish compared to later cameras but as a daytime solution is hard to beat. 

It was the last of my Leica cameras to go when I migrated to Fuji. 

[Guest]

I have been following the Q series for years, and at one time seriously entertained the notion of 'needing' a Mono. What stopped me in my tracks every time was, and still is, the 28 mm lens. If only it was 24 mm, or even 20 with cropping to 24/28/35, I would have bought every iteration. For me personally 28 is neither wide enough for city trips, nor for landscapes. On my current trip in Tuscany, so far 41% of the photos are 24 mm, while a mere 5% are 28 mm, 11% are 35 mm, and 9% are 50 mm.

[clasami]

I am afraid the answer is no. You may be better served with the Sony a7c line that now goes up to 60MP, or the Fuji X-Pro line which is currently not in production and no one knows what's next.

But the Q2 returns nice quality up to 50mm crop, and a verx usable 75mm crop.

#JohnSmithOtherBrother: are you sure that the high percentage of 24mm is by choice? Or just because the zoom ends there? When I am out with a 24-70 zoom, I notice that the majoity of images is taken @24mm, then @70mm and only few inbetween. Me, I never found the differnce in perspectiv between a 24mm and 28mm significant enough. 20mm is a different story, though. 28-35-50 is a WA to normal range. very useful.

[ianforber]

I also recommend the D-Lux. I have one of the earlier, much inferior versions but took some of my favourite pictures with it. 

That said, I love my Q2 and frequently crop it to probably 150mm equivalent but I don’t print so pixels per inch don’t matter to me. 

[Guest]

Am 6.9.2023 um 13:48 schrieb clasami:

#JohnSmithOtherBrother: are you sure that the high percentage of 24mm is by choice? Or just because the zoom ends there? When I am out with a 24-70 zoom, I notice that the majoity of images is taken @24mm, then @70mm and only few inbetween. Me, I never found the differnce in perspectiv between a 24mm and 28mm significant enough. 20mm is a different story, though. 28-35-50 is a WA to normal range. very useful.

Yes, 24 mm is by choice. And in some of these wonderful medieval Tuscan towns and villages even that is not wide enough. 28 mm is useless, hence the small number of images with that focal length. The longer ones tend to be architectural details or of some landscapes or views of towns from further afield. At 70 mm I have 9%.

Of course you are correct, that the classically accepted progression is 28-35-50, but aren't our photographs representations of how we individually see the world? Following from that 28-35-50 is not a one-size-fits-all focal length choice. My ideal one would probably be 21-28-35, with the 24 mm motivs slipping up to 28 or more likely down to 21. Also, I am a fan of the plimsoll zoom - a few steps, where possible, can change perspective a lot. But sometimes the alleys are too small and tight and you're boxed in and 24 mm is not wide enough.

[clasami]

I hear you. Yet on all my travels through Europe and its old towns, I hardly ever missed a shot because my zoom was "only" 28mm and not 24. The latter gives a slightly more dramatic perspective. 20mm is more of a step in the WA direction. But both, the 20 and 24 option, would turn the Q into a WA camera and take away the "swiss knife" approach. When I know that I will encounter situations where I want the 20mm perspective, or short tele, or both, I take a Sony FF with a 20mm or 16-35, and the Sigma 90mm.